Why Do Local Chicago Businesses Need a Local SEO Partner?

Chicago has a vibrant and competitive local industry. Businesses must not just promote their products or services; they must also be mindful of their close competition. This is where an expert Chicago SEO agency can help.

With a local SEO partner, Chicago businesses can effectively do the following:

• Target mobile users more effectively.
• Enjoy fewer competitors.
• Promote local visibility.
• Help customers get fast answers.
• Improve a company’s business profile.

Considering these benefits, this guide helps you select the right digital marketing partner. Let’s go!

Watch this video to learn about the Digital Authority Partners approach to local SEO!

Target Mobile Users More Effectively

The majority of searches for local businesses are online. People use smartphones or other devices to look for the nearest store or service in their cities. People using mobile search are also more likely to make immediate purchasing decisions. Thus, Chicago businesses need to be mobile-friendly to meet their customers’ demands.

Additionally, mobile users are likely to leave reviews and share their experiences on social media, boosting a business's online reputation and credibility.

By using local SEO strategies, Chicago businesses can target mobile users. Here are ways to do it:

• Optimize for mobile friendliness by using a responsive design, compressing images, loading quickly, and minimizing the number of HTTP requests.
• Use Google Business Profile (GBP) to appear in Google Maps and search results. Optimizing GBP improves visibility for mobile users searching for local businesses. (More on this later.)
• Encourage customers to leave positive reviews on GBP to attract mobile users looking for businesses with a good reputation.

Enjoy Fewer Competitors

Local SEO helps businesses stand out, especially in a city with a competitive market like Chicago. By optimizing their online presence for local search, companies can reach customers looking for their products or services.

Local SEO strategies help businesses focus their marketing efforts on target customers. It is also cost-effective for companies to attract customers and grow their businesses. 

Here are more ways local SEO strategies can help businesses stand out:

• Using local keyword targeting in website content and meta tags helps optimize websites for local SEO.
• Submitting business information to online directories such as Yelp, Yellow Pages, and Angie's List.
• Creating content that appeals to an audience. Add destinations, events, landmarks, and other interesting information to your content.

Promote Local Visibility

Local businesses must be visible in localized searches in order to connect with potential customers and increase brand awareness in their community. Customers tend to remember area businesses that appear in region-specific searches. This gives businesses an advantage over their competitors. They attract customers from the community and gain a larger market share in their area.

Local searches often have higher conversion rates than other searches because they are more targeted. People who do geographical searches are also closer to making a purchasing decision.

Local SEO promotes visibility by optimizing its online presence for local search queries. A Chicago SEO agency uses the following techniques:

• Adding the name of the neighborhood, city, or area where the business is improves targeting and visibility.
• Updating listings on online directories to ensure that the business is visible to target customers locally and nationally. In addition, guides provide valuable backlinks to a business's website and thus need regular updates.
• Build high-quality local links to a business's website by getting backlinks from area businesses, news sites, and other vicinity websites.

Help Customers Get Fast Answers

Customers want quick answers to their local queries because they often seek time-sensitive information. For instance, those looking for a nearby restaurant or coffee shop may be searching for a place to go for a meal or a drink at that moment. More importantly, someone looking for a neighborhood service provider, such as a plumber, may have urgent needs requiring immediate attention.

Local SEO can help businesses provide quick answers to customers' queries. Here are the best strategies:

• Take advantage of FAQ on GBP to provide quick and easy-to-understand answers about their business.
• Update GBP information as needed, such as holiday hours, phone number, business address changes, etc., so that these show on their list.
• Use online directory management tools to make updating business contact information easier and more efficient across all directory sites.
• Optimize for voice search, as people use their smartphones and smart speakers at home or work to look for local information.
• Add structured data markup to a website to give customers quick answers for specific information about the business, such as its address, phone number, hours of operation, and customer reviews.

Improve a Company’s Business Profile

A good company profile helps build trust with potential customers, establish its brand, and differentiate itself from competitors. A well-designed profile with accurate and up-to-date information makes a great first impression and encourages prospects to learn more about the business.

Besides, completing and updating business profiles is essential to SEO. It allows a business profile to appear in localized search results to attract more customers. GBP is the gold standard for boosting an area-specific business’s online profile. Here are some GBP features that local companies should never overlook.

• Manage business profiles directly on Google Search and Maps by logging in to your Google account.
• Complete GBP description under 750 characters. Include the main keyword and concise information about your products or services.
• Use the most accurate business category and subcategory. You may need to verify your business again or want to add or edit an existing category.
• Add photos and videos in GBP regularly. Edit customer-added pictures or videos if these are not relevant to your business.
• Manage reviews by answering questions, handling issues, and thanking customers for their positive or negative reviews.

Summing Up

Chicagoland businesses need local SEO help to target mobile users more effectively, reduce competition, and promote local visibility. Local SEO strategies also improve a company’s business profile and assist customers in getting answers quickly. 

With these benefits in mind, you can effectively search for a reliable Chicago SEO agency to optimize your marketing campaigns.

Contact Digital Authority Partners (DAP) to learn more about local SEO and why your Chicago business can’t survive without it.