When looking for a specific product or service, you probably want something nearby to get what you need as quickly as possible. One of the first places you might look is online by performing a simple search. Right away, you’ll see the results of local search engine optimization (SEO). While the organic results (shown below any ads or enhanced search results) might include a selection of local businesses, the map pack (a set of listings shown on a map) pulls listings based on your current physical location. By optimizing your online presence, both onsite and off, you’ll be able to show up for the potential customers you want when they are doing research.
What is Local SEO?
Local search is the process of optimizing a business’s online presence to increase its visibility in specific geographic regions close to its brick-and-mortar location. It is one of the most powerful tools a business has. Also referred to as Local SEO, the process considers many factors, including your website and key online listings. When users start looking for a specific product or service, they will likely want to start as close to home as possible. Taking the time to optimize your website can ensure you appear first on the search engine results page (SERP)—rather than your competitor twenty minutes away.
Local SEO doesn’t involve just working on your website: it also involves your local listings, Google Business Profile, and even your dealership’s social media accounts. Knowing how users are searching for your business can help you find high-value keywords to boost your ranking for local terms as well as more general queries. Optimizing your site accordingly can increase the profile of your business in searches that have seen major increases in recent years. As the demand for new and pre-owned vehicles has gone up, searches for local businesses saw an increase of over 80% in 2021. And with new models and trim levels announced frequently and inventory levels stabilizing, ensuring you are showing up over your competition has become more important than ever.
How Does Local SEO Help Car Dealers?
Think of the number of times you search for a specific product or service “near me” every week, and you’ll start to see why local search is so important. Unless your customer is looking for a very specific model, chances are they do not want to travel too far for their next vehicle. By employing local SEO tactics, you’ll be able to make sure your dealership is the one appearing first.
Are you looking to increase foot traffic to your location from people looking for the latest models, or are you interested in building your organic web traffic with users more likely to become repeat customers? Either way, there are several local SEO methods that you can employ to help your dealership achieve its goals.
Or, maybe you’re concerned about online reviews. Local SEO can also help your business boost customer engagement across different platforms, including your social media channels and review sites. By taking some time to focus on some key local listings and outreach, you can increase the number of reviews coming in while engaging with your customers about their feedback.
If you’re unsure of where to begin with your local search optimizations, start with your overall business goals. Do you have a specific model with inventory clogging up your lot? Do you have some availability in your service department you’d like filled up? Popular services like oil changes, tire rotations, and brake repairs are always going to be necessary and are a great way to introduce new customers to your business. Taking the time to determine your priorities will help develop an effective strategy to boost your efforts.
Wikimotive’s Local SEO Expertise
If you’re not ready to dive into local SEO on your own, working with the team at Wikimotive will give you access to experts who can build effective strategies to help you meet your goals. High-quality content centered around location-based keywords can increase your overall visibility; all you need to know is where your customers are looking.
Our team will be able to take a look at where your competitors are located and where your customers are coming from. By developing effective, long-form content and adding relevant information to your Google Business Profile, we can ensure that your site appears in search results in surrounding communities.
If you are looking for ways to get started on local SEO, reach out to Wikimotive today! We’ll start by assessing your current site to determine a baseline before recommending ways to improve your current standing. Whether you are already in good shape or just have a ways to go, our team will develop and execute an effective strategy utilizing technical optimizations, content marketing, and local SEO to build your online presence and increase your ranking in search results. To get started, contact us today for a demo of our services!