It’s pretty much universally accepted that SEO, or search engine optimization, is one of the most important organic digital marketing strategies.
It refers to a collection of practices that optimize a website (in this case, an eCommerce site), making it more “attractive” to Google and other search engines for specific search terms.
When performed by a tried-and-true eCommerce SEO agency, eCommerce SEO services will cause a website to rise higher in the organic search results, garnering more impressions. Generally speaking, traffic and sales jump as a result.
But what about local SEO? We asked the eCommerce SEO experts over at Genius eCommerce (GeniusEcommerce.com) what the difference was and why and when local SEO can make a difference for a business.
What Is Local SEO, Really?
Local SEO hinges on much of the same efforts that “regular” SEO hinges on.
For instance, if you own a local or regional business that has an eCommerce store, some of local SEO will be devoted to ensuring that website ranks competitively for local searches; that is, people searching for what that business offers, in the right location.
Some local SEO is also dedicated to optimizing GMB, or Google My Business listings, for keyword density, user experience, and voice search criteria.
The better a GMB listing ranks organically (and with respect to location) the more impressions it will generate in that location, which can and often does result in leads to brick and mortar stores.
How Can a Local SEO Campaign Benefit Your Company (Almost Regardless of Industry!)
Businesses that are eCommerce-only and serve the entire country generally don’t have an express need for local SEO.
However, businesses that pursue a dual-model of brick-and-mortar and eCommerce, or those that are physical location only (but still have GBM listings) can benefit greatly from local SEO.
Potential benefits include:
● Improved organic rankings for your eCommerce website or business listing.
● An increase in leads through clicks or calls to your store.
● Better-targeted leads with a higher chance of boosting conversion rates (which often corresponds to higher sales).
● A long-term increase in traffic to your physical storefront locations.
● Diminished costs associated with paid advertising campaigns (potentially).
● Outranking key competitors in the map pack or in your local area.
● Local SEO can also help you gain or build links with other local businesses.
● Improved customer satisfaction that comes with proper expectation settings.
● And so much more.
If you’re interested in learning more about the specific benefits of local SEO strategies, we recommend reaching out to the eCommerce SEO experts at Genius eCommerce. They helped us, they’ll help you!
Choosing a Local SEO Company
It can be tempting to want to choose a local SEO company that is physically located in your area of the country, but the truth is proficiency in organic digital marketing is not tied to location in the country.
It is tied to experience in the field. To assess providers of local SEO services, consider the following:
● The age of the company.
● What sorts of industries do they serve.
● What clients they have served in the past.
● What sorts of metrical successes they can adduce, such as case studies, white papers, or other data.
● What eCommerce platform accreditations the company has (such as being BigCommerce certified).
● And finally, be sure to check client reviews and testimonials.
Ask the eCommerce SEO Experts Yourself
We recommend doing what we did and going straight to the eCommerce SEO experts yourself. Visit GeniusEcommerce.com today to learn more about local SEO and what it can do for your eCommerce business.
They have a proven process for keyword research, link-building, on-page optimization, technical SEO, and all of the other factors that go into optimizing websites and local listings and can help both online stores and traditional, brick-and-mortar operations flourish. Take the success of your business into your own hands; contact them today!
