This is a common question, especially with businesses that know most of their customers. Businesses whose customers are mostly within ten miles often believe that online promotion is a waste of time. Even the smallest businesses that know their customers personally can benefit from Local SEO. This assumes that they would benefit from new customers in the first place.
Local SEO is aimed at potential customers
Your current customers will not benefit from Local SEO as much as new ones will. The whole point of Local SEO is to advertise the business to those that are not aware that it is there. Existing customers can benefit from it as well, such as by easily finding the hours of operation on a particular day or your phone number.
Most businesses are in areas with “passing trade” and some may use advertising boards on nearby roads to attempt to get some of it to stop by. Local SEO is the online equivalent of that advertising board.
These days, many people will plan a route and decide where they may stop for a coffee or lunch. They may do this in advance or, increasingly, from a mobile device after they have left home. Local SEO will put a business in the frame, no need for advertising boards! Coffee or lunch are just examples; people may also be looking for a specific product or service whilst on the road in an area that they do not know; whilst on holiday for instance.
It can be useful for existing customers too.
An example that has affected me is that I know of a shoe repair shop about 10 miles away. It is by far the closest one to where I live. I tried to look them up but could not find a listing for them on Google. I took a chance and went at lunchtime only to find that they close for lunch! Conveying that sort of information can be done at no cost with Google.
The biggest risk associated with not using Local SEO, of course, is that your competitors might be. Any competitor that appears in the 3-pack will get the business instead. Even when competitors are not using Local SEO, getting a jump on them before they do will give business owners the edge.
About MyLocal
We work with your website designer to improve your ability to be found in Google and other search engines. And to look good wherever you may appear online. We specialise in local SEO and most of our work is off-site. But there still needs to be some on-site work undertaken by your webmaster to complement what we do. If you would be interested in finding out more, please use the Contact Form on our website.
Have you checked what types of businesses can use Local SEO?