Use Local SEO in Your Small Business & e-Commerce Blogs

To rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs), you must target local search engine optimization (SEO). This article explains why local SEO is a great opportunity.

Local SEO is crucial in blogging for business.Photo byDreamstime #77829498

There are an estimated 3.5 billion searches on Google each day.—Internet Live Stats.

Local SEO for Google, Bing, Yahoo, and other search engines is essential for small business and e-commerce blogs to increase traffic, help you boost your brand online, get more calls, and make more money.

The #1 result in Google’s organic search results has an average clickthrough rate (CTR) of 27.6%.—Backlinko.

When it comes to e-commerce and online sales, local SEO is a must. It’s one of the easiest ways to stand out from the competition and drive more traffic to your site. You can expect higher conversion rates and more leads by focusing on local SEO. Those optimized for mobile devices and voice are getting more looks.

48% of consumers are using voice for "general web searches.”—Search Engine Land.

You cannot expect to compete with large businesses like Amazon, Walmart, and others. Therefore, you need to be more visible in your area. People want to buy online from people they know and trust. Having a recognizable brand in your area will help them decide to trust you and buy from your business.

51% of smartphone users have discovered a new company or product when conducting a search on their smartphones.—Think with Google.

In today's digital world, you need to make an effort to stand out from the rest of the crowd. There are more than 1 billion websites on the Internet, and each is fighting for your attention. With so much competition, capturing online shoppers' interest in your brand takes time and effort. But local search is a great way to get business—and it doesn't have to be hard work, either. Local SEO can be done correctly with minimal effort, but doing it incorrectly can ruin your reputation.

76% of people who search on their smartphones for something nearby visit a business within a day.—Think with Google.

Using local SEO can help you reach a much wider audience. Instead of having your products listed in different places worldwide, you can focus on your target market. People search for businesses in their area using local results, so it makes sense to ensure that these are optimized for your business.

“Where to buy" + "near me" have grown by over 200%, and "store open near me" mobile queries are up 250% from 2017 to 2019.—Think with Google.

One of the most used search phrases is “near me.” Where can I get a great pizza near me? When the hungry computer or mobile user types that query into Google or Bing or asks, “Hey Google or Siri, Where can I buy seafood nearby?” you need your seafood shop or restaurant or pizza joint to be within the top three on the SERPs. Otherwise, your chance of being discovered as a good seafood restaurant is reduced by half.

The top three Google search results get 54.4% of all clicks.—Backlinko.

What’s more, if you’re not on the first page of the SERP, chances are you won’t be discovered at all.

0.63% of Google searchers click on results from the second page.—Backlinko.

Local SEO using town, city, county, and state names with landmarks and Google maps is also good practice because your customers know exactly where you are and can easily visit your brick-and-mortar store if they need help or cannot order online. Nearly 45% of mobile shoppers order online and then pick it up in the store.

90.63% of pages get no organic search traffic from Google.—Ahefs.com.

Do you know why? The website’s owner is either not blogging or not using SEO effectively.

Local SEO 2023: How To Get More Local Business Calls

Local SEO depends on putting your services and location into your blogs. If you want customers or clients from Bangor, Brewer, Old Town, and Orono, get those locations into your blog.

60% of businesses use video as a marketing tool. — Biteable.

The Write Results, LLC has experienced writers who can help you with your blogging needs. Even if you only need a short vacation, we can blog for you while you’re gone.

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About the author.

Stephen Dalton, the founder and owner of The Write Results, LLC, is a native of Old Town, ME, and a retired US Army First Sergeant with a degree in journalism from the University of Maryland. He is a Certified US English Chicago Manual of Style Editor. Top Writer in Travel, Food, Fiction, SEO, Transportation, VR, Sports, Design, Creativity, Short Story, and a NewsBreak Community Voice Pro.