Local SEO is a technique small business owners can use to make it easier for potential customers to connect with their business both online and in the real world.

 

Thanks to near-universal Internet access and the popularity and affordability of mobile devices, smartphones and tablets are one of the most popular ways for people to search for the products and services they want.

 

As a result, local SEO — or increasing the profile of your business on geographically local searches from mobile devices — is critical for attracting prospective customers who are in your immediate area.

 

Google My Business Local SEO

 

Google remains the most popular search engine on the Internet. So creating a Google+ local page for your business listed is one of the first things you need to do to get local customers aware of your business.

 

Even if you don’t create a Google+ page, Google may build one for you based on the information it finds about your business online. So it’s important that you make sure any information listed there — including such things as hours of operation, menus, prices, and so on — is accurate.

 

Another important directory is the Yellow Pages. No, not the thick yellow phonebook of yesteryear, but the website YP, which is the modern digital version that many web browsers use to search for local businesses.

 

Social Media

 

Another way people select the businesses they want is through social media. Getting recommendations from social media contacts is one of the most common referrals for most consumers.

 

As a small business owner, you can improve your online reputation and drive more customers through your doors by launching a multi-faceted social media campaign. It can include such elements as a Facebook Fan page devoted to your business, regular status updates and Twitter postings, an Instagram account where you can share photos related to your business and other efforts.

 

Local SEO can drive more customers to both your website and to your brick and mortar business, so it’s something most small business owners today can’t afford to ignore.

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