Local SEO – What Does it Mean for New Orleans?
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a tool that should be used by almost all businesses, because it helps you to reach customers by highlighting your company in the chaotic world of search engines. Once, if you wanted to find a company for a specific task, it was all about flipping open the local phone book and knowing your alphabet. In the 21st century, it becomes more of a daunting prospect. You can type ‘hair salon’ into a search engine and get back thousands and thousands of recommendations ranging from New Orleans to Timbuktu. But chances are that if your business is not on the first few pages of a search, you will not be reaching the widest possible audience.
Keeping it Local
So, to effectively use this tool, it needs to be tailored to the clientele you are trying to attract. A brick-and-mortar business needs to concentrate on its local area for patronage, so it makes sense that when someone is pointed towards your details and website, they are within a reasonable distance. The goal of any SEO is to move you to the top of the search that your potential customer may be conducting, so keeping it local helps you to target your work more effectively.
The Big Easy
Let’s take a look at local SEO in the city of New Orleans. With local SEO, a Google search will prioritize the businesses closest to the searcher, married with a map and handy directions, thus taking most of the hard work out of the search. It will also allow the customer to compare and contrast their options. With a large city like New Orleans, people are not going to want to drive all over looking for a specific product, or the best deal, and if your business can be displayed prominently, even if you do not have a website, contact and purchase becomes much more probable. This is an important concern for big and small business. No one will pore through page after page of results if they just want to find a restaurant for dinner, so it’s imperative you are at the front of the queue!
Making the Most of It
Using local SEO effectively involves a number of different elements. First and foremost is the use of keywords; this informs a search engine of what to pick up on. Type of business, name, and location are basic no-brainers, but you can also tailor it to, for example, specialties. If you have the widest range of nail-clippers in your area, say so.
You also need to decide on the message you want to convey. It doesn’t end with search engines. Social media is at the forefront of many people’s Internet usage, and being able to tie your advertisement in with people’s browsing history means you will be introducing your business to people who may never have thought of looking for it. You should always try to pick keywords that not only appear on your website, but that also differentiate you from the competitors. All in all, your local SEO efforts should mesh well with your overall marketing plan.
There are a lot of companies that offer SEO solutions, but the thing to consider is what you want them to do for you. You may need your website tweaked, and also research to match your business needs. Infintech Designs offers customizable service levels so you can be as in-depth or hands-off as you need to be. As a New Orleans business, our local SEO efforts use our own knowledge and experience of the city to make the most of the benefits that local SEO can bring.
Infintech Designs
3110 Magazine St., #120
New Orleans, LA 70115
