As a physical brick-and-mortar business, you would definitely want to boost footfalls and conversions. Well, 2023 brings exciting news for businesses wanting to make the most of their multi-location presence. As mobile searches become increasingly popular, optimizing your listings and understanding the impact of local SEO are critical components in increasing visibility and drawing customers to your business.

We’ve gathered 21 essential statistics into one place that will help you maximize your SERP rankings and level up your local SEO strategy. Read on to discover how local SEO can provide the edge you need!

Industry Overview For Local SEO

As the internet continued to expand, it soon became evident that a navigation tool was necessary in order for users to make their way around. Enter Google: leveraging keyword matching and link analysis, they were able to rapidly become one of the preeminent search engines – allowing people all over the world access relevant content quickly and easily. With this added capacity came unprecedented growth as web exploration took off!

Local search is an important element of modern search engine optimization (SEO). With the rise of mobile devices and voice-controlled searches, local searches are becoming increasingly common. This has led to an increasingly sophisticated Google algorithm, which rewards businesses that specifically tailor their content for hyperlocal markets.

Are you looking to maximize your local search engine optimization efforts? If so, Google’s algorithm is an important factor to consider. Following best practices for local SEO can have a positive impact on organic traffic levels and make sure that your business is visible to local prospects and customers. 

Local content, social profiles, links, and citations can all contribute to getting the most relevant local search results for your business. With the help of local SEO, you can ensure that your products and services are positioned prominently on search engine results pages.

Note: Maximizing your visibility in the Map Pack has never been easier! Google provides a comprehensive set of guidelines for representing businesses on their platform, with key tips to ensure that listings won’t be suspended. Utilize this invaluable resource and watch as you climb up those search engine results pages.

Google’s Ranking Factors

Local SEO works to paint your business as the ideal answer for online searchers in close proximity. Utilizing a combination of technical and creative methods, Local SEO ensures that search engines see you as both relevant and prominent within a certain area – giving people what they’re searching for while improving visibility in local markets.

Google’s ranking factors revolve around three key aspects: proximity, prominence, and relevance.

Relevance: 

Relevance describes the degree to which a local business profile aligns with a user’s search query. To give Google a better understanding of what you offer and maximize its relevance, ensure that all information included in your profile is comprehensive—this will put you one step closer towards attracting interested shoppers!

Distance:

Google utilizes specific data regarding a user’s location when computing distance. If no particular place is indicated in the search inquiry, then Google will depend on its existing knowledge about the said area to come up with an answer.

Prominence: 

Prominence is a ranking factor in local search results. Businesses with well-established offline reputation are more likely to be seen as standout contenders when it comes to ranking locally online, too; think of iconic landmarks like hotels, museums, or stores that easily come up on your radar!

As you build your marketing plan for the year 2023 ahead, stay in tune with local SEO statistics to maximize returns. There are many facets of this search engine optimization tactic that should not be overlooked – from understanding its significance and core ranking factors to staying up-to-date on essential stats. Consider these key insights when creating your 2023 Local SEO strategy!

Local SEO Statistics: General SEO Stats

1. Databox reports that 70 percent of marketers view search engine optimization as more effective than pay-per-click for driving sales.

2. There is an 8.9 percent higher click-through rate (CTR) for titles with 40 to 60 characters than for those with fewer or more characters.

3. Google Maps is the top way to find a business location for 86% of people. 

4. Google Business Profile has improved in the last year, according to 59% of respondents.

5. Nearly 80% of consumers who searched locally visited a store nearby.  

6. A restaurant with a Google business profile is 79% more likely to receive reviews.

7. If a business isn’t listed online, over 60% of consumers will disregard it.

Local SEO Statistics: Backlinking

8. A study by Ahrefs found that 66.31% of pages lack backlinks.

9. There are reciprocal links between 73.6% of domains, meaning they link to some of the websites they relate to.

10. Compared to pages 2-10 in the first Google search result, the top result has 3.8x more backlinks.

11. With 488,945 subnets, Google.com had the highest Global Majestic Million ranking and the most referring C-subnets in July 2022.

12. A quality backlink is one of Google’s most important ranking factors for SEO.  

13. Approximately 5 to 14.5 percent of new websites provide “followed” backlinks to top-ranking pages monthly.

14. Backlinks directly influence organic traffic from Google. 

Local SEO Statistics: Mobile 

15. Worldwide, 58.99% of all web traffic comes from mobile devices.

16. 51% of smartphone users have found a new company or product through mobile searches.

17. During in-store shopping, 56% of consumers used their smartphones to research items.

18. It is expected that by 2025, 72.6% of internet users will only be able to access the internet via their smartphones. 

19. On average, Google displays 8.5 organic mobile search results on its first page.

20. Approximately 30% of all mobile searches involve a location or searching for something nearby – of those, 28% end in a purchase. 

21. Nowadays, mobile devices are more commonly used to search the internet than desktop computers. 

7 Essential Strategies for Improving Your Local SEO Rankings

If you want to achieve local SEO success, be sure to optimize for the key ranking factors and industry insights. But don’t stop there! Also, look into the following seven specific local SEO elements that can help maximize your results.

1) Make Proximity Work for You – Unlocking the Benefits of a Prime Location

With consumer convenience being paramount, Local SEO ensures your business stands out in its vicinity. By targeting the proximity of shoppers to your service or product offering, search engines prioritize making it easier for customers seeking specific items and services in their area – boosting ranking visibility & increasing potential sales opportunities!

Ensuring that your contact information is accurate and consistent across different outlets can have a powerful impact on how you’re viewed by search engines. Keeping this in check could be the gateway to improved rankings!

2) Mastering the Naming, Address, and Phone Number (NAP Citations) Formula

Google uses the Name, Address, and Phone (NAP) details on your digital properties to calculate proximity that helps determine local search engine rankings. To ensure accuracy in these calculations, make sure all citations of NAP are consistent across websites and directories. Doing so will help you get higher visibility for potential customers!

3) Leveraging the Power of Your Google Business Profile Listing

Google Business Profile listings are an essential tool for local businesses when it comes to connecting with customers. In today’s world, where people often include ‘near me’ in their search queries – GBP is key! With the help of this powerful resource, your business will be exposed on a localized level and easily visible to those who matter most: potential customers nearby.

Bonus: Here are 9 Ways to Harness the Benefits of Google Business Profile Listing for Maximum Exposure

4) Embracing the Power of Balanced Positive Online Reviews and Ratings

Online reviews and ratings are key drivers for gaining better visibility in Google’s map pack search results. Having a high average star rating of 4 or 5 stars can be the deciding factor in securing your leading spot, whereas having an unsatisfactory rating may reduce queries relevant to you. Ultimately, trusting online feedback is essential to building customer confidence and increasing brand credibility.

5) Leveraging Your Chosen Primary Category to Boost Visibility on Google Business Profile

With nearly 4,000 options for categorizing businesses available through Google alone, it’s vital to make sure you choose the most appropriate and specific primary category. Your selection here holds considerable sway when it comes to local search engine rankings on Google; up to ten total categories may be chosen (one primary + nine secondary), so accuracy is key.

Your categories should embody the character of your business, not just its capabilities. For a comprehensive overview, set aside distinct spaces for attributes and descriptions to perfectly capture who you are as an organization.

6) Localizing Your Website to Reach a Wider Audience

Having a local business website should be the priority of any business looking to engage with visitors and search engines. Make sure customers can find your company’s name, address, city, and region easily on their first visit to your homepage – make it easy for them! 

To guarantee that viewers are engaged with each individual site or store location, you create content that is tailored specifically for that page. For example – utilize pertinent keywords related to particular locations, such as major neighborhoods/landmarks or intersections, in order to maximize visibility opportunities. By using phrases for services like “Coffee Shop in Bangalore” or “Coffee Shop in Whitefield”, you are guiding viewers to learn who and where you serve specifically – a key factor in helping them find what they need!

7) Be Discovered by New Customers Through Google Maps

Unlock more doors to success with Google Maps! This free service provides you the potential for a greater online presence and gives your business an edge over competitors. Google Maps users often dream of their destination before they arrive, looking for that tantalizing taste of what’s to come. This enthusiasm shines through in the way people search and can help potential customers get truly excited about a visit!

Let Google Maps help your business be seen! Explore the benefits of having a presence on this popular platform and find out how you can make an impact:

• Help Your Customers Find and View Your Location 
• Start Conversations with Potential Customers 
• Drive More Traffic to Your Website 
• Showcase Your Business Listing With Images 
• Increase Footfall By Listing Your Open Hours 
• Build Your Reputation With Reviews

So, take advantage of this powerful tool today and start connecting with new customers tomorrow. 

The Future of SEO – 2023 & Beyond

As technology advances, so will the techniques used in SEO. In 2023 and beyond, we can expect to see an increased focus on mobile-friendly website design and personalization, as well as transitioning from traditional keyword optimization to optimizing for voice search. 

Additionally, we can expect AI and machine learning algorithms to play a large role in SEO, allowing for much more accurate and specific targeting of keywords on search engine results pages (SERPs). 

With this in mind, staying up to date with the latest innovations in SEO and harnessing the power of location marketing will be key for local businesses aiming to stay competitive and make the most out of their hyperlocal marketing efforts.