Local SEO is an optimization strategy for search engines (SEO), which helps you to make your business more visible on Google’s local search results. Local SEO can be beneficial to any business with a physical address or that serves a specific geographic area.

local SEO can be used by any business with a physical address or that serves a geographical area. Local SEO is a great way to grow your business if you are searching Google for important keywords that relate to your business, and you see a map (also called a map pack) with three listings underneath.

To understand local SEO you must first understand how Google works.

How does Google work exactly?

Google returns a list of websites that match your search when you enter a phrase. It checks for the patterns of different website signals or ranking factors such as your site’s relevance.

The majority of people are unaware that Google doesn’t perform a search on the internet when someone enters something in the search bar. In reality, it’s searching for a copy of all the sites Google has found. This copy is known as the Google Index.

Google crawls the web using small programs known as “spiders”. Each spider follows the same pattern: it starts with a single web page, then looks at links on that page and the content of the pages below.

Google indexes web content as it is crawled. Spiders crawl trillions of web pages in a blink of an eye. The index is kept as current as possible, and new sites and links are found quickly.

Google’s search ranking

Google uses a variety of processes to quickly rank hundreds of thousands of websites. These processes are known as algorithms. An algorithm is used to check the index when you Google a search term. It then returns a list of websites that are relevant. These results are ranked and chosen based on the relevance, prominence and popularity of inbound links.

The algorithm uses a combination of on-site and offline factors to identify websites that are relevant to your search. The algorithm adds all relevant websites to a list that is ranked according to prominence. The algorithm, which takes into account both on-site and offline factors, determines the sites that best match your search query. These sites appear at the top.

Improving SEO impacts the relevancy, prominence and link popularity factors of your website. When the digital footprint of your website is optimized, it will show up in more search results.

Local SEO has a unique pattern

What about organic local search results? Google discovered that users who are looking for certain businesses in their local area need to see results from Google. This was after analyzing user behavior during trillions upon trillions of searches. Google’s local algorithm incorporates a proximity factor. This is just a fancy word for saying that Google considers your location when you search for a local keyword. Even if the searcher does not include “near me” or a city in their query, Google will still take this into account.

Google’s local SERPs (search engine results pages) will show you a list of pizza delivery places near your office if you search for “pizza”.

If you do the same search at your home, however, you will get a completely different set of results. It makes sense if you want a nearby pizza delivered.

Local search was available for many years but its use was restricted to desktop computers. Mobile search has increased dramatically with the growth of mobile internet access.

What is important for local SEO?

What does it mean for search marketers? The local map pack appears within the organic Google search listings. However, the algorithms that power the main Google results for local rankings, as well as the results of the local pack, are different. Local businesses have the chance to appear in both the organic search results as well as the local map pack.

When you are new to and want to market your business online one of the biggest challenges is knowing where to focus your efforts to maximize their effectiveness.

Moz, a software company that specializes in marketing analytics, has published its annual Local search ranking factors survey. This survey includes 35-40 of the world’s leading experts on local SEO. The results of the survey provide the most accurate information on what factors affect local search visibility.

Localized content, local link popularity, and SEO best practices are all factors in Google’s search algorithm. It is important to take this into account when developing your link-building and content marketing strategy.

Local SEO ranking also takes into account location-based factors such as having a listing on Google My Business and local citations. These signals should be provided by local customers.

There are also SEO tools that focus on local search. These can assist you in developing local SEO audits. They include keyword research that is targeted at your local audience.

Website Content plays a major role in Google’s search algorithm. Other factors such as Google My Business, Citations and Review are also considered.

Start harnessing SEO

You can now focus on the signals that will optimize the digital footprint of your site in the local search ecosystem. Your business will appear higher in the search results, which could lead to you attracting more customers.

Local search is changing and growing, so it’s important to keep up with the changes. Moz’s survey will help you to keep track of which signals are becoming more important and which ones are not. You can serve more customers in your geographical region and grow faster if you improve the signals.