Did you know? 92% of searchers will select businesses from the first page of local search results. But if your local business isn’t listed on that first page — and preferably within the first five results — you’re less likely to be chosen.

If you’re looking for ways to help your small business succeed, hiring a local SEO company just might be the way to go.

Putting local SEO techniques into place is important for any company with a physical storefront. Depending on your ideal audience, it might even be the one thing that takes your business from just getting by to beating out the competition. However, most small businesses don’t have the knowledge or resources necessary to do local SEO properly. That’s where a local SEO company will come in.

An internet marketing agency can make changes to your website and local listing that quickly propel your company into the minds of local consumers. So what else can a local SEO company can do for your business?

Make Sure You Appear First in Search Results

As we mentioned earlier, appearing on the first page of search results is critical to getting noticed by local search engine users. And the better your search engine optimization, the more likely you are to have your website appear as the very first result for relevant keywords.

Getting on the first page of search results for popular topics is usually very difficult. For example, if you published articles and courses on building a blog, you’d have to compete with some very large and well-established websites just to show up on the first page. But when you’re targeting customers in your local area, it’s usually much easier to appear in the first few results. This is because there’s simply less competition for most local businesses. As long as your SEO is better than that of other local businesses, you’ve got a really good chance of taking the coveted number-one spot.

While local SEO is something anyone can learn and apply given enough time, a local SEO agency already has the cutting-edge skills and the resources to get it right the first time. Making sure your business appears near the top of search results is just the beginning.

Improve Your Customer Targeting

You may be getting visitors to your website, but are they the visitors you want? No matter how valuable your products or services are, you know your business isn’t supposed to appeal to everybody. Part of a good SEO strategy is making sure the right people find your site, while the people who aren’t your ideal customers don’t get targeted by mistake. High-quality leads and visitors are key to the success of your local SEO campaign and your business!

From adjusting webpage copy with keyword research to using advanced SEO tactics, a local SEO company can optimize your website so that the right people find it. Not only does this mean that more customers will end up coming your way, but it also means your site’s bounce rate will be lower, so search engines will be more likely to give you a higher ranking.

Get Noticed by Mobile Searchers

People do as much web browsing from their phones as they do from their home computers, if not more. Often they use their phones to find local stores and services while they’re out and about. For example, if someone’s visiting a certain city, they’re likely to Google local restaurants while they’re there.

As you can imagine, having your website appear in search results for these mobile searches presents a critical opportunity for more sales. Local SEO experts can ensure your website appears in front of these mobile users by optimizing your site for phone-based browsers. Besides being essential for getting discovered by customers on the go, search engines give priority to websites that are mobile-friendly, even when people are searching from their desktops.

These are just a few of the many benefits of working with local SEO agencies. Local search engine optimization is a crucial part of marketing a small business, especially as more and more people start to rely on online services and big retail chains. Good SEO can mean the difference between standing out from your competitors and getting lost in the third or fourth page of search results.