Things to look for when finding a Local SEO service
What to look for when finding a Local SEO service
Being found on Google has become so important for local businesses all over the globe in recent years. From London to Australia, businesses are competing hard on Google to be listed on the first page of the search engine. In a post-pandemic era, there is more emphasis on local marketing and a higher reliance on local goods and services than ever before.
Therefore, finding a local SEO company has become ever more relevant for businesses of all sizes. We take you through a comprehensive list of things you need to look out for and avoid when choosing a local SEO company. Let’s find out how to pick the best local SEO company that fits with your business.
Why is Local SEO important?
According to
research in the search engine industry, the number of people searching for local places without the phrase "near me" has increased by 150%.
There is a significant shift towards including location names in search queries, such as postcodes, town names, and county names. The primary reason for this shift is that people intuitively know the search results will be relevant to their locality.
All of this is down to their mobile phone, which makes it easy for the search engine to suggest local places with pinpoint accuracy. This is truly fascinating for businesses and internet users alike. Further research suggests that local search trends are certainly on the rise. Therefore, as a business, what must you do (and not do) to rank high in local search results? It starts by choosing the right local SEO company.
Where does Local SEO show up in search results?
Local SEO SERP (Search Engine Results Page) after entering your query, which includes the following terms:
- Town
- City
- Postcode
- Near me
- Or, the search query indicates you are looking for a local solution
Google and Bing will display a local search results page, indicated by a local map listing appearing on page one. Within the organic listings, your business will also become visible via local citation listings.
Benefits of hiring a Local SEO company
The community you live in knows the value of shopping local, and with the COVID-19 hurdles, UK giants like Barclays Bank, Google and PayPal are supporting local communities to thrive and support each other. One key benefit in working with a local company, be it an SEO company or other service, is that you do not have to worry about competing with the multinational corporate giants. There are 100s of potential customers looking to start a long-lasting relationship with a local business.
A local search engine optimisation company will build you an SEO strategy that will not only increase your ranking visibility to potential new clients on the web. The agency will also help you build trust with Google and manage all your business name, address, and listing citations across the web. More importantly, it could be mutually beneficial for you and Google, as Google’s algorithm loves local collaborations.
There are other added benefits too:
- Increased footfall if you have a store
- Tradespeople can find work within specific locations
- Increase and improve sales
- Increase calls to your business
- Boost website traffic
- Get more leads from a wider audience
- Makes you more visible (and known) in the locality
- Gain loyal customers
- Relatively easy competition as there are no corporate giants in your way
- Build trust within the community
The rise of ‘near me’ searches
‘Micro-moments’, as Google calls them, are intent-based moments when a user resorts to their device to search for a certain need they have. These can include things or places the user needs to know, go, do, or buy.
Businesses that work with local SEO companies have a clear edge in achieving long-term success with these micro-moments. So, what do you need to do and, importantly, avoid finding the right local SEO company to support your business?
Going Local is the way forward
As with any successful business, a good local SEO company should demonstrate the same qualities that make a successful business in its own right.
Let’s take a look at what you need to do when considering a local SEO company to support your business. They are the essential characteristics of a good SEO expert, so review them carefully before making a decision. A local SEO company need to:
1. Be realistic
An experienced SEO expert will not promise to get you on the first page of Google in the first meeting. They know that there will be a lot of work to do on your website before talking about the glittering results.
Of course, having measurable objectives is a must, but never get mystified by alluring promises at the beginning. Be realistic, ranking locally could take between 4 and 6 months, depending upon your online competition; ranking any sooner is just a bonus.
A local SEO expert should set a realistic target for performance, allowing success to be measured and delivered sustainably. As the old saying goes, the walls can go up quickly, and they come down even faster! Therefore, you need to have an SEO campaign that aligns with your business goals in a structured and planned manner.
2. Up-to-date with Google’s guidelines
Being up-to-date with algorithm changes will not only help you to reach new heights but also allow your business to avoid costly and redundant tactics. Your local SEO company should lead and stay abreast with the changes that take place in the search engine industry.
There will always be discretion in the tactics being used, but the SEO experts should be able to explain to you the technical changes that have been implemented on your website and the changes in the recent algorithm.
3. Knowledgeable geeks
The local SEO company you choose should have at least a few years of experience running successful SEO campaigns on behalf of other local businesses. The size of the SEO company is not the issue here, as freelancers and small local SEO services are also capable of delivering great results.
The key focus is whether they know what they are doing and whether you are getting value for money. Your online success needs to be measured in clear terms so that you and the SEO expert know where the campaign is heading.
4. Communication
This is true to any business. If the SEO expert is keeping you in the dark for an unreasonably long time, it may be a sign that the campaign is not heading in the right direction.
However, because you are working with an established SEO agency, they should have the option to send you success reports regularly. That said, it’s good to agree at the outset how you want your progress to be communicated.
5. Consistent results
A local SEO agency with plenty of experience should be able to optimise your business in the local area from the beginning. With tight budgets and busy schedules, many local businesses have little time and money to spend on SEOs.
An agency with plenty of experience understands your goals and produces consistent results throughout the campaign. However, because your focus is local, you may have to be patient until you reap the full benefits.
As a local SEO agency in Leicester, Kangaroo UK can help your business reach new heights in Google and Bing search results.
Contact us today!
