Local SEO” is a term that Internet search engine users are hearing more and more of.
What distinguishes Local SEO from traditional SEO? Who benefits the most from Local SEO?
Traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a practice that helps all types of websites rank higher in the results of a traditional web search.
Assume you have a website dedicated to Betta fish. If a person looking for information about pet fish types the keywords “Betta fish” into a search engine (such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo! ), the search engine will return a list of websites that contain those two keywords. Betta fish are a popular pet fish, so there are bound to be hundreds, if not thousands, of websites dedicated to them. Your site may appear on the first page of search results due to the way the various search engines' ranking mechanisms work.
A traditional SEO professional works to increase the visibility of your page in search results listings. Of course, everyone wants to be on Page 1 of that Betta fish keyword search, and the SEO professional will do everything possible to get your website there.
So, how do traditional SEO and Local SEO differ?
Local search engine optimization not only helps a website rise in the rankings overall; it also works to raise that website's rankings when someone in a specific city or region searches for a product or service in that area. For example, suppose you don't just have a Betta fish website. You also sell them at your Houston, Texas-based pet store.
You don't just want to inform people about Betta fish because you own a business.
You want them to visit your store and purchase Betta fish.
A local Houston SEO professional works to improve a website's ranking in listings for a specific area—in the example above, Houston,Texas.
Local SEO also aids in the ranking of a company in a relatively new feature of most search engines: local listings. Google refers to these as Google Places.
These local listings also appear in Bing and Yahoo!, either as a result of keyword searches for businesses in a specific area, or as a result of the location of the web surfer's browser (generated by their IP address).
Local listings display a list of businesses that match the keywords entered in the search.So, if a person in Houston,Texas types in the search term “Betta fish,” not only will websites about Betta fish appear, but so will a separate list of businesses that sell Betta fish, supplies for Betta fish, and so on. These local listings include the business name, address, a brief description of the business, and, in some cases, a map location.
It should go without saying that if you own a business, you want your website and location to appear prominently in related search listings for your area.
It's a win-win situation.
Another advantage of having Local SEO done for your company is that it synchronizes with Google Places, Bing, and Yahoo Listings, which improves your overall ranking.
You do not have to have a website to be listed in local search results.
Because local listings such as Google Places require a physical, brick-and-mortar address, you can list your business even before your website is complete.
If you're like many small business owners, you may not have the time or money to create and maintain a website, or to pay for traditional SEO services. Local SEO services in Houston is a less expensive option.
Local SEO Services in Houston is a low-cost method of increasing the number of potential customers who find your company and/or website. The more customers who see your local listing, the more customers will come into your store.
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