In today’s world of digital the need for a strong online presence is crucial for all businesses particularly those operating in the local service sector. With more people turning to search engines to locate what they’re searching for, companies that can be easily found on the internet and enjoy a good online profile will enjoy an advantage over their rivals.
In this article I’ll explain how you can increase the online presence local to your service-based business by employing two strategies for marketing that are fundamental: SEO and PPC
The top 9 ways for local service companies to be discovered online
As an instructor of digital marketing as well as a consultant, I’ve been privileged to not only educating my students the significance of combing the search engine optimizer (SEO) along with pay-per click (PPC) marketing for companies as well as experiencing the positive effects of this combination in person. Learn how to make use of both strategies in order to increase traffic, create leads, and increase the value of your budget.
1. Select the best domain name and company
The name you choose for your business is a deliberate procedure. You need a name that is reflective of the personality of your brand and isn’t easily copied.
If you’re a local business, it’s more beneficial to select a domain that is in line with the search preferences of your audience However, you shouldn’t force it. I’ve seen an office that branded itself “Dentist Near Me” and registered their domain dentistnearme.com. The idea of taking this strategy to the extreme definitely will have SEO benefits, but it’s not always the best choice as other businesses might follow suit and adopt the same names, making the method ineffective.
A good idea can be to incorporate your town, city or service area’s names in your company name, however it’s not necessary.
2. Place your listings in order
A current Google Business Profile is an effective method to enhance the online presence of your local business. Make sure to regularly update your company’s information with photos, update your business information, and post posts that feature special offers and informative content to establish confidence and credibility with potential customers. It is recommended to do the same for all your online listings to improve your chances of getting a high ranking in local search results.
This makes it easier for them to locate and get in touch with you.
3. Keywords to target in blog posts
Create blog posts with keywords that address common concerns of prospective customers. Not only about your company specifically but on topics that are related to the products or services you offer.
Not only will this boost your website’s ranking on search engines however, it will also increase trust and credibility with prospective customers.
We have SEO-optimized blog templates to get you started!
4. Set your top-performing CTA on the top left of your homepage
Check that your website is user-friendly and gives the best user experience. There are many websites to explore here. Use prominent call-to action buttons, like a clickable telephone number that is located in the upper right-hand corner or footer as well as a contact form that is located in the footer. These buttons are easy to access as well as intuitive. They also allow clients to connect with you, schedule an appointment, begin an online trial for free, etc.
Your most valuable CTA should be in that right-hand side.
5. Monitor your SEO performance
Apart from the reporting of how you are performing with your PPC effectiveness, you must keep track of the performance of your SEO/organic search engine. Utilize Google Tag Manager as well as GA4 to evaluate SEO performance and customer behavior according to your needs and goals, as well as Google Search Console. Additionally, you can use Google’s Google Viewer Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) to track the performance of your organic search engine.
6. Lower your PPC costs by targeted location
This is an essential home-based marketing strategy for businesses. One issue that many small-sized businesses face when it comes to marketing is the fact that they have a small budget. One of my clients was only able to afford $10 a each day for advertising. To solve this issue I utilized the concept of location targeting to reach out to a 5km radius around the company’s site. This method has helped them reduce their advertising costs while reaching the right people.
7. Bid on keywords that have commercial intent
When using Google Ads, you must inform Google what keyword(s) which you’re bidding. There are a lot of relevant keywords to your company, the ones that you’ll be bidding on for your PPC campaigns should be of significant commercial value.
Conduct extensive keyword research to determine the keywords potential customers are likely to search for to find the products and services you provide. Keywords with informational intent are recommended to improve SEO. For PPC you should use the intent of transaction or commercial so that your ads don’t only be displayed on those search pages however, they will be clicked by those who are interested who are more likely to make a purchase.
8. Maintain a negative keyword list
Alongside targeting keywords with high intent for commercial use ensure that you are using the negative keyword–which are the keywords you don’t wish to have your advertisement appear for. It will stop your ads from appearing for and being clicked by users who are looking for a product or service isn’t an appropriate match.
According to me, regardless of broad matching, it is crucial when your budget isn’t that big.
9. Convert tracking can be set up
Another aspect to consider when conducting an effective Google Ads campaign is measuring your results using the tracking of conversion. With this information you will be able to identify the ads, offers as well as settings and strategies that are working , and then eliminate those that aren’t working and boost your ROAS (Return on Advertising Spend).
Review our checklist of errors in conversion tracking to ensure that you’re receiving the most accurate information possible.
Increase your local business’s online presence by using SEO & PPC
The best method to increase web presence of your local service-based company is to utilize SEO and PPC in conjunction. Both can help increase your visibility on the SERPs for a broad range of terms, and by following the suggestions I offer you’ll be able connect with your ideal customers and build trust and confidence with prospective customers.
