As a business owner in Oregon, you’re likely aware of the strong emphasis on supporting local businesses in the state. While this support is certainly beneficial for local businesses, it can also present some challenges when it comes to standing out in a crowded market. This is where local SEO comes in, as it can help businesses in Oregon to better connect with their local audience and improve their online visibility.
In this post, we’ll explore why local SEO is so important for businesses in Oregon and how it can help your business thrive.
What is Local SEO?
First, let’s define what we mean by “local SEO.” Local SEO is the process of optimizing your website and online presence to improve your visibility in local search results. This includes optimizing your website for relevant keywords, creating and optimizing your Google My Business profile, building local citations, and more. The goal of local SEO is to help your business show up in local search results when someone searches for a product or service that you offer in a specific geographic area.
Why is Local SEO Important for Oregon Businesses?
Depending on where you live in Oregon, markets have been recently exploding with competition. Whereas, Portland Oregon has become a saturated market with immense competition. Bend, Eugene, and Salem or also fast growing, and developing areas of the state, meaning local businesses are beginning to see more and more competition.
Status of Registered Businesses in major cities in Oregon:
To understand why local SEO is important in Oregon, we need to look at the number of businesses operating in the major counties of the state. For this, we will focus on Deschutes County, Lane County, Marion County, and Multnomah County,.
- Deschutes County: There were roughly 8,800 businesses registered in the county, with a large portion of them being in Bend. With Bend being one of the fastest growing cities in Oregon, it will be crucial over the years to come to take advantage of SEO Services in Bend.
- Lane County: Considering Eugene’s status as a major economic hub in Oregon, it is not surprising that over 14,000 businesses are established in Lane County. With Eugene, and Springfield combining to be one of the biggest economic hubs in Oregon, it will be important for small businesses to take advantage of SEO Services in Eugene.
- Marion County: As of 2021, there were roughly 12,000 businesses registered in Marion County with a large portion of them being in the states capital. With this number projected to grow, in the coming years, it will be imperative for businesses to look for SEO Services in Salem.
- Multnomah County: Given Portland’s status as the largest economic and commercial hub in Oregon, local businesses will need to use SEO Services in Portland to continue to stay competitive.
Note: Data from United Census Bureau.
Therefore, if you want to succeed in these areas, it’s important for businesses to prioritize local SEO. Here’s 10 reasons why:
1. Oregon Consumers are Searching for Local Businesses
According to a recent study, 46% of all Google searches have local intent. This means that people are actively looking for local businesses when they search online. For businesses in Oregon, this presents a huge opportunity to connect with potential customers who are already searching for the products or services that you offer.
2. Local SEO Helps You Stand Out in a Crowded Market
As we mentioned earlier, there is a strong emphasis on supporting local businesses in Oregon. While this is certainly a positive thing, it also means that the market can be quite crowded. By prioritizing local SEO, you can improve your visibility in local search results and stand out from the competition. This can help you attract more customers and grow your business over time.
3. Local SEO Helps You Build Trust with Your Audience
When you show up in local search results, you’re sending a message to your audience that you’re a legitimate and trustworthy business in the local community. This can help you build trust with potential customers and encourage them to do business with you instead of your competitors.
4. Local SEO Helps You Reach Mobile Users
More and more people are using their mobile devices to search for local businesses while on-the-go. By optimizing your website and online presence for local search, you can reach these mobile users and capture their business.
5. Local SEO Can Boost Your Revenue
Ultimately, the goal of local SEO is to help you attract more customers and grow your business. By improving your online visibility and connecting with your local audience, you can increase your revenue over time and achieve long-term success.
As a local business owner in Oregon, you want to ensure that your website is ranking high on search engine results pages (SERPs) to attract more customers and grow your business. However, with the ever-evolving world of search engine optimization (SEO), it can be challenging to keep up with the best practices and trends. To help you get started, here are 10 SEO tips for local Oregon businesses to improve their online visibility.
10 Tips to Improve Local SEO for Oregon Based Businesses:
Now that we know the benefits of local SEO, it is important to discuss different techniques that can help improve your website’s local SEO. With the commercial landscape in Oregon increasing, especially in cities like Bend, Eugene and Salem, make sure to incorporate the following local SEO techniques into your website optimazation list.
1. Optimize Your Website for Mobile Devices
Mobile devices account for more than 50% of all internet traffic worldwide. Therefore, it is crucial to optimize your website for mobile devices to ensure that it is user-friendly for potential customers who are browsing on their smartphones or tablets. Google also prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in its search results, so having a responsive design can improve your search engine ranking.
2. Conduct Keyword Research
Keywords are the words and phrases that potential customers type into search engines when looking for a product or service. Conducting keyword research can help you identify which keywords your potential customers are using to find businesses like yours. You can then incorporate those keywords into your website’s content, meta tags, and URLs to improve your website’s visibility in search engine results pages.
3. Claim and Optimize Your Google My Business Listing
Google My Business (GMB) is a free tool that helps businesses manage their online presence across Google, including search and maps. By claiming and optimizing your GMB listing, you can provide potential customers with accurate and up-to-date information about your business, such as your address, phone number, hours of operation, and reviews. This can improve your visibility in local search results and drive more traffic to your website.
4. Use Local Keywords in Your Content
Using local keywords in your website’s content can help you rank higher in local search results. For example, if you are a landscaping company in Portland, you can use keywords like “landscaping services in Portland” or “best Portland landscapers” in your content. This can help potential customers in the Portland area find your business when searching for a local landscaper.
5. Get Listed in Online Directories
Getting listed in online directories such as Yelp, Yellow Pages, and Angie’s List can help improve your website’s visibility in search results. These directories are trusted sources of information for potential customers, and having a listing can help establish your business’s credibility and authority.
6. Create Quality Content
Creating quality content on your website can improve your website’s visibility in search results and provide value to potential customers. When creating content, focus on providing answers to frequently asked questions, offering expert advice, and sharing industry news and insights. High-quality content can also attract inbound links from other websites, which can further improve your search engine ranking.
7. Optimize Your Website’s Speed
A fast-loading website can improve user experience and reduce bounce rates, which can improve your search engine ranking. Google has stated that page speed is a ranking factor, so optimizing your website’s speed can have a positive impact on your search engine ranking.
8. Use Social Media to Promote Your Business
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can help you reach a wider audience and promote your business online. By sharing your website’s content on social media and engaging with your followers, you can drive more traffic to your website and improve your search engine ranking.
9. Encourage Customer Reviews
Customer reviews can help improve your business’s visibility in search results and establish trust with potential customers. Encourage your customers to leave reviews on your Google My Business listing, Yelp, and other relevant review sites.
Responding to reviews can also show potential customers that you value their feedback and are committed to providing excellent customer service. Additionally, Google has stated that businesses with more reviews and higher ratings tend to rank higher in search results, so actively seeking and responding to customer reviews can have a positive impact on your search engine ranking.
10. Monitor and Analyze Your Website’s Performance
Monitoring and analyzing your website’s performance can help you identify areas for improvement and track your progress over time. Use tools like Google Analytics to track your website’s traffic, user behavior, and search engine ranking. This can help you identify which keywords and pages are driving the most traffic and which pages may need optimization.
Why does better visibility matter for your business in Oregon?
In conclusion, implementing these 10 SEO tips can help local Oregon businesses improve their online visibility, attract more organic traffic, and generate more leads. By optimizing your website for mobile devices, conducting keyword research, claiming and optimizing your Google My Business listing, using local keywords in your content, getting listed in online directories – and the list goes on – you can improve your search engine ranking and grow your business locally.
Why should businesses in Oregon Prioritize Local SEO?
As a business owner in Oregon, you have a unique opportunity to connect with your local audience and build a thriving business. By prioritizing local SEO, you can improve your visibility in local search results, stand out from the competition, and build trust with your audience. If you haven’t already, now is the time to invest in local SEO and take your business to the next level.
Looking for help in one of the following markets? Contact us today and our team of local SEO experts are ready to help!