how to be found on google as a local business

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Are you a local business? Does your business rely on local customers? If so, it’s important that customers can find you with Google Search. 63% of Australians now turn to Google when they need help with shopping decisions (Google, 2020), making it more important than ever for businesses to be found online when customers come looking for answers.

Being present online isn’t just a big business strategy. 46% of all Google searches are looking for local information (HubSpot, 2021), so even small local businesses need to focus on improving their digital marketing. Shoppers are increasingly more likely to visit a business if they can find their information online, meaning that local businesses can no longer purely rely on word-of-mouth in their community.

Want to find out how to be found on Google as a local business? There are several steps local businesses can take to ensure they can be easily found by customers amongst competitors. Local search engine optimisation is a process that businesses can use to help their ranking on Google Search results pages. See our guide to local SEO below!

How To Be Found On Google As A Local Business – our guide to local SEO

1.  Get a website

We know, this can seem a little overwhelming if you don’t already have a website. It feels like a lot of time, effort and money, but it doesn’t have to be! Getting a website built for your business is a worthwhile investment – it will help you have an edge over competitors and give your customers a place where they can find all the information they need about your business. It doesn’t need to be a huge site, just as long as it includes anything your customers might be looking for when they search online (opening hours, location, contact details, product information). At Redsteps Web, we offer website building services for businesses of all sizes!

2. Include your location on your website

This is important! Include the names of the areas you service and where you are located on your website. These location names will act as ‘keywords’ that Google will look for when someone searches for your service in your area. If you’re a plumber in Toorak, make sure you include the word ‘Toorak’ and any other suburbs you service throughout your website.

3. Claim your Google My Business listing

Google love helping people find businesses in their local area, so much so that they created a free tool to help businesses make sure their details are easily accessible to potential customers. Google My Business what you see when you search for a service, eg. Restaurants near me, and a list of relevant business listings pop up. If you’re a local business, it’s likely Google has created a listing for you already. Search your business name and claim the listing. Once you’ve claimed your listing, you can update your opening hours, link your website, add a contact phone number and post images of your store!

4. Be present on social media

Google will often look to social media pages to find relevant businesses to list in search results. If you have social media pages for your business, they’re likely to show up when someone searches for your business on Google. Another great reason to be present on social media is that customers can find you if they search on those platforms. Not everyone searches on Google to find a local business… Many turn to social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to find a service they need. With Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, you can upload all your business information and regularly post updates so your customers can always stay up-to-date.

5. Add your business to local online directories

Are there any online local directories you can upload your business listing to? Directory websites are often highly ranked in Google Search results as they receive a lot of traffic and have lots of information about local businesses. And Google will boost your website ranking if you have lots of directories linking your web address which is a great bonus! Start by Googling what you offer as a service and see if any relevant directories come up.

All of these local SEO tactics work together to boost your overall ranking on Google. If you spend some time optimising your website and online listings, you’ll be sure to attract more customers and have an edge over competitors!

Source: HubSpot, Google

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