What Businesses Need Local SEO the Most

A strong online presence has become a prerequisite for businesses across different industries. With the power of search engine optimisation, local businesses can capture the attention of potential clients in their area and make a name for themselves in the online world. Optimising your online visibility for local searches can boost your chances of appearing on the first page of search engine results pages (SERPs).

While local SEO can be a powerful digital marketing tool for different types of businesses, not all businesses require local SEO to the same extent. If you want to know more about what businesses need local SEO the most, stick around to find out.

What Is Local SEO?

Local SEO is a specialised branch of search engine optimisation, which comprises a group of tactics and tools for optimising websites for search engines. Local SEO allows businesses to rank higher in local search results, allowing them to connect with potential customers who live and shop in the same geographical region.

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Local SEO strategies make it easier for customers to find local businesses when searching for professional services online. Another important aspect of SEO is that it can show your website to target customers who might not have heard about your business otherwise.

An effective SEO strategy can improve your presence online, drive organic traffic to your website, and increase your conversion rate. It also gives you an advantage over other businesses in your niche, which is especially important in highly competitive industries.

Depending on the industry, local SEO can consist of various techniques and tactics, including keyword research, creating geo-targeted content, link building, optimising your website for local search results, and more. These SEO efforts make your website more visible to potential customers online and search engines.

To be more specific, search engines use various ranking factors, like your Google Business Profile, on-page SEO, site speed, keyword relevance, blog content, and more, to index your website on search engine results pages (SERPs). That's why implementing different SEO solutions can help your local business grow and put your name on the map.

What Industries Need SEO the Most

SEO can increase business growth for companies of all sizes, whether you have a new or existing business. No matter what kind of services or products your local business might be offering, there will always be users actively searching for them. That being said, while all businesses can benefit from local search engine optimisation, some industries need SEO more than others.

We can group the best industries for SEO into three categories:

1. Brick-and-mortar businesses
2. Service-based businesses
3. Online businesses

Brick-and-Mortar Businesses

Brick-and-mortar businesses are traditional businesses with a physical store where local customers can make purchases and pay for services in person.

Brick-and-mortar businesses include:

• Restaurants, cafés, and bars
• Retail businesses
• Convenience stores and grocery shops
• Department stores
• Specialty stores like bookshops or hardware shops
• Salons and spas
• Fitness centres
• Pet services
• Technology companies
• Auto repair shops

Even though brick-and-mortar businesses rely on local customers and in-store traffic doesn't mean they don't need digital marketing. In fact, it's quite the opposite. With more and more people turning to the internet to search for local products and services, businesses that don't have a strong online presence risk losing potential customers.

All the businesses mentioned above face the same challenge of standing out from the competition, which is where SEO comes in. Local brick-and-mortar businesses will attract more foot traffic in their physical stores by optimising their products and services for online searches.

There are various ways brick-and-mortar businesses can use local SEO services to reach more target customers. For example, restaurants can use delivery apps to increase their online presence and advertise their food. Clothing shops can sell products online, whether it's through their website or a dedicated app. Through SEO, these businesses can optimise their websites for mobile devices, increasing user experience and customer engagement.

Service-Based Businesses

The most competitive industries that need SEO are service-based businesses, which offer different types of services to a local market. These include the following:

• Home repair and remodelling
• Legal services
• Health and wellness
• Accounting and financial services
• Real estate
• Education and tutoring

Most of these industries are made up of startups and small businesses that need SEO services to stay ahead of their competition. That being said, established multi-location businesses can also benefit from digital marketing campaigns to attract more target customers in a specific geographic region. The service-based industry also comprises business-to-consumer (B2C) businesses like home services and business-to-business (B2B) professional services, such as law firms and accounting services.

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For example, home service businesses that offer repair and remodelling services, like plumbers, electricians, contractors, painters, remodelers, etc., could all succeed with SEO. A local SEO campaign can provide those services with organic search results, higher conversion rates, and brand awareness.

Another great example of industries that need SEO is the real estate industry. Real estate agents are always looking for new ways to acquire clients and reach a wider audience. The real estate industry will always be highly competitive because people are constantly looking to buy properties, houses, and apartments. Local SEO practices are especially important for this line of business because there is a strong emphasis on local areas, with people searching for specific cities, neighbourhoods, streets, and zip codes.

A wide range of medical practices also need SEO services, including healthcare providers, private clinics, pharmaceutical companies, dental practices, home care providers, etc.

Online Businesses

Unlike brick-and-mortar businesses, home-based businesses or online businesses don't operate within a physical location. However, this doesn't mean they don't need to grab the attention of local customers. We can divide home-based businesses into the following categories:

1. E-commerce sites
2. Freelancers and consultants
3. Online service businesses
4. Online marketplaces
5. Software-as-a-service (SaaS) businesses
6. Content-based businesses
7. Affiliate marketing businesses

No matter what type of online business you're running, you need to develop an SEO strategy that will drive organic traffic to your website. Online stores that offer products within a specific local area rely on SEO tools to remain relevant in the eyes of search engines. Even online service businesses, like digital marketing companies and social media management agencies, need website traffic and potential customers from their local community.

When it comes to e-commerce stores, online marketplaces, and other platforms that connect buyers and sellers, the competition is relentless. That's why ranking high on Google search results and other search engines is imperative. The higher you rank on a search engine results page, the greater your chances of being discovered by more people.

When home-based businesses appear on the first page of local results, it builds trust and credibility. This is essential for home-based businesses that don't have a physical storefront, as it can help them establish a strong online presence and compete with larger businesses.

How Can Your Business Benefit from Local SEO

Now that we have gone through what industries need SEO the most, let's talk about how your business can thrive thanks to local SEO.

Local SEO is important for businesses for a number of reasons, and here are the most noteworthy ones:

• Increased online presence and brand awareness
• More organic traffic and quality leads
• Higher conversion rate and customer engagement
• Competitive advantage over other businesses in the same niche
• Improved user experience
• Established credibility and thought leadership
• Cost-effective marketing efforts
• More foot traffic in your physical store

Whether you're an online business owner or you provide professional services to a local community, these SEO benefits are equally relevant for all industries. As a local business owner, you want to be seen by a growing number of people.

If you put effort and time into creating the perfect SEO campaign tailored to your business's needs, you'll be able to see exponential results in the form of ROI. That's another advantage of SEO - it delivers ongoing results for an extended period of time. Keep in mind that you won't be able to see results right away. Even the best SEO strategies take time to work.

How to Get the Most out of Your SEO Strategy

Understanding the importance of SEO for local businesses isn't enough in today's competitive market. You also need to know how to develop the perfect strategy for your business. This endeavour requires a lot of research, dedication, and time.

Here are some of the most important elements of local SEO strategies:

1. Researching your target audience and learning about their needs and preferences.
2. Optimising your website for local searches and making sure it contains relevant geo-targeted keywords.
3. Building your Google My Business listing and optimising it for Google Search and Google Maps.
4. Utilising various local SEO tools, including Google Ads Keyword Planner, Google Search Console, Google Analytics, etc.
5. Gathering backlinks from reputable websites and high-authority resources to build credibility and thought leadership.
6. Staying ahead of your competitors with SEO tools like Moz and Ahrefs, which can help you with keyword research, domain authority, backlink analysis, and rank tracking.
7. Optimising your website for mobile searches for an improved user experience.
8. Keeping up with local SEO trends and relevant changes made by search engine algorithms.

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Doing research and utilising these local SEO tactics and tools will help position your website on the first page of search results, increasing organic traffic and generating more sales.

Hire An SEO Company to Help Your Business Grow

If your business needs help with SEO but you don't have the time or the resources to build a strategy, you have the option to hire a content marketing agency that offers SEO services.

It's important to scout for an agency that can meet all of your needs while understanding the ever-changing trends of SEO. Finding an SEO agency that works with local businesses is a bonus. An SEO agency will know exactly which SEO tools to use to increase your search engine rankings.

RankRise is a digital marketing agency that offers specialised local SEO services to businesses that want to reach a broader local audience. We have experience with different industries, from law services to home care providers. More importantly, we understand the need to stand out in a sea of competitors.

Key Takeaways

Local SEO can be a game-changer for various types of businesses. However, some industries need SEO more than others. When it comes to the best industries for SEO, we can single out brick-and-mortar businesses, businesses that offer professional services to a local community, and online businesses. All in all, any business looking to increase its physical presence can benefit from local SEO.

If you're interested in comprehensive SEO solutions, RankRise can help you by creating content that appeals to search engines, as well as your clients. Feel free to contact us for more information.