How to Generate and Increase More Local Traffic for Your Business

Website traffic is the name of the game in terms of sales and your overall return-on-investment (ROI).

However, did you know that local SEO and marketing practices are enjoying the lion’s share of success in recent times?

It has been found that more than 50 per cent of all searches containing phrases such as “near me” will result in an offline purchase.

Simply stated, generating local traffic to your website will provide you with a highly competitive edge.

This strategy is also a great way to establish a rapport with your customer base as well as to appreciate the efforts of an ongoing marketing campaign.

Let us, therefore, take a look at some of the most effective approaches to embrace and the benefits of each.

Targeted Keyword Research

Keywords are obviously an important facet of search engine optimisation (SEO). They help web crawlers to appreciate what your website has to offer and in turn, visitors can be directed to the most appropriate pages.

However, we are now witnessing a trend towards more localised variants. Consider these two queries:

• Professional hairdressers
• Professional hairdressers in London

Of course, the second variant will provide much more discrete results. Using such terms will also help to ensure that the user is presented with the most relevant information. This is why performing a significant amount of location-specific keyword research is crucial.

Thankfully, there are numerous utilities and tools to be leveraged. Some popular options include Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest and SEMrush. Simply stated, employing local keywords will result in a higher volume of inbound traffic.

Activating a Google My Business Listing

Google now favours websites optimised for local SEO practices. As a result, they have provided an excellent way to place your business on the (digital) map.

This resource is known as Google My Business. Google My Business aims to highlight services found within a specific geographic area and to display these at the top of the results.

This unique utility also provides individuals with useful information directly within the search engine results page.

These details include a Google Maps location, opening hours, telephone numbers, and physical address.

So, it is easy to appreciate why Google My Business is expected to represent one of the most popular marketing trends of 2022.

Not only will this strategy provide our venture with a greater degree of visibility, but high-quality Google listings can increase the transparent and trustworthy nature of your venture.

Be sure to take a look at their official page in order to appreciate the registration process.

Optimise Your Website for Local Search Criteria

In the past, websites containing only a handful of pages would sometimes be sufficient at generating robust clickthrough rates.

However, end-user queries are now much more specific in nature. This signifies that HTML and coding changes will likewise need to be employed. One powerful approach involves the creation of different location-based pages.

For instance, the website Nanny Agency has curated a handful of different sections based upon where visitors happen to be located.

Thus, queries regarding Manhattan will redirect users to an entirely separate page titled “Nanny Agency Manhattan“.

Not only does this method provide users with the most pertinent information, but websites with localized page listings will enjoy a larger digital “footprint”; once again boosting their rankings.

Curate Localised Content

Content has represented a core foundation of online marketing and SEO since the halcyon days of the Internet. Of course, little has changed regarding its importance.

The only major difference is that generic material may now be viewed as slightly substandard.

This is why we are beginning to witness content that is present within a local context. We are not only referring to keywords and key phrases in this respect.

Instead, some businesses are now creating standalone articles for each location that they service. Search engines view this practice favourably and if anything, content marketing specialists will be placing even more of an emphasis upon such a strategy in the coming year.

Present Customer Testimonials and Client Feedback

The organic nature of digital marketing should never be overlooked. After all, consumers have become quite varied of unsubstantiated promises and similar hardcore sales tactics.

They now require more proof than in the past. This will often come in the form of vetted testimonials.

Testimonials and positive client feedback will imbue any only business with a greater degree of transparency.

As these very same users can be tied to a certain location within the description (such as “John from East London says…”), these tools are yet another powerful means to establish a positive brand identity within a discrete geographic community.

The Rise of Social Media Proof

This next strategy is somewhat similar to the previous section on testimonials and yet, it deserves more attention.

Studies have found that more than 85 per cent of all Internet users access a social media profile at least once a day.

Furthermore, “near me” searches have grown by an impressive 136 per cent over the past two years.

So, creating and updating social media profiles related to your business will add another string to the proverbial bow.

Word of mouth is likewise a powerful means to organically promote the products and services that you happen to be offering.

Let us also remember that actively monitoring social media is one of the best ways to determine the effectiveness of an ongoing marketing campaign.

A final benefit associated with a robust social media presence is that these pages can then be linked to your primary website. This will provide even more online exposure and once again, higher search engine rankings are the final result.

Employing the Scalpel as Opposed to the Broadsword

This is perhaps the best way to describe how local SEO and marketing strategies are superseding more traditional approaches.

While broader campaigns may produce results, the fact of the matter is that generating local interest in what it is that your business happens to be offering will provide viable results within a short period.

This trend is expected to gain even more momentum throughout 2022 and the years to follow.