People searching for local businesses will only find you if you make your presence known. Google and other search engines are immensely powerful, but they are also heavily reliant on you to provide the information it needs to seek you out.
This poses a challenge for businesses who want to enhance their Internet presence on a local basis. If you’re a pizzeria, for example, you want anyone in your city searching for pizza to find you first.
Though many customers may still find you via the phone book, the times are rapidly changing. Google reports 34,000 searches are conducted per second. Fortunately, the ever-expanding digital universe gives you plenty of ways to make customers aware of your location. Here are a few of the best ways to get found locally:
1. Start with your website.
Consider your website to be the foundation of your search engine optimization efforts. Make sure that key strategic parts of the site are optimized for local search. You’ll want to add your address to every page, and be sure to include city names in the navigation. The pizzeria above might opt for “Milwaukee Pizza” in its title bar, for example.
You can also do some keyword research to determine if there are particular searches being done in your local area, and then begin using those key phrases in your content.
2. Register with local search engines.
You can register all your contact information with local search engines---for free. Google looks for what are called "citations," or mentions of your address and phone number. Local citations are like links and can help increase your visibility in Google Maps/local search.
Include as much information as possible in each local profile. The more you input, the easier it is for them to provide a match when people are searching.
For starters, register with:
3. Don’t overlook local Yellow Pages and online Yellow Page listings.
The local yellow pages aren’t only found in paper format. They’re also online and include a variety of technology enhancements to help you get found. Yellow Pages sites like Superpages are heavily-trafficked sites and can help build citations and links for search engines. Beware of companies asking you to pay. We have rarely found these paid listings leading to any measurable results.
4. Get out and meet your neighbors with social media.
Social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, are great sources of word-of-mouth marketing. Simply by creating and maintaining a presence in several of these sites, you’ll make it extremely easy for people to find your business and tell their friends about it.
When you create your site, be sure to include plenty of local information in your profile so people know exactly where to find you. Social media sites are also great places to post pictures and videos of customers. Making your customers "slightly famous" often encourages them to spread the word about your business to their friends and families.
5. Encourage your customers to submit ratings and reviews.
Between 60% and 82% of Internet reviews are positive. Are you getting your fair share? Encourage your customers to post reviews of your business on sites like Google Local, Yelp, Insider Pages, Citysearch and so forth. Do a Google search right now to see if there are already some reviews of your business out there!
6. Use online advertising.
Though most of the options listed here are free, you can also use Google’s Pay-Per-Click or Facebook ads to target specific local customers. These ads only reach the geographic area you specify and can tie-in with your website or social media sites. Use them interactively to build your audience and drive awareness.
7. Don’t forget tactics.
No matter what digital avenue you pursue, be sure to use tactics that drive interest and get you found locally.
- Always include your name and address anyplace you post information.
- Use photos and videos of customer experiences in social media.
- Share useful and usable information for your customers.
- Network online locally. Reach out on LinkedIn and to the local bloggers and social media users and interact with them
There are a myriad of options available to help your neighbors find you online. With a solid strategy and a persistent, ongoing effort, you’ll find a way to make it easy for customers to find your business.
