Small Business Marketing

Chances are you have already searched for something on the internet today. Everyone uses Google or other major search engines to find solutions for their problems every single day and businesses cannot forget to optimize their online presence in this day and age. BrightLocal says 46% of searches have a ‘local intent.’ ‘Plumbers near me’ or ‘plumbers in [location]’ are examples of a search with local intent. Even if the user does not include a location, Google uses the location of the searcher to show the most relevant results. 

Search engine optimization (SEO) can be intimidating to say the least, but it doesn’t need to be. Today, we will be unpacking what local SEO can do for your company.

Local SEO best serves businesses that have a brick and mortar establishment or serve a specific geographic location. Local SEO consists of customized strategies to best fit your company's needs and goals. With many different price ranges, anywhere from $450 to $3000 per month, there is a solution for every local company. 

What Is Local Seo?

Local SEO varies slightly from traditional SEO. The process focuses on getting your business a higher ranking in local search results so your business is seen by more potential customers. The impact of local SEO for a business includes increased visibility, revenue, and customers/clients-- making SEO a wise investment for any company.

WebFX explains that local SEO rankings come down to 

1. Relevance: Does this business do or sell what the searcher is looking for?
2. Proximity: Is the business close to the searcher?
3. Prominence: Is the business well-known and reputable?

Local search engine results pages (SERPs) often include a map pack. Google includes the top 3 businesses that are relevant to the search. This allows local businesses to show up twice in a Google search result, once in the organic search results and the second time in the local map pack. A map pack differs from organic results by showcasing the company’s hours, reviews and photos if available. The first step to ensure your presence in a map pack is to claim your Google My Business account. 

Google My Business

It is completely free to claim your Google My Business account. In doing so, your business will show up in Google local search results, Google Maps, and Google Search Knowledge Panel. Photos are a great way to allow the customer to get a good feel for what your unique business has to offer. 

Automated Local Seo

Automated platforms will constantly update and check that your business name, address, and phone number are correct in local searches. This is the simplest form of SEO but does not provide much lasting value. Typically, this would cost a flat rate ranging from $90-$500 per year. Something to keep in mind, once the payments end, the platform stops performing this service and leaves the company without added assistance. 

Smaller Local Seo Campaigns

This is a great option for businesses just starting off or if the business only serves one geographic location. While this service is not the super deluxe package, it will help rank your business higher on local search results and increase the business’ visibility. You can expect to pay $450-$900 per month depending on the agency.

Comprehensive Local Seo Campaigns

This plan is definitely the best long term value. Costs can range from $900-$3000 per month. Typically includes internal website maintenance, backlinks & local citations maintenance, blog & content management, and review management. Let’s break these down a little further: 

Internal Website Maintenance

Maintaining your company’s website is a key factor in ranking on search engines. This maintenance entails fixing dead links, creating SEO-friendly URLs, optimizing the website’s title tags and meta descriptions, adding, removing, and editing content. All of these seemingly small changes add up to make a big impact on your company’s website ranking in local search results and ultimately impacts your business’ revenue. 

Backlinks & Local Citations Maintenance

Backlinks are created when one website links to another. This is another important factor that Google and other major search engines use to rank your business’s website. Backlinks show the search engines that your website can be trusted and show that your company is the expert in that field. 

Local citations are listings of your business’ name, address, phone number, and website URL. Local citations are similar to backlinks in that you want your business consistently listed across all relevant online directories such as Yelp, Angie’s List, Nextdoor, etc. If your business does not appear in many different directories, your competition will have a higher chance to snag your potential customers and the revenue that follows.

Blog & Content Management

Fresh, original content plays a huge role in your SERPs ranking. This shows the search engines that your company is active and relevant to its users. Creating content provides a great opportunity to share your company’s services, products, and specials in more detail. Another benefit is a more personal connection you are able to achieve with potential and returning customers. If writing content for a blog, at least 1,800 words is preferred for optimal exposure. 

Review Management

Reviews can say alot about your business. They are real testimonies from other customers that humanize the company. Potential customers feel that they can trust the reviews because they are coming from an unbiased source. With review management, your company is able to send out SMS or email review requests and gain important new reviews. New reviews boosts your ranking on SERPs and positive reviews give your company a leg up on the competition. On the other side, if a negative review comes in, your company will receive a notification, allowing an instant response from your company, ensuring your customer that you are aware of the problem and that you value their feedback. 

Why Is Local SEO So Important

Local SEO differs from traditional SEO because Google uses separate algorithms for local rankings and the map pack. As Google continues to improve their algorithms, the way the search results display changes. Marketing Analytics company Moz releases a Local SEO Industry Report annually. The report is a great tool to see which factors influence local search results the most for that year. In 2020, Google My Business elements came in first, followed by Google Reviews, and in 3rd is proximity of the searcher to the place of business. This shows how crucial utilizing your Google My Business account is and how interaction with your customers plays a huge role in gaining new customers and increasing revenue.

Moz tells us that local queries account for almost half of Google’s two trillion searches per year. Moving up in the rankings, even just one spot, can seriously affect how much traffic your company’s website receives.

BrightLocal provides some powerful statistics to take into consideration.

• 96% of PC owners conduct local searches
• 64% of local customers use search engines and directories as their main way to find local businesses
• 50% of local mobile searchers look for business information (company address or phone number) 
• A whopping 78% of local mobile searches result in an offline purchase

When someone starts a local search, the number one reason is to find a local business and the second reason is to find a product or service. Many start their search without an individual company in mind, which allows for more potential leads that turn into paying customers. 

2020 has been a challenging year for all of us. With the outbreak of COVID-19, less consumers have been visiting brick and mortar establishments. It is pertinent that your company’s website is easily found, user-friendly, and up to date with the correct information. Local SEO is more important than ever because the majority of potential customers will be researching for information online vs in person than ever before.

Budgeting For Local SEO

Certains factors play into how much your company should budget for local SEO services. When your company is in a highly competitive industry, it will require more resources, time, and money to set your brand apart from the pack. Another factor that affects budget is if your company has multiple locations, because each location will have to be optimized for maximum engagement. If your company provides multiple services or products, separate web pages will need to be added to target the individual services or products your company provides. 

The Value Of Local SEO

The different services that local SEO provides, prove to be invaluable for your company. The internet is overtaking old school media more and more rapidly by the day. Potential customers turn to Google and other major search engines to find the solutions to their everyday problems. Harnessing the power of local SEO increases traffic, customers, and revenue for your company. Important to note, effective SEO is an ongoing process, it can take anywhere from 4 to 9 months to see results. But trusting the process is well worth the long haul. 

Cube Creative is an inbound marketing agency that helps small businesses grow by managing your online presence, including but not limited to your website, website content, social media, online reviews, and online advertising. We are based in Asheville, NC with an additional office in Wilkesboro, NC. 

We work with you to create a targeted strategy to use your most profitable keywords and make continuous updates both on and off your website in accordance with Google’s guidelines. No one can guarantee your company the top rankings of any search engine, unless they are talking about paid advertising. Cube Creative uses techniques that are recommended and considered safe for achieving long-term gains, without risk of being penalized or banned by a search engine.

We let your website work for you. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, we are here to help!

Check out our services and connect with us for a custom local SEO plan that works for you.

 

Local SEO, what exactly does that even mean? Think about this: four out of five consumers will use local searches to purchase goods, services, and products. If you are a local plumber, electrician, or service provider and your small business does not use local search optimization, you are in trouble. You will be losing out on 80% of potential business because you decided to ignore local search engine optimization (SEO).

Quite frankly, your small business existence depends on utilizing local SEO! By not utilizing local SEO tactics, you will become a statistic in the local small business graveyard. Local SEO provides essential tools to rank your small business website high in local search results. Remember, four out of five people conduct local searches to meet their needs and have their services provided for.

Imagine for a moment you just started your own party planning business, and you are trying to find customers who would potentially use your services. Still, you don't know anything about marketing, directories, flywheels, and/or funnels. You do a quick Google search and find a company that you can pay to find some leads for you (a lead generating company). They have a plethora of established leads or potential clients, so they say. 

This company may have a website that offers free birthday cake recipes and craft wrapping bows ideas as a downloadable pdf. A prospect may enter their email address to access it and have it emailed to them. By entering their email, they agree (usually in the fine print) to have the email address shared with businesses in their area that offer these services. You are then handed (after paying a price) a lead for someone throwing a birthday party. The email and contact information may also be shared with other like-minded businesses who may be potential partners (craft businesses, entertainment, or bakeshops) or even your biggest competitors.

What Is A Lead Generation Company?

A lead generation company is a company that gets paid to give business owners data about people who may be interested in a business, product, or services. Or "Leads," as they are called. Lead generation companies sometimes set up websites or advertisements that offer free things to people to get prospective buyers to give away their info in exchange for something related to what product or service they are trying to generate leads for.

What Kind Of Leads Get Generated By Lead Generation Companies?

There are three kinds of leads that lead generating companies use to advertise and sell. 

1. Phone Leads

This type of lead is the least used. These leads can be highly scripted to fit any situation, but even though it has a high potential for conversions, the results are not good and often are rejected before the call is even answered.

2. Inbound

Using social media outlets like Facebook and Instagram, content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), social media ads, and pay-per-click (PPC). These types of lead generating methods are the least intrusive out of the three forms and an excellent method. This method lets buyers continue through the buying process at their own pace like they would in a store, perusing and wandering, picking and choosing what to look at, and adding to their grocery cart.

3. E-Mail

This method utilizes the most popular method for converting potential buyers, and with good reason too. It has better than average conversion rates. This method can be personalized and tailored to say and show exactly what you want it to. Letting the business put its best foot forward.

The Pros And Cons Of Using Lead Generating companies

Pros

• If you get lucky and manage to go with a genuine lead generating company, they are experienced so that you could benefit.
• You could save time and effort. 
• You could avoid human dependency and error altogether. 
• They perform analytics at some of the best lead generating companies. 
• Build your company faster with genuine leads that actually convert after you bring the sale in.
• Choosing the right program with great strategy and execution does work well for lead contractors.

Cons

• Genuine lead generating companies are going to really cost you huge expenses, so if your a smaller business with a limited budget, you have to really watch the leads that you're getting are worth the expense. 
• There is absolutely no guarantee that it will work. Lead generating companies only have to hand you leads, not reel the customer in for you. That is still your job, and if you're not ready to handle the volume, if it does succeed, be careful that you don't find yourself in a bind.
• The cost of a lead is determined by the effort the agency spends on its detection. So if you go cheap, the chances the lead won't pay off are greater.
• So the risk is a massive gamble for businesses just starting out and building a client base.
• Lead generation companies have extensive knowledge of what they are doing but will initially not know as much about your products or services. 
• You have to pay for leads, whether they are qualified as genuine or not, and all money is paid upfront. 
• Sometimes and sometimes often, you're not going to be able to reach a customer to verify a lead, and when this happens, you still have to pay for the lead. 
• If you're a new business and not exactly business savvy yet and well versed in the ways of hooking and reeling your customers in, then you might not know how to properly respond to genuine leads or fail to reach your lead in a timely manner. Remember, those lead generation companies only give you the leads, but it's still up to you to bring the customer through to the finish line. 
• The average person receives around 88 emails a day, leaving your messages lost in the clutter and largely ignored if not deleted from so many other lead generating companies targeting your lead.
• If you do manage to land a real lead through email, the average time it takes to woo a person into buying from you? 4-6 months on average. That's a lot of time and energy to invest in a maybe when there are so many other constructive uses for your time.

The Bottom Line

If your business is in the construction field, a service-based business, or something similar, then I would not suggest using a lead generating company to start with. Getting a bad lead with or getting handed oversold leads could break a business before it gets the chance to grow. It has the potential to suck up capital quickly with no guarantee of success. 

If you're just starting to grow your company in any specific niche-related field of the market, then learning the right way to organically grow your business might work better until you've grown in capitol to at least a medium-sized business that can better handle low conversion rates that can sometimes dip down on average to below 7%. There are many other ways to build your customer base, often it is much more prudent to invest in SEO practices and tried and true marketing methods or even your own emailing marketing. If you need help gathering leads through your website or help to establish your expertise online then feel free to reach out.

Google is no respecter of websites. This means every website has the same chance to rank on page 1 of Google, but it takes time, and a website owner must be patient. It takes time and hard work to rank on page 1 of Google. Do not get discouraged if your website does not reach the top page in 30 days. It is practically impossible (if not impossible) to rank on page 1 of Google that quickly.