More and more brands have discovered the power that local SEO strategy provides for their brands. While the internet is more congested than ever, finding new ways to gain exposure and minimize the amount of competition aiming for your audience is a worthwhile and important goal. It is practically impossible to rank for short and sweet keywords and phrases when starting a brand from scratch, but there are many niche SERPs still capable of being contested.

Local SEO provides this opportunity. Google in particular understands the value of locally-relevant search results and has added a variety of features to make it easier to target local audiences. Let’s review a few of these vital features you can take advantage of starting today.

Direct Messaging

When people search for your local brand directly, making it easy for them to find the information they need is crucial. Google understands that local businesses rely on good customer service to grow their businesses, and have thus added the option for brands to enable direct messaging from your business listings.

Via the use of the Google My Business app, businesses can enable direct messaging. Available currently on via mobile devices, customers will have an option to send your business a message without having to place a phone call or search for your email address. This is undoubtedly one feature that is only going to become more popular with time, so getting on the bandwagon now is highly recommended.

Feature Products & Services

The Google My Business listing interface is a very useful option for businesses to showcase information, but it’s increasingly becoming more like a storefront as well. Pinging users with products and services directly from search results can be very useful for small and local businesses: fortunately, it is now possible!

This feature – now in beta – can be used via the dashboard and allows businesses to add products, descriptions and direct links to purchase. If you have particular products or services that you’d like to highlight, adding them in this way can help generate more sales and leads even if customers haven’t visited your website.

Specify Service Areas

Particularly helpful for businesses that provide services within a defined geographic area, Google My Business now allows companies to specify exact service areas where their services are available. Ideal for companies that deliver products to consumers or businesses that provide services within a select range, it’s now easy to start pinging users with exactly where those services are available.

This can save companies time and energy with not having to deal with inquiries that are outside of their service range. While the service area selection isn’t as defined as it could be (options include specifying by city, region or ZIP code), it can give both Google and your potential customers more information about where you provide services.

Local businesses need all the help they can get in search results, so it’s good to see Google adding a variety of important features to help. For businesses that have not yet claimed their My Business pages, doing so immediately is highly recommended. With the three features above plus many others, there’s no reason not to embrace this valuable set of tools immediately.