Unleashing the Power of Local Search

This week, Google announced a major initiative focused on small businesses called, “Let’s Put Our Cities on the Map”. Google initiatives are typically blue-sky level ambitious and this one is no exception. The goal of the program is for every business in every city in the United States to be discoverable across all Google platforms.

Power of Local Search | Blueprint

Google has many tools to help local people find small businesses. Google Maps, Google+ and Google Search can include your physical location, hours of operation, phone number, email address, and website.

However, Google’s research suggests that many small businesses are not taking advantage of these tools. Thus, Google is offering small businesses resources to improve how they appear in search results.

Google is also emphasizing the benefits of using Google My Business, their platform helping small businesses manage their online presence from an integrated dashboard.

That’s assuming they have an online presence. A survey by Hibu found that 45 percent of small businesses don’t have a website and another survey by Google put the number at 55 percent.

If your small business doesn’t have a website or has a website that is not bringing in as many customers as you’d like, you are missing out on the power of local search.

What Local Search Optimization Can Do For Your Business

Every business wants to go national but its advised to start local and that includes online. Local search is about optimizing your online presence based on its specific geographic location.

Ground level local exposure on the web builds an audience of potential customers for your business. This starts with showing up in search engine results, providing people with current information, engaging them with authentic content, and making it easy for them to stay in touch with you.

When you add in presence on social media sites like Facebook, Google+, and Instagram, review sites like Yelp and Trip Advisor and legitimate inbound links from reputable third-party websites, your business will begin to tap into the energy of local search.

Search engines like Google evaluate these signals from your business’ online presence in terms of authority and credibility. Local exposure helps build your online reputation as a recognized leader in your community and industry. That organically leads to higher placement among search results.

As your small business begins to rank higher in search results, more people will find your business and you will begin to see conversions. Conversions are meaningful actions taken by the potential customer based on a visit to your website. This can be a phone call, click on a product page, a request for consultation, visit to your location or a sale on your website. As the business owner, you decide what actions by visitors to your site are meaningful measures of success.

Mobile-Friendly Means Business

Local search is all about being found by potential customers. This is especially true in the age of mobile where the number of people searching on phones and tablets continues to increase.

Google’s upcoming algorithm changes will only make mobile search more important. These searches bring relevant audiences that are near your business’ location.

Having a mobile-friendly website can be a great boost to your small business since people can easily make the move from search engine result page to showing up at your location in one trip.

Tips for Getting Started with Local Search Optimization

Sometimes small business don’t think they have enough money, time, or expertise to create a website or optimize the one they have for local search. However, local search doesn’t have to be an expensive proposition. Working with a reputable SEO company can help make things manageable and affordable.

Here are a few tips for getting started with local search optimization:

  • Start with an audit of your site. It will give your perspective, identify problems and see the potential for optimization.
  • Make sure your website and social media accounts have current information about your business such as phone number, email address and hours of operation. Also be sure to include your physical address with city and state.
  • Take advantage of description fields and fill them with keywords that describe your service or product.
  • Be mindful of multiple locations. Websites for each location need unique content or else it will look like you’re trying to game the system and this will negatively affect search results.

Local search optimization should be part of a strategy that includes local media, and community involvement. This includes generating meaningful original content like blog posts and press releases that include information about your business.

By: Eddie Santiago