Using Local Search For Your Small Business

Everyone by now understands just how vital search engine advertising can be for a business

. But for a very long time now local small companies have asked themselves exactly what does the internet actually hold for them? If you own a local auto repair shop, car dealership, or apparel retail store then you rely on local consumers for sales. You don't deliver items to consumers half way around the globe or even to the next state over. You're a neighborhood business and your consumers are local too.

However if you haven't observed in the last couple of years a change has actually occurred in search engine marketing that even your business can easily benefit from. It used to be that people searching for something on the internet were looking for something that they could not get in your area. Well the times have actually changed and now nearly 20 % of all internet searches are done by people looking for something nearby. In fact they may merely be trying to find something your business might offer. Gone are the days of dragging out that hefty phonebook to locate a local plumber, flower shop, or a place to rent a tuxedo. Now people use their home computers, iPhones, Android phones or Touchpads and do a local search. The question is, can they find you?

So just what precisely is a local search? A local search starts when somebody types a keyword into a search engine such as Google, Yahoo, or Bing. Now it used to be you might enter in something like "Auto Repair Nashville" to get local company listings. But that's not the case anymore. Now search engines use your IP Address to determine your location. So if I type in "Auto Repair" and I live in Nashville the search engine utilizes my IP Address, determines my location and immediately displays outcomes for the Nashville area for me.

The catch here is that if the major search engines do not know you exist or the information they have is inaccurate then they're going to show your competitors instead of you. You may not think this is such a big deal, however it can be. According to Google the keyword "auto repair Nashville" is searched roughly 1,600 times per month locally. That's 1600 people that require auto repair work every month that are probably going somewhere besides your company to get their car fixed due to the fact that they can not find you. That's why local search has actually come to be so necessary. It drives even more company.

Now you could say that I do come up in local searches already. But many small companies that appear in local searches still don't have a website. So you come up on a local search but your competitors have a website. If I would like even more info so that I can easily make a more informed selection of who to go to then the business with a web site has the advantage. A basic company site is both economical and a marketing requirement in today's internet world.

Whether your business is already appearing in local search outcomes or not there are a couple of key points to remember that can quickly boost your local search presence.

Location, Location, Location. Make sure on your website you include your physical address. The search engines will check out every piece of information you have to offer. So ensure to add your company address and telephone number in the footer of your website or on a contact us page.

Make sure your listings are complete. Local listings are essential in verifying info for search engines. For example you may find that you have a comparable company name to someone else. So search engines make use of sources like SuperPages.com and Citysearch.com to verify information. If you have an old address or telephone number listed then you may confuse the search engine. Clear and precise data is important for every listing. It's also very important to be as complete as possible.

Get listed as much as possible. The even more listings you have the better. There are a number of places online to record your company. Utilize them since the even more you do the better off you are. Think about each listing that you create as being another point in your favor. The major search engines like to see a lot of listings concerning you.

Reviews are necessary. Not every review is a good review however they are all essential. Google for example draws from numerous sources and displays reviews for searchers to read. Those positive reviews will certainly help drive more sales your way. Keep in mind whether the experience was positive or negative people like to write reviews and other possible consumers will be reading them.

Local search is already huge. Millions of searches are done each day now for local businesses and if you're not in the results then you're missing out on a massive opportunity. So put in the time and do a search. See where you rank. And ask yourself is it really good enough?

by: Cash Miller

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