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How local SEO impacts your business

In my decade of marketing, I have seen many business owners love one marketing channel and be adamant against another. One of the most common channels ignored is SEO. As a local business, you need to have a solid SEO strategy in order to not just rank, but to make other channels perform at the best! 

Great SEO can help you achieve:

  • Lower CPA (cost per acquisition) on paid ads
  • Better Google Map Pack rankings
  • Increased social engagement
  • Email list growth

When I share all those additional benefits beyond simply “organically ranking” it raises a truly compelling case as to why local SEO should not be ignored. Let’s dive in.

SEO helps lower your CPA on paid ads

You have likely been to Google and saw the standard 4 ads, below that the Google map pack, then potentially “people also ask”, and below that the natural and organic ranking SERP results. 

Imagine just paying to play on the paid ads and never showing up on the Maps reviews (which creates social trust) and then potentially not showing under “people also ask” (free value you can add for users), then finally organically (local leader).

^ When you only pay to play, you are not in the 3 most important trust-building areas of the search engine! By working on your local SEO you are capable of locking in 3 other positions, which builds trust, and makes your paid ad that much more compelling. This can lower your paid CPA’s anywhere from 40-300% depending on your current CPA’s.

Better Google Map Pack Rankings

I explained above the power of earning multiple spots on page 1. With the map pack specifically, you are showcasing that your brand has social proof you provide a great product or service. The local map ranking on Google is one of the MOST powerful SEO tools you can use. The great thing about maps is how simple it is to get reviews. Don’t just ask customers, but set up email automation that requests a review as soon as the work is complete. This is an incredibly common way to request reviews, and people love to do it! 

Many businesses have lazy processes, untrained employees, and bad communication. Often if you can knock those 3 out of the park, customers will be thrilled to leave a review because they know their review impacts their community and their friend group. They want to share the great experience you gave them. That is the power of Google Maps and getting you ranking locally.

Increased Social Engagement

Let’s get real for a minute. People love to vent to their friends. If an experience is bad, people will find out. If you are generating business daily from natural SEO ranking along with other channels, you can increase your total customer list and your reach via word of mouth. By offering a great experience people will be QUICK to tag your business as a recommended business when friends ask online. I do not care if it is Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram, you name it… When a consumer asks for a referral or vents online about a bad experience, 9 times out of 10 a friend responds with a solution. We love having our friends’ backs and helping them in their time of need! 

This social engagement, backlinking, and natural social word of mouth not only generate business but is great for SEO. This is a natural and healthy way to increase your ranking, discoverability, and lead flow. 

Email list growth

Consider again the impact of a holistic strategy, meaning using all marketing channels to build your brand. SEO and quality content creation are key to that strategy. With quality content and SEO strategy on the Google map pack, ranking in the “people also ask” section, and organically, you increase your ranking and reach drastically! This intentional effort can lead to the massive growth of your email list.

With the growth in your email list, you can earn reviews, you can build referral programs, you can upsell seasonally or yearly, you can introduce new products. I could keep going on but you get the point. Email is a place where trust is typically happening. If people are on your email list they want to see your emails. The more you grow your list, the more future opportunity you have to bring value to your customers and ultimately increase your revenue and bottom line.

To wrap this up

SEO is not only key to making other channels more powerful, but it is the tool in your toolbelt that makes great content discoverable and plays a role in lowering your cost per lead across other channels and building a strong foundation for your business for years to come.

We would be happy to do a free audit for your business and tell you how you can improve all of these areas with a simple SEO audit. Contact us today to schedule a time to chat.

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