Posted by: Kerry Houchin, Marketing Coordinator
Your pizza search just got easier. Thanks to new local search results from Google, you no longer have to type in the name of your city when looking for a local pizza joint or other local business results. Google now shows local results for generic keywords based on IP address even when the location is not specified in the query.
What does this mean for small local shops? The potential for generating business from generic keywords (and SEO) has gone through the roof! First-page results are attainable for even your most basic keywords if the search originated in your region. The local search results are displayed in the center of the search results page instead of at the top of the page when there is no location specified, but a first page listing is still far more valuable than no top 30 result at all.
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Posted by: Zach Olsen, Marketing Intern
Optimizing for local search, or taking the right steps to show up in the top rankings of search engine results for terms that your audience uses when looking for your local business, is an area that if pursued can make a big impact on your bottom line.
SBI + M has compiled some interesting data on the subject:
- 54% of Americans have substituted the Internet and local search for phone books (comScore networks).
- 66% of Americans use online local search, like Google local search, to locate local businesses (TMP/comScore/SBI + M).
- 82% of local searchers follow up offline via an in-store visit, phone call or purchase (TMP/comScore).
Most people looking for your local business online are truly interested in following up in-person, making the Internet a powerful tool for your local marketing. read more »
Posted by: Megan Amick, Marketing Coordinator
As 2009 gets going, it’s certain marketers will have several challenges ahead, but on a more upbeat note, it’s a great time to look toward the future of interactive marketing. There are many predictions about whether the online advertising industry will see the growth it has in years past. It seems most projections point toward increased spending but at much lower growth rates than before.
So, what can we expect from the industry that doesn’t quit?
• More keyword inflation: As traditional advertising budgets shift to digital, competition will increase and advertisers will have to be sure their paid search (or pay-per-click advertising) campaigns are strategic and focused.
• Tracking conversions: To keep cost per acquisition (CPA) at a minimum, it’s time to focus on optimizing conversion rates for the highest possible ROI.
• Data privacy and security: The question of how to regulate privacy and keep online users protected will be further explored.
• Qualitative analytics: Knowing not only what your consumers did on your website but why they did it will give greater insight to user activity and increase your ROI.
• Mobile advertising: With the release of several mobile hardware devices from Apple, Google and Blackberry to name a few, more users will have online capabilities at their fingertips.
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Posted by: Kayla Wagner, Project Manager
Are you a business that needs to come up in local searches? Here are some tips to make sure you’re covered and competitive:
1. On your site, make sure your address and contact information are listed in an easy-to-find location (perhaps the footer of every page) – and in proper HCard format! HCard format allows the search engine spiders to crawl your address and see it in a standard, easy to read format and import it into their map tools.
2. Do you have your location in your site content? You should! If you want to come up in search results for “Denver plumbers” you should have “Denver plumbers” in your site content. Not just plumbers and not just Denver or Colorado. Include relevant keywords to all areas of your purchase cycle including general terms (dentist), general + regional (dentist in denver), business name (Dr. Peters dental), and services (root canal). read more »