A new survey from BrightLocal indicates that businesses are increasingly turning to local SEO to drive leads and sales.

A new survey from BrightLocal indicates that businesses are increasingly turning to local SEO to drive leads and sales. The company’s 2011 Local SEO Industry Survey reveals that the demand for local SEO is rising, which makes it a competitve must for brands.

BrightLocal asked SEOs with local-specific offerings about the demand for their services. It found that more than one in 10 local SEOs have turned over more $500,000 in revenue in the past 12 months. The market for local SEO is rising, and businesses that don’t want to be left behind might want to consider adding local search optimization to their online marketing mix.

Further demonstrating the demand for local SEO, 21 percent of respondents say they have had a 100 percent success rate in converting prospects into customers. Eighty-two percent are confident that business will grow in the next year. This means marketers across industries are increasingly likely to invest in local SEO.

Of course, it’s worth noting that the same survey reveals that nearly one-third (31 percent) of local SEOs reveal they are new to search engine optimization, with less than twelve months’ experience. Marketers might take this as a red flag that they must be careful to find experienced SEO consultants to help boost their local optimization.

While finding local SEO partners may take research and investment, businesses will likely see results if they choose skilled partners – especially when it comes to reaching mobile audiences. As Brafton has reported, mobile users are increasingly using their phones to find local deals.

Katherine Griwert is Brafton's Marketing Director. She's practiced content marketing, SEO and social marketing for over five years, and her enthusiasm for new media has even deeper roots. Katherine holds a degree in American Studies from Boston College, and her writing is featured in a number of web publications.