Local SEO with Low Search Volume

[zee007]

Hey All,

I have a customer (an optometrist) that wants me to do local SEO for them. The problem is that they are located just outside (15 miles) a major metropolitan city and the keyword volume is coming out to be less than 20 visitors (exact match). The question is, should I target keywords where the business is actually located (the suburb) or target keywords with the metropolitan city in it as it has more search volume?

 

[thedorf]

Tough question. I would explain the scenario to the optometrist and let him decide. Spending money for local SEO with only 20 searches per month may not be worth it to them.

 

[zee007]

Well, they are getting 20 searches for each keyword and I can target 3 keywords on the homepage. So that's 60 searches in total and each customer is worth $500 a pop. Same goes for another page.

I was thinking of maybe targeting the actual suburb for the homepage and the metropolitan city keywords for the services page.

 

[Nauthiz666]

I would target anything within 50 miles to be honest.

 

[afrowanksta]

You should consider the lifetime value of a customer. It may be $500 per visit, but that customer may make a couple visits per year. If you convert one of those views per month, it well pays for itself.
I would consider a hybrid strategy, like ranking a couple local keywords locally while working on one of the larger area keywords.

 

[Windmill]

Hey All,

I have a customer (an optometrist) that wants me to do local SEO for them. The problem is that they are located just outside (15 miles) a major metropolitan city and the keyword volume is coming out to be less than 20 visitors (exact match). The question is, should I target keywords where the business is actually located (the suburb) or target keywords with the metropolitan city in it as it has more search volume?

My suggestion is to do what you think the owner will be most happy with. Provide them with what they want; do they want traffic? If they pay attention to that (lol) then target the major city keywords. Do they instead just want to rank for their desired keywords? Then give them what they want.

If they are happy for you to decide... toughy. Which do you think will bring in the most money? The local keywords sound highly targeted and more likely to convert to businesses. Keep in mind with your help they should also be able to pull in long-tail traffic as well. If its the sort of service that people don't mind travelling 15 miles for, then target the major city. If not, target the town.

 

[nanavlad]

Seriously at 500 a client, go with the local and al the surrounding suburbs

This shoul be be easily ranked, with all the low level keywords, your looking at 200 or more searches per month

Make sure your listed on google yahoo and bing business listings.

If you can get 1st for these, your client will ne more than happy with you.

Its unlikely many people will travel more than 15 miles for an optometrist,
But you should give him advice about getting yelp reviews etc,

Make sure his site is friendly with his photo on the main page, If hes using one of those business themes
get him to change it, Get s good copywriter to do the main pages.

Keep the site simple forget these flashy in your face sites.

Make sure his office is doing their job, Receptionist lose businesses more clients than anybody else

 

[firstplace]

Yes receptionist is also one of the things to consider. If she's a b@tch all the time.

 

[CosmicSoundz]

hold on..

[exact match] + local = All of USA.

[Exact match] + global = All of the world.

 

[john1444]

I suggest you talk to your client first, a lot of clients seems to have knowledge of SEO this days and will likely decide for himself otherwise the ball is in your court as the expert..

 

[CosmicSoundz]

I think he needs to learn what local seo is. He is very mistaken.

 

[B. Friendly]

Well I think your thinking is all wrong. First, Local SEO is white hat and not black hat. You aren't going to find credible Local SEO expertise here in this sub-forum. And the thinking is all wrong, because you are all applying a keyword analysis perspective to a local business that only applies to one-shot internet websites. Local businesses are different. There is such a thing as word-of-mouth. One satisfied customer can create 2 or more. Once they know where your guy is at, word gets around.