What is Local Search?

Local search is a solution that helps small businesses compete with large companies online using search engines like Chrome, Edge, or Safari. When people search online for businesses, services, or products in a specific area, using a search engine, there is a special area where Google lists local businesses. For example, when someone searches for “restaurants near me” or “plumbers in Baltimore,” Google shows results based on their location in the local search box, with 3 listings and a map. Google also shows some local businesses mixed in with large companies in the next section, known as Organic listings. Organic listings pull up websites related to the search term a user types in a search engine.

The advantage of using the Coastal Web Local SEO Search program is that we are SEO experts and can get your business in the Top 3 of Local Search! 

Key parts of local search include:

  1. Google My Business (GMB): Businesses can claim their listing in local search results and Google Maps.
  2. Local SEO: Optimizing your website with local keywords and accurate location info to show up in local search.
  3. Mobile Search: Many local searches are done on mobile devices, helping people find services nearby.
  4. Local Directories: Listings on sites like Yelp or Yellow Pages can improve local visibility.
  5. Localized Content: Creating content that focuses on your area can help attract local customers.

Local search is important for small businesses to connect with customers in their area.

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What does Google Local Search look like?

 

Say, for example, you were searching for Harford County Plumbing Services. The page might resemble the image above, with a map and 3 local businesses. Those are local search results. Further down the page are the organic search results. Ideally, your web pages will appear in local and organic search results.

The Importance of Optimizing with Local Intent

Let’s check out some statistics from Think With Google that show why local is so important for your small business.

  • 30% of all mobile searches have local intent.
  • 76% of people who search for something nearby on their smartphone visit a business within a day.
  • 28% of local searches for a product or service result in a purchase.
  • “Near Me” searches grew by more than 200% between 2017-2019.

What We Provide: Local SEO Services

Our SEO plans are designed to help businesses with a physical location or those serving a specific area improve their visibility in local search results. We focus on getting your business into the Google 3-Pack, the top three local listings, which include key details like hours, address, phone number, photos, and reviews.

Coverage typically ranges from 1-40 miles, depending on competition and SEO effectiveness. While it may take time to catch up with competitors who have been optimizing longer, our goal is to get your business on page 1 and ideally in the top 3. Reaching the Top 3 listings boosts visibility and drives more customer traffic.

Three Main Criteria for Local Search Ranking

  • Relevance: How relevant are your products and services to the search query?
  • Distance: How close are you to the person searching?
  • Prominence: Do you have a lot of good reviews? More reviews and 5-star ratings may place you higher. So, it will be listed in local directories.

Maximize Local Visibility with Local SEO Services

Running a small business is demanding, and marketing budgets can be tight. One of the most cost-effective ways to attract local customers is through local SEO services.

Local SEO helps businesses with physical locations or defined service areas rank higher in local search results. By optimizing your website for local keywords and building local citations and reviews, you can increase your visibility and attract more customers searching for your services nearby.

FAQs

Q – What is the difference between local SEO and Organic SEO?

A – Local is your listings on local website directories and a search engine’s local search area. For Google, it is near the top of the search engine results page that has a map and 3 listings showing. Your Google Business Profile (GBP) account can also help you with local search engine guidelines. Local SEO is very important if you have a defined service area of several cities or counties.

The organic SEO listings are below the local listings and there are at least 10 organic listings on page #1. Organic SEO focuses on improving organic search rankings, which are crucial for long-term visibility and traffic. Your website may appear in both the top local and organic listings if we’re doing everything right.

Q – What is a keyword phrase?

A – A keyword phrase is what someone types in a search engine to find the services or products they are interested in. For example, someone might type in “need a plumber to install a new hot water heater”. Or they may type in “plumber in the baltimore area” or they may just type in “plumber near me”. Each one of these phrases will place different results on every search engine.

We use industry tools to see what phrases people are really looking for. We then optimize for specific phrases that you can be competitive for. We set it up so you have a unique keyword phrase on each web page. In this way, you can cover all of the ways someone might search for your services. On-page SEO involves optimizing individual web pages for specific keyword phrases to improve their search engine rankings.

Q – Do I need to be on page #1 for my keyword phrases?

A – If you want to get more business then YES! There are usually hundreds of competitors in Local Search for a specific keyword phrase and millions of competitors in Organic search. And statistics show the majority of searchers don’t go beyond the first page to find what they are looking for. It is a challenging task to get you to the top page, but it is definitely doable. But it takes working with experienced SEO agencies like Coastal Web to make it happen.

Q – How do you get my keywords on page one?

A – We start by focusing on one phrase then add a 2nd phrase, 3rd, 4th, and so on. The longer you pay for SEO the more keywords we get you to perform well on. We may create new content for your website, consolidate content, or delete some altogether.