How to Get Started with Local Search Marketing

Google Loves Local Business

According to Google, local search accounts for almost 75% of online activity. This is a big market for Google and they want to deliver the best content available.

Local Business Loves Local Google

Local searchers are looking for specific information about your product or service and are typically more ready to buy.

Connect with new customers with Local Search.

Why Local Search

• 82% of local searchers follow-up with a visit, phone call or purchase
• 70% of online searchers will use local search to find offline businesses.
• 61% of local searches result in a purchase
• 59% of consumers use Google every month to find a reputable, local business
• 37% of all searches are done on mobile

What is Local Search

Most local businesses get the majority of their business from word-of-mouth. Online reviews work the same way.

Local Search is really Offsite Optimization for your local business. Google is looking for “signals” from about your store to verify that you are a local business in a specific geographical location.

Citations: You can show Google that you are a local business by adding your website to local business directories. This is called “Citation Building”.

Reviews: You establish that you’re the best business in the area when your customers leave you glowing reviews on review sites like Yelp, AngiesList, Facebook Places, Google My Business and Foursquare.

90% of your potential customers will read and trust online reviews to help them decide whether to choose your product or service.

Add buttons on your website to the major review sites that will let your visitors easily give you a glowing review.

As your create your content, include your location in these seven important on-page SEO elements:

1. Title Tag / H1 Tag: The Title Tag tells Google what this page is about. Adding the location sends a strong signal to Google that you are a local business in this area.
2. Meta Description: Google often uses the Meta Description as part of the snippet it should in the search results. The searcher will see your location, this really helps with clicks.
3. Content: Add your location to your content but don’t overdo it.
4. Image Alt Tags: This tag tells Google what the image is about. Add your location if it seems natural.
5. Image captions: Add your location to your caption if it seems natural.
6. Internal links: Internal linking reinforces what the content is about. If you have more than one location you can link to that location’s page.
7. Your URL: Still one of the best ways to tell Google what your page is about. Adding the location will reinforce where you are.

Caveat! DO NOT add your location where it just doesn’t fit. Google is looking for natural content.

Your Website’s Footer:
Add your company name, address and phone number (NAP) to each page’s footer, create a “Geo Sitemap” and a KML file.

Citation Building
To emphasize your local presence, add your business to relevant local directories and listings for your niche market with your NAP (Name Address Phone).

Name Address Phone (NAP)
When you add your business name, address, and phone to local directories and listings the information should be exact across all of these websites and directories.

For example, if your address is “456 Treeview Drive”, don’t use “456 Treeview Dr”, this looks like two different locations to Google.

Keywords to Describe Your Location

Use different long-tail keywords to describe your location. For example, if you have a have a cooking store in Seattle, you can use the keywords “Magnetic Measuring Cups Seattle”, “Magnetic Measuring Cups DT Seattle”, “Magnetic Measuring Cups Belltown” (a neighborhood in Seattle),

Write about what’s going on around you. Talk about local industry new or interesting community events in your area.

Multiple Locations

If you have multiple locations, each location needs a separate page or pages with unique content.

Google also uses hyper-locations such as distinct neighborhoods within cities.

It’s important not to overdo this. Add your location where it’s appropriate. Don’t “stuff” in your location where it doesn’t make sense.

Mobile for Local

Mobile is one of the top ranking factors for Google. Your website must be mobile friendly. If someone is searching on on a mobile device and your website is not mobile friendly your website is much less likely to come up on Page #1, particularly if your competitors have mobile friendly sites.

You can check in Google Search Console (formerly Google Webmaster Tools) for messages from Google regarding issues it finds with your site, particularly “mobile usability issues”.

Add a “Click-To-Call” extension to your phone number so that users can contact you instantly.

Reviews and Comments

Most local businesses get the majority of their business from word-of-mouth. Online reviews work the same way.

Your customers will leave reviews on Google My Business, Facebook Places, Yelp, and Foursquare.

Over 90% of your potential customers will read and trust online reviews to help them decide whether to choose your product or service.

Add buttons on your website to the major review sites that will let your visitors easily give you a glowing review.

Some of the top review sites I recommend for local businesses include:

• Yelp
• Google+ Local
• Yahoo! Local

Start adding backlinks from your own network of friends and associates. Join the local chambers of commerce, ask for backlinks from your vendors, local business improvement districts, licensing bureaus, trade associations, resellers, and manufacturers and other affiliates.

Create content about your industry and reach out to allied businesses that would benefit ask ask for a backlink as a resource to their own customers.

Encourage comments on your website and social media and make sure you address each negative comment in a honest and positive way.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics will tell you how successful your marketing efforts are. You can track how many visitors you have, what they do, what they like and what they don’t like.

With this information, you can adjust your website to increase visitors engagement and conversions.