The most important way of marketing for the last decade has been with online search engine optimization. Optimizing content, design, and outreach with keywords and back-link generation was the key to developing a presence in search giants, like Google. Consider, according to Search Engine Journal, 93% of all online experiences begin with a search engine, so it’s no wonder that Google fields over 100 billion searches a month.
For a long time, internet search engine optimization was done on a general scale. Geo-specific search engines marketing, known more popularly as local SEO, hasn’t been in the picture until recently. Even so, for small businesses who rely on foot-traffic in their brick-and-mortar stores, local search engines marketing is the only way to go.
Why is Local Search Engines Marketing Important?
As Search Engine Watch writes, small business search engine marketing should be focused on local SEO. With a huge percentage of online searches tailored to find local businesses, whether restaurants, retailers, or otherwise, tying a small business to popular search terms, e.g. pizza, furniture, etc., and a location is the best way to have geo-specific businesses found by consumers.
Easy Steps for Improving Local SEO
- Get Your Name out There in Philanthropic Ways
- Optimize Your Footer
- Think Outside the Box
Forbes suggests that one of the best ways to implement successful web internet marketing on a local scale is by donating to charities who will list your business information on their sites. Not only will this give you more indexed content in search engines, but you’ll also gain the huge PR boost that comes with giving back to the community.
Your website undoubtedly has a footer at the bottom of your homepage that lists your name, address, and contact information. However, can that information be found on every single page of your website? Yahoo! Small Business Advisor suggests featuring this information on everyone of your pages. Say, for example, you run a pizza business in Alpharetta, Georgia. Are you more likely to be found when customers search for “pizza Alpharetta” when your location appears on only one page of your website, or is listing your Alpharetta address on every page going to make you easier to find? Clearly, it’s the latter.
The way SEO is done, both on local and general levels, is changing rapidly, thanks in large part to Google’s attempts to squash black-hat search engines marketing. Now, the name of the game is content marketing. However, writing great blog content isn’t enough anymore. Search Engine Land recommends small businesses turn to YouTube to spread their brand and improve their local search engines marketing. By producing high quality content and adding geo-tags, links to your site, and your contact information, you can take advantage of a service that attracts more than one billion viewers a month, according to YouTube.
Optimizing your search engines marketing for a localized approach is essential, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. With these simple to implement tips, you can turn your local SEO efforts around. What are you waiting for? Ger more information on this topic here.
