How much business does your contracting firm generate from the online community? You would be surprised to learn that many owners are unable to answer this rather straightforward question. We all know that the digital landscape is growing at a breakneck pace and that online marketing is now more important than ever before.

Unfortunately, generic approaches may no longer yield the same results when compared to the past. This is partially due to the fact that consumers are much more discriminating in terms of the search terms that they utilise when searching for a contracting firm. This is also why a concept known as local search engine optimisation (SEO) can represent a powerful tool within your current arsenal. First of all, what is local SEO? This question should be answered before moving on to discuss the associated benefits.

Local SEO Defined

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Think about how you would have searched for a contracting firm before the existence of the Internet. You would first scroll through a telephone book until you arrived at the section dedicated to contractors. You would then find one which is close to your immediate area. In many ways, this strategy can be adapted to the Internet.

Local SEO is simply a means by which you include location-specific phrases and keywords within your content in order to attract a specific target audience. As an example, let’s first look at a generic approach to SEO alongside its more localised counterpart:

• Professional plumbing contractors.
• Professional plumbing and heating contractors in Knightsbridge, London

While both snippets clearly illustrate the services associated with a firm, the second offers additional location-based details. As a result, those who perform an online search such as “London plumbers” are more likely to be presented with the most relevant details. The end result is that the business in question will rank higher within a search engine results page. This is another way of saying that you will be able to increase the organic level of traffic to your website. 

More Targeted Lead Generation Solutions

Another advantage of local SEO is that you will be able to generate a greater number of qualified leads. This is excellent news from a marketing perspective, as you can return your focus to other important business operations such as sales and customer service. Thanks to the local nature of this approach to SEO, the chances are much higher that those who make an enquiry will be prone to take further actions such as requesting an on-site consultation or booking a virtual appointment.

Quicker Results

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It has been shown that the lion’s share of online searches are limited to the top ten businesses found within the results. In other words, firms appearing on the second or third page are much less likely to attract online customers. The good news is that adopting localised SEO practices will help your business ascend the ranks much quicker when compared to more generic methods. If your website has not been yielding quality results, the chances are high that it has not yet fully adopted modern local SEO techniques.

Trust and Transparency

Contractors offer hands-on services. This is the main reason why word of mouth has always played an important role in their success. Local SEO will place you in contact with the right customers at the right times. Furthermore, catering to a geographically specific crowd on social media platforms such as Facebook will enable you to appreciate any feedback that your clients may have. This is an excellent way to build a sense of loyalty and transparency over time. After all, a single loyal customer is often more valuable than a one-off project from a long-term point of view.

Local SEO Tips and Tricks

So, what are some of the ways in which you can begin to adopt a more localised approach to SEO? The first step is to research keywords that are relevant to your contracting firm. Assuming that you have found the most appropriate words using tools such as Google Analytics, you can then imbue them with a local flavour with terms such as:

• “Plumbing contractor near me”
• “Local plumber in London”
• “Professional heating specialist in Essex”

It is also a good idea to make certain that you have filled out your entire Google My Business profile. This will enable your site to rank higher and once again, it is an excellent way to drive customer engagement. You may also choose to research any keyword that your local competitors use to appreciate which ones are the most appropriate.

The Internet is becoming a much smaller place thanks to the prevalence of local SEO. Whether you currently own a large contracting firm or you have just broken into the marketplace, there is no time better than the present to fully embrace this unique digital advertising strategy.

Author Bio: This article was written by Des Brosnan of Brosnan Property Solutions. Des has utilized Local SEO to grow his business online.