My BusinessOPEN

Optimizing for Local Search

According to Comscore, a leading internet marketing research company, 14 billion online searches took place each month in 2011, and 20 percent of those searches were for products and services with queries that have a local intent. More than 2 billion local searches take place each month.

Local businesses are the target for 9 out of 10 people who use search engines. 97 percent of those searchers click on the first page of the results. 84 percent of these searchers still own a printed directory, but that number has been in decline consistently since 2007. The likelihood that those printed directories will actually be used continues to fall even though they are kept around.

Delivering a great local search optimization strategy to support your content marketing efforts creates targeted marketing messages, measurable results and that leads to improved return on investment (ROI). Local search optimization delivers all of this while attracting business in the right geographic area.

Targeted messagesProducts and services in the right spot when a buyer is looking throws traditional marketing methods in reverse by pulling customers toward the business as opposed to pushing all messages out and hoping to hit the mark. The “pull” model works to build traffic among the customers who matter because they find the business not the other way around.

Local search optimization takes this a step further. Not only is the product in front of buyers looking to buy, but the goods are available in the right city and maybe even the right neighborhood. Products and services sit waiting, ready to pull customers to the purchase decision in the right location rather than the outdated model of pushing items to EVERYONE through a traditional method such as directories, print ads and broadcast messages. The strategy of throwing mud at the wall to see what will stick.

MeasurableSearch results, site traffic, conversion rates, as well as sales/leads — these things can be measured with accuracy through analytics, mass e-mail services and on social networking sites. When local search is optimized and the results tracked, adjustments can be made at a moment’s notice, not when the next print run is scheduled or the next big event is coming. The right medium can be identified and failing tactics scrapped. More importantly, marketers prove the success of a campaign beyond all doubt to the client. And naturally this leads to improved . . .

Return on InvestmentThe success or failure of all marketing endeavors rests on ROI. This is Marketing 101. Local search tactics are inexpensive and that’s the first step toward improving ROI, right? According to Hubspot’s “2010 State of Inbound Marketing” report, spending on lead generation is 60 percent less among companies devoting at least half of their budget to inbound marketing versus spending one-half of lead generation dollars on outbound tactics. Lower costs paired with accurate reporting and prudent adjustments spell ROI victory.

Understanding Google’s local search and how it can build trafficThe first key to figuring out local search optimization for Google is to understand what they hope to accomplish as a business. Google doesn’t offer their search engine out of the kindness of their heart. They want to make money like everyone else in the beautiful capitalist society of America.

They strive to provide the best search experience possible with relevant information from the most credible sources available. When searchers receive the information they want on a consistent basis, they come back to Google.com again and again. This leads to big traffic numbers, ads sold and large revenues collected.To accomplish this, Google tracks, ranks and rates incomprehensible amounts of data with highly detailed algorithms. An algorithm is an effective method expressed as a finite list of well-defined instructions for calculating a function. They are used for calculation, data processing and automated reasoning. Indexing and manipulating all that data requires the use of servers scattered all of over the world. Businesses can produce content and an online presence that connects to what all those servers are looking for, but they need to follow the rules.

Setting up the best possible local search listing in Google PlacesBy now you understand the importance of constantly refining the keywords that optimize your site for search engines. Local keyword optimization requires that your business not only use the best keywords, but the best, most targeted local keywords and it is more important than ever to make sure your site is properly listed so you products and services can be found easily on relevant searches. Easy is the key. Customers do not want to struggle to buy something.

Get started on your listing at Google Places. This is where you “claim” your listing. The Google folks probably have a listing for your business already. What you can do is refine the information for free, and more importantly, place your business on the all-important Google Maps that pop up after almost every search.

Let’s get going on this.

Take advantage of all the fields in Google PlacesWe understand that those long, arduous forms may seem like annoying obstacles to overcome, but they’re really opportunities to optimize. Each field needs attention.

● When given the opportunity, use descriptions that define what you do, but make them actionable and work in key phrases that tweak the search engines. Not just the key phrases, but local key phrases, right?

● Study the entire list of business categories to find the ones the match your business and select as many as the form allows.

● Moving on to the multimedia section of the process

we see a request for images and video. If you don’t have any images, grab your smart phone and take some. Remember we are here for the local searchers. Those searchers may be familiar with your business and an image will confirm who you are beyond all doubt. Video is trickier to produce, but worth it.

● Add as many images and videos as possible.

● Pay attention to the file names you give to the images and videos. If you sell kids shoes, make sure

to include that in the file name. (e.g. shoes_for_kids.jpg; kids_shoes.flv) Each image or video creates another URL. If your name or key phrases appear in the file name, they appear in the URL. Search engines can see this.

● The “Additional Details” section offers another chance to enter relevant key phrases like “shoes fit for kids” or “all sizes of shoes for kids.”

Give your local business listing an assist with SEO basicsIt takes a consistent effort to keep the search engine optimization up-to-date on your primary website, and it is still a necessary task for improving your ranking on Google. Those old ways of optimizing a website still need to be done.

● Make sure custom title tags are accurate, add image tags and create a new site map often. Many online resources are available for creating site maps.

● Include a physical address and phone number with an <address> tag on your site’s contact page and home page. You know what? Put an address on ALL pages of site. It’s fine to include a P.O. Box, but without a physical address, Google Maps don’t have anything to target.

● Attracting local searches requires local content. Take a look around your neighborhood and create content that will be familiar to the people in your part of the world. If you are selling kids shoes in Wichita, KS, write a high-quality story about the start of soccer season in Wichita and the need for proper footwear. Don’t forget to add keywords in the opening paragraph and close with a call to action.

Set your Geographic Location in Google Webmaster Tools. Remember the results seen in Ireland differ from what is seen in Kansas. (That’s what this whole ridiculous white paper is about.) Google (and Google Maps) works to return the most relevant information and you need to tell the folks at Google where your business lives. Visit Google’s Geotargeting page for guidance.

More local optimization to be doneFinally, we can spread our wings beyond Google by entering your business information on some of the endless directory sites available.

● Business.com● Local.com● DMOZ.org● InsiderPages.com● Superpages.com● Yelp.com● InfoUSA.com● YellowPages.com● Kudzu.com

These directory sites lead the way, but remember we are talking LOCAL so don’t overlook the newspapers and tabloids in your area. They frequently offer local business directories and search engines can find those too.

While you’re entering information on those local publication websites, send them a press release about your business. Many of those local publications let you post a press release carte blanche. Who knows, maybe a reporter will be intrigued enough to write about you.

You did not miss the social media boat. It is there for you to help multiply your reach.

We recommend that businesses that don’t have a social media presence create one either at the time of launching a new web site or while maintaining a well-established older site. That’s pretty much like your dad saying at Thanksgiving that he only like two kinds of pie — hot and cold.

It’s always a good time to create a good social media presence much like it is always a good time to eat pie. You are not too late. DO IT!

Social networks help local business listings by pushing your location out to the web and giving your great local content another home.

● Use Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to publish news, upcoming events, sales and unique features of your business. Don’t forget the link back to your site.

● Fan pages on Facebook start discussions with locals, which in turn creates a buzz on your street and makes your business a big duck in the local pond. Again, link back to your site.

● Create a company profile for your business on LinkedIn and ask employees to create LinkedIn profiles. LinkedIn is also an excellent place to attract local talent. Did we mention linking back to your site?

● YouTube stands equal to the mighty Facebook and LinkedIn as a social media tool. Grab your digital video device and create something goofy about your business. Don’t make the video too long and complicated.

Optimizing for local AND mobileThe searcher with the phone in his/her hand wants to know local information now, and they are ready to act. Comscore estimates that 95 percent of smartphone users have looked up local information on their device and 88 percent take action within a day. The multitude of locally focused apps (Groupon, Yelp, etc...) further drives this surge with reviews, deals and more maps.

Preparing to catch those mobile fish can be very similar to the points made above. Always make sure your business name, address and phone number go everywhere your business goes online. If you moved recently, update your information early and make sure to delete old content with incorrect addresses.

Grab a camera and publish at least 20 images of your business. Figure out how to make simple, short videos. The mobile user operates on a much tighter timeline than the searcher sitting in front of a computer. Images create instant recall and recognition of your business. If the mobile searcher wants pizza right now, they want a brand and a place they recognize. Without images, no recognition takes place.

Monitor your local presenceThis white paper should put you on the right path toward setting up a strong local presence on search engines, but like anything else maintenance is needed. Check the sites where you listed your business periodically to see that your information is still correct.

WAS THIS HELPFUL? SHARE OR CONNECT WITH US ONLINE!digitalsherpa.com/blog

www.facebook.com/digitalsherpas

www.twitter.com/digitalsherpas

www.linkedin.com/company/digital-sherpa

www.youtube.com/digitalsherpas