Local search is big business. According to eMarketer, 54% of Americans use the Internet instead of the phone book to find local services, and over 40% of all searches are for local businesses and services. With local searchers more likely to actually make a purchase than non-local searchers, this equates to billions of dollars in revenue for small businesses each year.
When it comes to capturing the local market, businesses need to utilize local SEO techniques that get the attention of both search engines and customers. If you’re a small business owner looking to increase local traffic, here are a few essential tips:
1. Create a local-friendly website. Make sure that your website contains plenty of search terms and phrases that help local customers find you. This includes:
-
your business name, address and local phone number with area code, located on each page.
- separate pages for multiple physical locations. Populating each page with information specific to each of your different locations makes it easier for customers to find them.
- product and services descriptions that include information specific to your area.
2. Inform the search engines. Google Places, Yahoo Local and Bing Local are the online version of the “Yellow Pages”. When you claim a profile on these sites, you enter descriptive information about your business that is unique to it. This boosts your visibility with search engines for local search terms. Once you have a profile, you can manage this information and post company news, promotions, photos or any other content that attracts customers.
3. Allow reviews. Reviews are the online equivalent of word-of-mouth, and they’re just as important. It’s a good idea to allow people to comment on your business for a few reasons. Reviews, both good and bad, add credibility to your business. They help you improve your products and services through customer feedback. And, because they are essentially content about your business posted on the Web, they can actually improve your local search engine optimization results.
4. Add pictures and video. These are valuable additions to any local SEO effort. Create videos that showcase your business, introduce customers to your staff and describe what you do. Take pictures of your business and your neighborhood so that people can visualize them. Post your pictures and videos on Google Places and other local search sites, and be sure to add alt text to your images to ensure that they appear in search results for your keywords.
5. Use social media. Your business’ social media accounts are an effective vehicle for local SEO marketing. According to the 2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, 72% of business owners who are active on social media saw increased traffic and sales as a direct result of their social media marketing efforts.
Having a social media presence allows local businesses to keep potential customers updated on the latest news and promotions, and to network with other local businesses. Use it to post your pictures and videos, link to your company blog and offer promotions and coupons. You’ll reach thousands of people and generate interest simply by adding fresh content to your FaceBook, Twitter and Foursquare accounts on a regular basis.
6. Manage your reputation. Stay on top of your online listings. Use a data aggregator such as getlisted.org to keep track of how your business is doing with the search engines. Get a universal business listing that places your listing on all search engines, social media sites, directories and even mobile devices.
Effective local search techniques can take your business to the next level. Take advantage of these local SEO tips to get more out of your online marketing efforts!
