Did you know that 85% of people in the United States search for local businesses on the Internet. Yes, that includes both brick and mortar and online businesses. Any type of business can take advantage of local Internet marketing and benefit from it. People around the world now use the Internet to look for businesses selling products and services they are in need of, instead of using phone books, yellow pages and other resources. Today, gaining the attention of consumers and letting them know about the existence of a business can become impossible for a business that doesn’t have an active online presence.
Frank Reed in the Marketing Pilgrim article [Infographic] Local Consumer’s Digital Path to Purchase More Convoluted Than Ever said
Local Internet marketing. So fun and easy to talk about but very, very difficult to do.
It’s a trouble spot for many local marketers because there is so much ground to cover. With that knowledge, now consider putting yourself on the other side of the table as the consumer. There are so many information sources that can help (or hinder) a purchase decision. While having information is a good thing, there is such a thing as ‘too much of a good thing’.
Reed presented the infographic showing this local consumers’ digital path to purchase created by Local Market Lauch, a player in the local space industry that delivers business listings management and local presence solutions. That's it on the left.
What is Local Internet Marketing
handry in an article, Finding The Best Local Internet Marketing Company, in Business and Finance wrote:
"Local internet marketing can mean different things to different businesses, but most small business owners just get lost when it comes to the technical terminology and methods involved. Whether you call it a local internet marketing, local search marketing, local business marketing, local SEO marketing local marketing or just plain, it’s all part of the same animal – marketing your business on the internet to people in your area will physically bring you real customers."
Search Engine Optimization for a Small Business
There are numerous ways you can accomplish local Internet marketing for your small business. Using a local Search engine optimization (SEO) framework is the most common type of local-based Internet marketing. Through local search SEO practices you can get your website to appear in the search results whenever people search for keywords related to your local business.
According to an article from SocialBubbler, Local Business SEO Marketing – Simple, but Efficient Strategic Tools to Make Your Company Popular:
"Optimizing Your Company Website for Local Search
Transforming your company website to make it more informative for local customers is the easiest way to optimize your site. One of the simplest tools of local SEO marketing is to add your address and contact details to every page of your website. You can also include a Contact Us page into your website, where you can publish photos of your premises, add a map or provide a contact form."
It is actually quite easy to find location-based keywords. All you need to do is add a local phrase to the keyword phrases that you find using the Google AdWord Tool.
For instance, a Chicago-based plumbing business might be using the keyword "plumbing" for general SEO purposes, but for local Internet marketing, they would likely have to use "plumbing in Chicago" or "Chicago plumbing." When integrating location-based keywords into your business website's marketing, you should also incorporate them into the following as well:
- Blogs and white papers
- Blurbs posted on directory sites
- Email marketing
- Fluid and static content
- Page titles
- Video content
Information Please
Besides SEO, you need to promote your business by being listed in major directory services, such as Citysearch, Google Places and Yelp. There are also many directories that are industry-specific, such as for restaurants there is UrbanSpoon. Fill our all formscorrectly and thoroughly, and you need to update details such as the business address or telephone number if you change them.
In the technological world of today, advertising online is vital for local businesses. Since you want to remain competitive, you must learn how to utilize the different forms of local Internet marketing.
Jaco Grobbelaar is the owner of BroadVision Marketing. BroadVision Marketing works with business owners to put in place inbound and outbound marketing strategies that consistently secure new clients. The BroadVision Marketing Training Center is located in Petaluma, CA and primarily serves companies in the San Francisco Bay area.
Jaco can be reached at jaco@broadvisionmarketing.com or 707.766.9778 or connect with Jaco on Facebook - www.facebook.com/broadvisionmarketing - and LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/JacoGrobbelaar.