How “Near Me” Searches Can Boost Your Business
Google is a business’s best friend if you only know how to work with their algorithms. And before you think we’re going to go into detail on all this sort of stuff, breathe a sigh of relief. We’re not.
The point is, there are simple ways of leveraging Google’s nuts and bolts to your advantage as a business. And the “near me” search is just one of those.
Why businesses need “near me” searches
Everyone who’s everyone will have stumbled across a “near me” search at some point. The way we use search engines these days has intensified this further, with increased voice and mobile searches. So, it’s little surprise to hear that “near me” searches have rocketed in the past couple of years.
Let’s face it, if you want to quickly find a takeaway, a mechanic, a service station, “near me” is the way we do it. Even if your scope goes beyond the local area, chances are, some people will still choose you because you’re local. And if you are a local business, well, the “near me” becomes even more vital for capturing people ready to make a purchase now.
How does Google “near me” work?
I know, we promised not to get into the technical nitty-gritty, but by giving some insight, the jiggery-pokery element of Google’s inner workings feel less alien.
Unsurprisingly, geotargeting is used to identify the user’s location, then serve up results for their query within the local area. As a business, you can rank for a “near me” by listing your business’s location, or locations if they are multiple in a few different ways.
How do you appear on a “near me” search?
So, what steps do you need to take to appear on a “near me” search? Essentially, it’s part of your SEO strategy, and you’ll want to appear under specific searches. For example, our business would want to appear under searches like:
To leverage it properly, you need to optimise your listing, which can be done either by following Google’s guidelines, or by asking your marketing and design agency to do this for you. Adding your business name and address is part of it. But asking customers to leave reviews for your business in Google are also ways to boost your listing.
In conclusion …
The rise of Google’s “near me” searches are on the up and up. It makes good business sense to jump on this trend and list your business correctly. If you do, you’ll be in the perfect position to capture those leads that are ready to make a proper decision. And why wouldn’t you want to do that!
If you need further advice on optimising your site for “near me” searches, contact us now, We can talk you through your options to help you gain even greater visibility online.
