Local Search-Engine Optimization – SEO

for service industry businesses is crucial to success in today’s world. When people are in need of a local service, they will most likely use a search engine, especially Google, to find what they are looking for. In this article, Highstreet Marketing will share information about SEO for service-based businesses so that you can connect with potential customers and boost revenue. 

So first of all, what exactly qualifies as a service-area business? Upon hearing the name, you ay assume that a service-area business (SAB) is simply a business that serves an area, like a grocery store that has local customers from their area. However, this is not the case. An SAB is also known as a business without a physical store. Some further clarification is that service-area businesses may provide their services at the customer’s location, have no physical location that customers can come to, serve a wide area beyond the business’ direct location, and/or need to not display its address in business listings for whatever reason. 

Businesses that meet that description are service-area businesses. Some examples of SABs include locksmiths, pest control professionals, window cleaning companies, house painters, cleaning companies, contractors, and more. At Highstreet Marketing, we help clients that are service-area businesses with their online presence and SEO. 

The aim of local SEO for service-area businesses is to boost how high up your business ranks in local search results.

When people search with phrases to find a local business offering a service, Google will show the top three companies that they have deemed to match the person’s query. With local SEO, it’s possible to get your company to rank as one of these top three companies, which gives you the best chance of potential customers seeing your business and getting in touch with you. 

There are many advantages to proper SEO for your business. For starters, traditional advertising such as handing out brochures and flyers, just isn’t enough to cut it anymore. If all your biggest competitors are fighting to rank well in search results, and you’re not, then they will get more business than you. SEO is essential to success. Local SEO is one of the best ways to reach potential customers near you. Creating local content and using local keywords can help more people discover your business. Your website will also get more traffic, which translates to more customers and more revenue. 

One of the most important parts of local SEO is to have a Google Business Profile. GBP isn’t just a business listing; it’s essential for reaching new customers online. If you don’t know where to start, Highstreet Marketing is happy to help you set up a fleshed out Google Business Profile. GBPs help companies shop up on Google Maps, local search results, and on Google Search Knowledge Profile. It’s important to not just have a profile, but have an optimized one. Fill in all of the information that you can, and take the time to add updated images showing your team and the work you do. 

It’s important for any business to gain visibility, but especially service-area businesses. In a standard GBP listing, the profile is built around a company’s physical location, which might not actually reflect the wide geographical area that it offers services to. For example, maybe your business offers services up to 100 miles away, but someone 60 miles away doesn’t see your business in search results. In that case, you would be missing out on a potential client. If you have a service-area Google Business Profile, it will know not to place as much importance into proximity. You can tell Google which cities your business should be visible for in local searches. 

Another important part of SEO is to encourage reviews from your business’ local customers. Before choosing which company to go with, people will usually read reviews left by past customers. If you encourage your customers to leave reviews, then this could help your business’ reputation and increase its trustworthiness. One thing you could do is send an automated email to clients a few days after they use your services, with a link so that customers can easily leave a review. You should also make the effort to respond to reviews with personalized messages. If it’s a positive review, you should thank them. For a negative review, you should address their concerns and offer a solution if possible. 

It’s not just potential customers that pay attention to reviews. Google also looks at a business’ reviews- both their overall rating, as well as how many reviews they have.

The more good reviews you have, the more Google will favor your behavior and search rankings. It’s not only important to have good reviews, but you need to be receiving fresh new ones. Google wants new content, which means you should strive to consistently get new good reviews. This also tells the algorithm that your business is credible and trustworthy. In conclusion, reviews will boost your search-engine optimization as well as demonstrate how committed your company is to the local community. 

Another important thing that will boost your service-area business’ SEO is optimizing your website. This includes making your website mobile-friendly. If someone is trying to find a service, they will usually look it up on their phone. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, visitors to your site could have a hard time navigating it and finding the information they need. People do not want to waste time; if they are having trouble with your site, they will likely choose a different company. Your website should be designed to function and look great on whatever device a visitor is using. For SEO, your website should include service pages and local keywords and topics. 

By targeting localized keywords, you can attract local people to your website. The keywords should include your service area (city, town, etc). Using the right keywords is vital to successful local SEO. This means knowing the needs, search behaviors, and dialect of local people. Because customers for service-area businesses don’t have to travel to receive services, they aren’t searching for an actual business location that is near where they live. People are less interested in how far the pest exterminators they hired have to drive to their house, and more about the quality of their services. The proximity of the business to the searcher isn’t as important as other factors. More weight is placed on factors such as prominence and relevance, so it’s important that your SEO aims to build up these areas. 

Lastly, businesses should localize their social media. Social media is a powerful tool that companies can use to engage with locals. You can tailor your content to be about local issues, news, or events. This will give your online presence a more personalized feel than large corporations that serve people across the country. Localized social media increases engagement with local companies and boosts your SEO. Highstreet Marketing is happy to help manage your social media accounts for you to help you engage with local people. 

Another type of post that is important are GBP posts. They are similar to social media posts, but are instead published on your Google Business Profile. Each post has up to 300 words, images, and a link. However, it’s important to stay up-to-date with what Google’s algorithm is favoring when it comes to GBP posts. GBP posts can be used to inform search users about what’s new in your business specialty’s sphere, share company updates, and more. Regularly making GBP posts on your service-area business’ GBP listing can help you draw in new customers. 

Local search-engine optimization for service-area businesses is an ongoing process, and needs to adapt as Google’s algorithm changes. When you rely on the services of Highstreet Marketing, you can rest assured that your business’ SEO will be up-to-date, effective, and properly maintained. We are a local company and we know how to best help other local companies succeed.