Benefits of Working With a Lisbon SEO Agency

If you own a business in Lisbon then we’re gonna let you in on a little secret: investing in SEO services could be the key to increasing revenue in 2022 and beyond. Don’t believe us? After searching on a smartphone for something nearby, 76% of people end up visiting the business within a day.

However, as a business owner in Lisbon, you know that competition is fierce. That’s where a quality Lisbon SEO agency comes in. By using proven SEO techniques, a great agency with an understanding of the local market can help increase your website’s visibility and organic traffic. This, in turn, can lead to more leads and sales for your business. 

What does an SEO agency do for you, is it right for your business, and how does it all even work? We answer all of that and more in this helpful guide on how you can benefit from SEO strategies and content in a city as bustling with tourists and locals as Lisbon.

The State of Lisbon Business: The Digital Revolution

Portugal is known for being a country of explorers. The age of sail brought Lisbon to the forefront of the world economy, and the city flourished as a center of trade and culture. Today, Lisbon is once again at the forefront of a global revolution, this time as a hub for digital businesses. 

The city is home to a growing number of startups and tech companies, attracted by its low cost of living and quality of life. And with the recent launch of Portugal’s “startup visa” program, which makes it easier for entrepreneurs to obtain residence permits, that growth is only likely to continue. 

The result is a thriving ecosystem of innovative businesses that are driving Portugal’s economy forward into the 21st century. And while that’s certainly beneficial for new, international entrepreneurs, it’s been helpful for local businesses as well.

Both tourism and international business investments have allowed the digital wave to crash down on Lisbon and other major Portuguese cities, making it essential that international and local businesses alike invest in SEO strategies so that they can be found online.

Let’s take a look at just travelers. 48% of travelers are searching for experience-related bookings once they arrive at their destination. To use Lisbon as an example, this means that 48% of travelers visiting Lisbon are searching for “best wine tasting in Lisbon” or “best day trip to Sintra” once they’re in Lisbon. When they make those searches, you want your business to appear at the top of that search page!

However, it’s not just travelers that are turning to digital searches to find what they’re looking for. Locals are doing it, too! Just look at the numbers:

• • 80% of local searches convert

• • 46% of Google searches are for local businesses

• • There’s been a 500% increase in people searching for “near me” searches in recent years

• • 50% of users visit a store within a day of their search

• • 28% of local searches result in a purchase

With stats like that, it’s hard not to see the benefits of working with a Lisbon SEO agency to help your business thrive in this digital world.

What is SEO?

Before we dive into the benefits of working with a Lisbon SEO agency, it’s important that you understand what SEO is! We’ll be honest in that SEO isn’t right for all businesses. However, for most local businesses in Lisbon, it can be extremely beneficial.

SEO is short for “search engine optimization.” It is a long-term marketing strategy that helps increase your business website’s visibility and organic search results in Google and other global search engines. 

The goal of SEO is to increase the quantity and quality of traffic to a site from search engines, ideally resulting in increased revenue. What this means is that when people search for things related to your site, you want your website to come up as high as possible on the list of results. 

There are many different techniques employed in order to achieve this, all with the goal of making your site more visible, and therefore more likely to be clicked on, by those who are looking for what you have to offer.  

Some common methods used include optimizing website content, link building, and local search optimization. While SEO is mostly a long-term game, it can also be used for short-term gains, such as selecting the right keywords for pay-per-click advertising, which can provide an immediate boost in traffic levels. 

Read our full guide on PPC vs. SEO: Which One is Better to learn more about the differences between the two.

Ultimately though, if you want sustainable success in search engine rankings, SEO is the way to go.

What Does an SEO Agency in Lisbon Do?

If you’re running a business in Lisbon, then you know how important it is to have a strong online presence. And one of the best ways to do that is to invest in SEO or search engine optimization. But what exactly does an SEO agency in Lisbon do? 

Basically, an SEO agency in Lisbon helps you to improve your website’s ranking in search engine results pages or SERPs. A good SEO agency in Lisbon can help you achieve this by optimizing your website for the Portuguese market. What does that include?

It varies from business to business. Typically, it starts by developing a personalized SEO strategy that includes working on both on-site and off-site SEO factors, such as keyword research, link building, and content marketing. 

However, it can also sometimes include optimizing your website’s structure and code. As a result, you’ll see more traffic coming to your site organically, which can lead to more sales and conversions.

Not ready to work with a Lisbon SEO agency but want to give SEO a try? Read our guide on DIY SEO Tips to get started. 

Local SEO in Lisbon

Local SEO in Lisbon is crucial for any business that wants to be visible online in this city. With a population of just under 3 million people (in the entire metropolitan area), Lisbon is the most populous city in Portugal and one of the most visited cities in Western Europe. 

Local SEO will help your business stand out from the competition by optimizing your website and online content for Lisbon-specific searches. By targeting keywords and phrases that people in Lisbon are using to search for businesses like yours, you can ensure that your website appears at the top of the search results. 

In addition to helping you attract new customers, local SEO can also help you build better relationships with your existing customers by making it easier for them to find and contact you. This all plays a big part in brand awareness and building credibility. 

If you own a bar in Príncipe Real and want your bar to show up when someone searches for “coolest cocktails in Lisbon” then local SEO can help you do that. When the searcher sees your bar at the top of the Google results page, it builds credibility as it shows that your business is well-known in the area or neighborhood and offers high-quality information to visitors (so much so that you appear at the top!).

Ultimately, however, local SEO is different from your typical SEO because it takes into account the brick-and-mortar factors that influence your Google My Business listing and local SEO ranking. This means that it’s important to pay attention to how your business appears online in all places.

Businesses that have incorrect NAP (Name, Address, and Phone number) information are at a disadvantage because they are missing out on valuable citations from other local websites. 

Local SEO in Lisbon also takes into consideration things like on-page optimization, GMB verification, and Google Maps optimization. When it comes down to it, in order for your business to rank higher in local search results, it is essential to optimize your website for local SEO but also other touchpoints online where potential customers might be interacting with you.

For some this is TripAdvisor, for others, this might be Google My Business. The best way to know where you should be directing your attention when it comes to local SEO in Lisbon is to get a free SEO audit and consultation.

3 Benefits of Local SEO for Businesses in Lisbon, Portugal

As the capital of Portugal, Lisbon is a populous city with a lot of potential customers for businesses. However, there is a lot of competition for attention in a city filled with locals and tourists alike looking for where to stay, what to do, and places to shop.

This is where local SEO comes in. Local SEO is optimized for searchers who are looking for businesses in their specific area. This means that if you own a hostel and Erasmus students from Barcelona are in the area looking for a place to stay for the night and Google “best hostel in Chiado” then you could (if you’ve invested in local SEO in Lisbon) appear at the top of that Google search and win their business.

By targeting these customers with local, high-intent searches, you’re ultimately able to increase your chances of being found online at the exact moment that someone needs your services or products.

While there are numerous benefits of local SEO for businesses in Lisbon, here are three of the biggest benefits.

Reach High-Intent Customers

What do we mean when we say “high-intent” customers? These are people who are looking for something specific with the intent to purchase or visit. An example of this might be a search like “eyelash extensions in Lisbon bookings.” 

This person knows the exact type of beauty service they’re looking for and they’re ready to book an appointment. You don’t have to do any convincing; they’re ready to convert and become a customer! What you do have to do, though, is ensure that your content is optimized to appear at the top of that search page in order to attract their attention.

That’s the biggest benefit of local SEO. Local SEO is the practice of optimizing your online presence to attract more business from nearby customers. 

By ranking higher in local search results, you can increase your chances of being seen by potential customers at the moment they’re ready to buy. And since these customers are already interested in what you have to offer, they’re more likely to convert into paying customers.

Boost Search Engine Rankings

Even if you don’t get the No. 1 spot on a specific search or even if a customer doesn’t fully convert, local SEO can help boost your overall search engine rankings. This should be an important part of any small business’ marketing strategy because it helps you to compete with larger businesses that may have a national or even global reach.

Over time, this helps you build credibility both as a brand and for your website. This increases your domain ranking and will help you rank higher for other search terms in the future. 

In this sense, it’s important to remember that SEO has a bit of a compound effect. The more you invest in local SEO in Lisbon, the more results you’ll potentially be able to see in the future.

Increase Customer Engagement

When you’re able to offer someone exactly the type of content they’re looking for at the moment they’re looking for it, they’re definitely going to be engaged with your brand.

Basically, once they’ve found you after searching for something specific and local, they’re more likely to engage with your business – whether that means making a purchase, booking an appointment, or simply learning more about what you do. 

In other words, local SEO can be a powerful tool for driving customers to your door. So if you’re looking for ways to increase customer engagement, don’t forget to optimize your website for local search, particularly in a city like Lisbon where so many activities and businesses are hyper-local.

Get a Free Consultation With a Lisbon SEO Agency

Interested in learning more about local SEO in Lisbon? Not sure if SEO is even right for your business? We’re here to help you make sense of which digital marketing strategy is going to be the best and most cost-effective for you!

Sherpa Way Marketing is a Lisbon-based SEO agency with years of experience helping both local and international businesses thrive. We’d love to chat with you about your goals and woes.