Local Search Overview
The most beneficial search engine tool for offline or brick and mortar businesses in the last couple years is called Local Search. Local Search is different then General Search which is sometimes called Organic Search. Local Search is provided by Google, Yahoo, Bing and some other less known search engines. All three search engine companies (the Big3) are investing heavily in this area of geographic or geo-targeted marketing because it has tremendous potential.
Fish only where the fish are!
When any user searches for a product or service close to where they live or work, the Big3 search engines will provide a list of businesses at the top of the search page. If the user does not add the zip code or city of interest, the search engine will try to interpret what is wanted by the user based upon keywords entered and the IP address of the user computer. An IP address is a unique number assigned by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to each computer connected to the Internet. Yes they know where you are or close to where you are!
Google Web Search Engine Results Page
The image below shows a local Google search for a “plumber” in a specific area code. Starting at the top are 3 sponsored ads (the sponsored ads continue along the right side), then the Google local box of 10 (this is now 7 for Google) most relevant local plumbers in the city or zip code searched and finally the top 10 organic ads; again based upon the 10 most relevant sites of the 24,300 as seen in the top right of page.
Notice that I have circled one specific plumbing business that shows up very well in all three areas; number 3 in sponsored links, number 3 in local links and number 1 in the organic list at mid page. This business is doing extremely well for the keyword “plumber” in this city. This is a good example of a well planned local marketing campaign. Another interesting note here is that this business is actually located 20 miles away in a different city, different zip code. This business beat out 25 other plumbing businesses servicing this targeted city.
The organic section 2 – 9 positions (only positions 1-3 are shown) are all directories, where this plumbing business has also been listed in 4. The number 10 position shows another local plumbing business which is not in the top ten local search box. This simple but important analysis can and should be done by every business wanting to attract more local customers. Every business owner wanting more new customers should spend an hour doing this type of internet analysis on all of the Big3 search engines.
Both Yahoo and Bing display fewer local search results. The ranking order for the above example business is also different in each section for these other search engines with Bing results being similar to Google. As the technology advances, there will be changes on how each search engine handles local search. What true today will be different tomorrow.
The Big3 search engines are committed to local search listings, taking over functions of the traditional telephone book Yellow Pages. The advertising costs for those large Yellow Page phone books are expensive and the books are becoming obsolete. Search engine local listings are free and your business is probably already listed. The search engines collect your basic information (business type and address) from other online services, and then the data is placed within their directories.
So What’s the Problem
However, there are two problems with this strategy, the information will be incomplete, maybe even incorrect and your business probably will not rank on the top results without help, certainly not in the top 5 where most of the traffic is focused. What ever ranking you have or don’t have, you may not stay there as your competition gets a little smarter and markets their businesses better. Then again if you have no competition or don’t need any more customers, don’t waste your money on any marketing campaigns.
So how does your business get ranked high as in the above example? Well start with having a well defined local search listing in each of the Big3. Second have a good SEO website representing your business which should be the heart of your marketing campaigns. Third increase your advertising budget to sponsor very-targeted ads in your location of interest. Either you or someone that represents your business must be pro-active and promote your business to these search engines. The better your business can be promoted online, the better the ranking and the more customers you can drive to your business.
The Bottom Line
We have been part of and around small businesses for over 20 years and know there are always more important tasks at hand then to learn the latest technology, especially for marketing. You use to put a simple, overpriced ad in the yellow pages and be done with it. Those days are gone!
People today are using the internet to find local services and products. You not only need to be part of the internet but be in the top search results. If not, all those customers may never know you exist. It’s not good enough to just have a website, you need to be pro-active and market your business.
Don’t let your business get left behind in the local internet marketing game. Internet search is more than 10 years old but local business search is only a few years in the making. The longer you wait, the harder it will get. Search engine companies like the Big3 (Google, Yahoo, Bing) are investing heavily into developing Local Search and rushing to become the next yellow pages that everyone used just a few years ago. It’s a new ballgame and you need to be part of it.
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