Quite simply, local SEO marketing is needed to:

• Any business with a physical location that customers visit (for example, bars, law firms, and grocery stores)
• Any business that serves a defined geographical area (for example restaurants that deliver)
• Any business that travels to their customers (for example plumbers and locksmiths), which are known as ‘service area businesses

Local search engine marketing plays a crucial role in getting customers (and therefore more income), as it favors small businesses over large players.

Research on Access found that 92% of consumers only walk 20 minutes or less to buy their daily essentials.

Search engines know this and therefore apply a specific set of local SEO ranking factors for searches that:

• Contain a specific location, such as town, city or zip code
• Include the phrase “near me”
• Can be tied in with GPS information from smartphones

The most effective way to start marketing your business for local searches is to focus on Google.

Other search engines (like Apple or Bing) will come in handy later, but for a start it makes sense to target the search engine with 92% global market share.

Google presents its local search results in Maps and in its Local Pack.

Also known as the 3-Pack, this space includes additional business information such as hours of operation, contact details, photos, and reviews.

You will need to provide this information to Google to get noticed in the local pack, which you can do through a Google My Business account.

Obtaining a GMB account involves:

• Finding and claiming your business online
• Adding contact details and categories
• Verifying your listing