Although some people might feel lingering nostalgia for the yellow-tinted phone books of ye olde marketplace, that nostalgia isn’t quite strong enough to keep them from tossing that giant tome straight into the trash. Now, small businesses that once invested heavily in phone book ads are investing in the best SEO services Arizona has to offer. If your business isn’t investing in the top SEO services Arizona has to offer, your competitors probably are.

Arizona has a thriving community of entrepreneurs; for instance, 98% of local companies in Tuscon meet the definition of small business. In 2010, small businesses helped more than 925,000 Arizona families put food on the table. And in 2011, there were more small businesses opening their doors than going out of business.

Those companies aren’t just competing with each other, they’re also competing with out of state companies and national corporations. And since most startups fail within their first year, it’s absolutely essential for businesses that start small to grow quickly.

In 2015, that means Arizona SEO services for small businesses are crucial to success. So how can a local SEO company help Arizona businesses? Here are the top five benefits of hiring a local SEO company:

• 1. In a recent survey, 34% of marketers called SEO the most effective lead generation tactic, specifically calling it “very effective.” Arizona SEO firms help local companies get to that first page of Google, which is often the beginning and end of the search process.

• 2. Arizona SEO consultants know that a full three-quarters of Web users will never click past that first page of Google search results. There’s no prize for second page.

• 3. In 2015, any quality local SEO company will tell you to go mobile. That’s because one in two local searches are done on mobile devices, which is why spending on local mobile ads is estimated to surge from $800 million to $18 billion by 2016. In plain English, that means your customers are looking for businesses with their phones, and without local SEO strategies for mobile platforms, they won’t be able to find you.

• 4. Like other services in the digital age, many SEO companies are based overseas or outsource work to India or the Philippines. But the best local SEO Phoenix businesses use don’t send work overseas, they combine American know-how with local knowledge. That leads to content that engages local customers.

• 5. If a local SEO company can help you get to that first page of Google, then you might not need to advertise much at all. In fact, there’s no better advertisement for your company than ranking highly on Google. Not only do people stay on the first page, but 70 – 80% of Web users never click paid ads, instead choosing organic results. A local SEO company can ultimately save you money on expensive ads.

The benefits of SEO for small businesses are numerous. A local SEO company can help create content and connect your business to local customers far better than far away SEO services overseas.

If you’re an Arizona or Phoenix small business, then it’s time to consider an Arizona SEO firm to guide you through the Google Age.