Online visibility is crucial for the success of all businesses, especially SMBs trying to stand out from the local competitors. 

Local SEO is one of the top Google ranking factors. 

When your potential customers search for businesses like yours, local SEO helps you gain better online visibility. 

The question is, will the prospects choose you or your competitors?

While conversion rate depends on the quality of your products and services, local SEO can bring them to your store’s doorstep. As a small-scale entrepreneur, you should follow the latest SEO trends and practices to achieve a better ROI. 

Shared below are the top three trends of the local marketing space. 

#1: Google My Business and Google Maps Are Dominating Local SERPs

Team Google has built these provisions to provide local customers with directions and guidance when they explore local businesses online. 

To appear in the local SERPs, make sure you have a detailed, up-to-date listing with Google My Business. Upload information such as your business address, phone number, and description of your services.

#2: Voice Searches Are Becoming Prevalent 

More than typing, it’s easier to speak a command while driving, cooking, or walking. 

The ease of voice commands over typing has made them popular among users. No wonder, voice assistants, such as Siri and Alexa are in demand. 

So, as a business owner, you should use this search trend for their benefit. Optimizing for keywords used in voice searches will help your business up your ranking game. 

#3: Business Reviews on Google Are More Important Than Ever 

Websites like Angie’s List and Yelp brought a significant shift in customers’ behavior. They encouraged customers to read online reviews for better service recommendations.

Now, people don’t even need to search any websites for reviews. The leading search engine Google offers business reviews by default. It has made Google reviews more important than ever and considers it when ranking local businesses. So, always request your customers to leave reviews on Google.

For more local SEO trends and tactics, we recommend checking out this insightful infographic by Ronkot. It will help uplift your business’s online credibility.