Is your business using a local SEO Singapore strategy to grow its customer base? But, before you answer that, let me ask you two more questions.
Do you know any business owners who are currently struggling to find customers?
Are you one of those business owners?
Hopefully the answer is no to both questions. But, considering the fact that many business owners don’t understand how to market their businesses, I know this hope is nothing but pure optimism.
A terrible marketing strategy is a major reason why so many businesses fail. What makes this quite alarming is that struggling businesses are surrounded by potential customers. Your local community provides you with a population of people who can be consistent customers. Of course everyone in your local community isn’t your customer, but there is a demographic of people within the community who fit your customer profile.
The problem you are having is not being able to cast a net that is big enough to reel people into your business. But, is this really you problem? It definitely isn’t.
I’m sure you are familiar with online marketing. You are probably currently using a content marketing and SEO strategy to attract people to your website so they can be converted into customers. For all that you invest into online marketing, the results you are producing are minimal. I would bet that you are making the same mistake as most businesses that participate in online marketing.
Remember the first question I asked when you first started reading this article? Your business needs to have a local SEO Singapore strategy to bring local customers to your business.
What is Local SEO?
As the name implies, local SEO is a form of online marketing. When your business utilizes local SEO, you are telling people in your local community you have a business that serves a particular need.
Local SEO benefits your business when people in your local community are looking for a particular business in their area that can satisfy their need at the moment. If you are a seafood restaurant, a local search for “best seafood restaurant” should pull up your restaurant in the top results. If not, your competition is receiving the majority of local market share while your business isn’t even known by the local community.
This is local SEO is important for your business. Think about how many people do Google searches in order to make a decision about what business near them they will patronize. You could have the best product or service to offer, but are being looked over because your business doesn’t appear in the local searches.
Considering the fact that people use their phone on the go to find a nearby business, they could be driving right past your business to purchase from your competitor that is five blocks away. Google indicated that 95% of mobile users look up local information on their phones with the purpose of calling or visiting a business.That is too much potential money that isn’t being spent with your business.
Local SEO brings real customers to your business, not people who are just interested in seeing the products and services available on your website. If people call your business or drive to it, there is a very good chance they want to make a purchase.
Why is Local SEO Important?
Local SEO will help your business attract a steady supply of consistent customers. To prove this point, here are some facts to validate this statement.
1. Businesses are being found by local searches being done online
Customers near you use online search engines and business directories as their primary source for finding local businesses. This is an important fact to know as customers are turning away from print directories as their primary source for finding local information.
2. Online searches for local businesses continues to increase
85% of consumers use online searches to find local businesses. This is a huge number of people looking for local information and businesses through search engines like Google and Yelp.
3. Local SEO marketing is specific and relevant for the local consumer
Local SEO gives local consumers the best options that are in their immediate radius. Therefore, if the search is being done, the customer is in need of the product or service immediately or in the near future.
4. Local SEO converts better than all other local advertising methods
Local SEO provides you with a better chance of converting a prospect into a customer than other traditional advertising methods. The conversion rates of local SEO can be as high as 50%, which means if two people walked into your business, one of them would make a purchase.
5. Mobile searches continue to grow
Smartphones are frequently being used by people when they are out and about looking for local eateries, clothing stores, or etc. These are customers you don’t want to miss out on, especially when they’re walking past your storefront to go to a competitor.
6. Your investment is returned exponentially
Local SEO cannot be thrown in the trashcan or misplaced like print advertising. Every time customers conduct a local search for a keyword related to your business, your business appears. This is great exposure that brings you continual leads.
7. A dismal 10% of businesses use local Google Places listings
Your competitors are slow to understand the importance of online marketing and positioning. This provides you with the opportunity to create a strong competitive advantage by having a great online presence and reputation.
8. Local SEO placements are free
Take advantage of the opportunity to list your business on local searches on places like Google for. This opportunity may not always exist, so you want to create a huge online following while you can for free.
9. Local media doesn’t have the same power as in the past
People are turning from their local newspapers and magazines to find businesses with local online searches. Unless your business serves other businesses, that look for providers through newspaper ads and trade magazines, consumers will be looking for you online
10. 88% of consumers trust online
Before customers choose to make a purchase from your business, they want to read the experience of previous customers. This means you need to have your business listed online so that customers can provide good reviews about your product or service.
How Can You Implement Local SEO for Your Business
Using a Google + Local page will position your business to receive online traffic. On this page you want to include images, videos, and of course reveiws from your customers.
Here are the ways to ensure your Google+ Local page will bring you great results.
1. Keyword optimization needs to be done for your page’s information copy
Include your brand’s name, the target keyword for search engines, and your business’s location. You don’t want to do keyword stuffing, as this will be a negative signal to search engines. Do just enough and have it well formatted so that it appears natural to Google’s search engine
2. Reference your keywords in the title
Whatever your business’s industry is, it needs to be included in your title. If you have a photography business, include the word photography in the title.
3. Make sure that you associate your listing with the right category
Be as specific as possible when you are choosing your business’s category. Instead of just “marketing”, you would want your business to be in the category of “content marketing”.
4. Add detail to your search engine listing
You want to make sure that your business’s search results appear with detail, such as an image or rating of your business. This provides the customer with more of an incentive to choose your business based off what they see.
5. Make sure your business’s address is consistent across all platforms
The name, address, and phone number of your business should be listed the same on your Google+ Local page, as it is on your Facebook business page. This will signal to Google that your business is related to a specific location.
6. Tell your customers you love reviews
Reviews are so important that they are giving the same SEO preference as links. Not only are reviews an important factor to Google but they help customers make a decision. Therefore, you want to provide great products or services in order to get great reviews.
7. If you have multiple locations, they need a separate listing
You don’t want customers turning your business down because they believe your nearest location is an hour away. If you have multiple locations throughout your local city, customers need to know their options.
As you can see, local SEO is very important if you want your business to succeed in your local community. This will especially help if you have future aspirations of expansion on a regional or national scale.
If you would like hands on help to position your business online locally, we can help. TRV Creative can effectively optimise your local SEO — increasing your online presence, which generates more sales for your business.
