A study conducted by Hubspot discovered that 72% of people who conducted a local search ended up visiting a store within five miles. What’s more interesting is that 97% of people learn about a local business through the information they find online.

If you run a local store, or your business has a brick-and-mortar location, you are letting lots of opportunities pass you by if you don’t have an online presence. In fact, local SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) should be at the core of your online marketing strategies.

Still not convinced? Here are the top five reasons why local SEO is important to your business.

Reason 1: Local SEO Is Highly Targeted

The reason why people search for local information is that they want something within reach that fulfils their needs. A nationally renowned kitchen brand is great, but it offers a person no benefits if it doesn’t deliver to where he lives or there is no local store nearby.

Customers are interested in knowing your contact information when they search locally. By giving them the information they need, at the time when they need it, you increase your chance of getting a sale.

Reason 2: Only 44% of Businesses Have Claimed Their Google My Business Page

Google My Business is the cornerstone of local SEO. Surprisingly, only 44% of businesses have claimed their Google My Business listing, even though it’s completely free to do so.

What does this mean to you? There are plenty of opportunities available to dominate the competition and become the best in your chosen niche if you utilise Google My Business better than your competitors.

Reason 3: People Are Using Mobile Internet More

As mobile devices become more and more versatile, people are getting more comfortable doing what they normally do on a computer on their mobile. This includes shopping, making reservations, booking tickets, creating videos, etc.

Did you know that 88% of all mobile searchers ended up calling or visiting the business within 24 hours? Given how important mobile has become, your site can risk losing its organic rankings if it’s not mobile-friendly. By optimising for mobile local SEO, you can tap into the growing market.

Reason 4: 88% of Customers Trust Reviews

With local SEO, you can manage the reviews left by ha