Local search visibility is important for businesses so that potential customers in their area will be able to find them. SEO (search engine optimisation) has evolved a great deal over the years as people change the ways they use the internet and search for companies. Google recently reported that mobile browsing has overtaken desktop searches for the first time, so businesses need to take this into account if they want to successfully get more website traffic.
Before you launch an SEO campaign, it is important to do some research and find out where your business is currently positioned. This is crucial because it will be an indication of how much work is needed. A quick look on Google will show where you are positioned when you search for specific keywords and your location. You should also search for your business to make sure your main website comes up. If reviews on Yelp or other sites appear above your site, it means other people have control over the positioning of your business.
Once you know your position it is time to start taking steps to optimise and get your business seen. The first step should be to claim the listings for your business, particularly on Google. This is important because it will give you the chance to verify your data with them and ensure that everything is correct. Directory sites like Yelp can also provide benefits if you 
use them properly.
After claiming the listings, you need to manage them on an ongoing basis. Simply listing your business is not enough and leaving the sites alone after doing so is a bad idea because you could end up receiving several bad reviews and harm your reputation. You should read all of the reviews you receive and respond whenever appropriate. Any negative reviews need to be answered quickly in a calm, professional way so you can justify them and show customers that you are committed to resolving problems.
One of the most important things to ensure if you want to be successful with local SEO is to check that your site is responsive. It should be accessible on all devices and offer the same high quality experience on all of them. Mobile friendly sites tend to achieve better visibility on search engines. There is a handy Google tool so you can check if pages on your website are mobile friendly. If you need any kind of help with your strategy, we are the website consultancy that can help you – just get in touch for a chat.