Trying to get found online as a local business comes with both advantages and challenges. In this episode of the Weekly Marketing Cast , we discuss a few ways to surface in local search engine results.
Connect with Industry Thought Leaders
Connecting with industry thought leaders offers an effective way for you to draw high-quality inbound links and create buzz around your company name. Have you been following a popular blog in your industry? If so, can you reach out to the author with ideas for creating content together? Such type of collaboration can grow your reach and make you more appealing to folks who research carefully before they make a purchase decision.
Focus on GPS-enabled Services
As people continue to embrace the usage of smart phones, they also start relying on location-based applications with GPS functionality. These apps offer quick ways to find out what transportation services are in your area, if your friends are nearby, where to go shopping or grab a bite. Examples of such applications are Google Latitude, Foursquare and Foodspotting. So pay particular attention to these platforms and the special opportunities they offer businesses.
Check Out Some Case Studies
Not sure how to start growing your local search traffic and leads? Check out some success stories. One example, David Meerman Scott points out, is DMD Helaine Smith, a cosmetic dentistry professional in Boston. Her focus on creating valuable content and accumulating inbound links drove great results for her business. Now, as people enter “cosmetic dentist Boston” in Google, her site appears second on the organic search results page.
Have more tips for optimizing your site for local search? Share them with us!
Inbound Marketing Blog Feed
TrafficColeman 9:11 AM on April 04, 2011
Small business should take local search seriously if that want to dominate their market..
"Black Seo Guy "Signing Off"
Ross Davis 9:43 AM on April 04, 2011
Very basic information. There is so much more to local marketing. I agree blogging and GPS-enabled services are important - however - social media, online directories and other tools maybe more important in smaller cities to be found in search engines. FourSquare is growing and is a GREAT way to be found!!
Laptops 11:42 AM on April 04, 2011
that is the value of Local Business and how it work
Reggie Dunbar II 1:45 PM on April 04, 2011
Thanks for this article. There is information that can assist small and medium size business all over the US.
We work with veterans and disabled veterans who want to get into business and this is very helpful.
Much Thanks,
Reggie
Georgia Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise
gadvbe.org
gadvbe@yahoo.com
Horace Moning 9:24 PM on April 04, 2011
Please give me your infomation to be found please.
Michael 5:57 PM on April 05, 2011
http://www.helainesmithdmd.com/ If this is the one in the video it has been in "maintenance mode" for a while.
This is such critical information for our customers who are small business owners.
Rich Stucky 3:59 PM on April 07, 2011
If you haven’t done this yet, you should create or claim your Google Places listing as soon as possible. Fully populate your Places page with your categories, photos and video. It is a free and helps your local ranking on Google.
Every business should aspire to be found in the Google Local 7 on the front page for the categories relevant to their business.
Your rank in Google local climbs with relevant links aka "citations" to your Places page and/or website. Creating entries for your business in relevant online directories that point back to your website and Places page are great citations. Reviews also increase your ranking albeit negative reviews increase rank but really hurt your biz. Encourage happy customers to write reviews.
You can also hire a firm to build links, update content and push your business onto the Google Local 7. For more detail visit our site or contact me via email.
johnmartin 9:10 AM on April 25, 2011
Thanks for the info! Being a small local business marketing, I am always on the look out for new interesting blogs to read and learn something new. Thanks again,