subject: How local business owners in London use local marketing [print this page] How local business owners in London use local marketing
What is local search and why is it important for local business owners?
When your potential customers are searching for a local product or service provider within 20 miles of their home they search online
Whether they are using their computer at home to look for a local camping site, their computer at work to look for a local restaurant, their hand held device to search for a local florist or sitting in a coffee shops with their lap top searching for a local sports shop that sells golf clubs.
They are searching using the internet and if your business doesn't show up as one of the top results on the first page - and preferably in the first five results - it can be difficult to get their attention.
So what is local search? Local search is when a potential customer is looking for a product or service provider in their local area and in order to find that local business they type in the geographical area, postcode, or some other relevant information.
Research has shown that over 60% of those who search online for a local provider end up making a purchase. Your business needs to take part in local search marketing so your local business gets found online!
Local search marketing is the term used to describe the different techniques a local business can use to get found by its local customers. There is such a huge range of techniques to choose from including :
article marketing
forum marketing
search engine optimisation
one page optimisation
lead generation
pay per click
blogging
video marketing
squidoo marketing
link building (one way links, two way links)
directory submissions
blog commenting
link baiting
social media marketing including using Twitter, Facebook and other sites
audio podcasts
coupons and incentives
free teleseminars/webinars
The list is a lengthy one and your business needs to decide which ones to engage in depending on your target market and your level of expertise on each subject. It can be confusing. You need to focus on the techniques that you can do immediately, and ones that you will need help with.
Creating a local search marketing plan will help your local business make the best use of what is available online and how your business can take advantage of it to bring in new customers. By focusing on what you want to offer and why you want to offer it, how you want to deliver it and the different techniques you will use it is easy to create a local search marketing plan that will help you to stay focused and consistent with your online marketing efforts.
