Local internet marketing is a hot topic and so many of you have been asking…
What, exactly, is local internet marketing? I keep hearing everyone talking about it. Is it just a buzz word? Is it something I need or is it just a waste of energy?
Without a doubt local internet marketing is something you need to pay close attention to as a business owner. Those who want to get ahead of their competition should take advantage of this marketing opportunity right now! Especially with all of the recent changes to the ways search engines, like Google, are dealing with the new ways we are searching for local products and services.
These changes have created a great opportunity to get your business ranked on the first page of the search engines! The sooner you get ranked at the top and the longer you stay ranked the more difficult it will be to knock you out of the tops spots – so what are you waiting for?
Not sure what to do? How to get ranked? Who to call? We understand how you feel. Only a few years ago we felt the same way! With lots of training AND research out team has become has of the best local internet marketing specialists around and we are in business to help you grow your business!
Let’s take a moment to chat about what local internet marketing actually is and what it is not. After you better understand that we can talk bit about what you can do to get more customers and more sales by taking advantage of this great opportunity.
You have probably heard many of these terms… local search marketing, local SEO, local maps marketing, Google Local, Google Places, and the list goes on.
The bottom line is these are all terms for a newly popularized form of internet marketing that is really incredibly effective for local business owners just like you to connect with local customers, drive more traffic through your door and dramatically increase sales, even if you don’t sell anything online!
When most people talk about local internet marketing they are actually referring to two different types of strategies to increase your sales…
- Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Being successful with Local Search marketing includes performing on page and off page optimization in order to get the top results for natural, organic, search engine rankings with keyword phrases that have Geo-targeted identifiers in them or, more simply put, showing up at the top of Google, Bing or Yahoo when some actually types in a search request for a local product or service and includes an geographic area for that search by using the city, town, or State name in the keyword phrase.
For example, a Geo-targeted search phrases used by one of my potential customers who is looking for someone in my line of work might be something like…
- Internet Marketing Frederick
- Online Marketing Baltimore
- Internet Marketing Company Maryland
More and more of us are entering search phrases with Geo-Targeted words in them. Why? Because we are sick of typing in “Plumber” and getting results from some big company in California or New York City when we actually live in Baltimore Maryland.
Let’s face it we would never hire a plumber from that far away and those kinds of results are annoying and a waste of our time.
Those types of results are not relevant. Of course, Google is big on providing us with relevant information. Keeping things relevant and providing us with great search results is the reason why so many of us, 65% of us to be exact, prefer to use Google’s web search tools.
Since more and more people are using these types of Geo-Targeted phrases when looking for products and services Google is more and more open to ranking local businesses high on the search engines for these Geo-targeted keywords.
This has opened up a huge opportunity for local companies like us to cash in on all of the money that comes in when super targeted, local, motivated buyers are able to find us online!
All of these folks are looking locally for the products and services that you have to offer! All you need to do is have some simple SEO done on your website and watch massive amounts of new customers come through our doors!
This is one aspect of local internet marketing
Because of this “local search” trend Google, Bing and Yahoo have now begun demonstrate a major change in the way they serve up relevant content for those of us who are looking for local products and services. They are serving up that local content in the way of…
- Local “Maps” listings –
Otherwise known as Google Places is the prime example of the second type of local internet marketing. Almost any search phrase that has local, geo-targeted terms in it will garner a page of Google Places listings as the top results or a mixture or “Blended” page of organic and Places listings.
Google is so serious about this new trend in our search behavior that Google has taken it upon themselves to create over 49 Million “places” pages for business owners all over the country.
The most incredible thing about this is that most business owners don’t even know that Google has created this ‘mini web site’ for them! This is amazing news for those of us who are willing to take action now! You have an unbelievable opportunity to be one of the first in your market place to “Verify” your listing and then optimize it to make sure you get the most out of this local internet marketing strategy by getting to the front page of the search results when local people are looking for your service or product.
Once verified you can upload photos, videos, coupons, and special events as well as share the details of your store or office location, brands you offer, special pricing, etc.
People can also leave reviews to help bolster your business and your reputation. The flip side of this is that people may leave bad reviews as well so be careful to give great value and customer service!
Of course that is what you’re in business to do anyway right!
Another awesome aspect to these places listings is the fact that they are linked into Google Maps and this makes it very easy for those with mobile devices like smart phones, iPads, netbooks and GPS to find our products and services while on the go.
Of course that brings up the local internet marketing topic of Mobile Marketing, a super-hot trend in local internet marketing, but that is a whole separate discussion that we will explain in another post.
Or if you want to partner with the best local internet marketing specialist so we can do all the work for you while you keep your focus on running your business just click here to contact us! We love helping folks with their Local Internet Marketing!
