Google Defines Local Search Marketing, then Refines It!

In a previous article, we showed how Google defined local search (see Google Defines Local Search).  Well, they continuously refine it as well. Local Search Marketing is a moving target!

We believe this is particularly important to your business!

After all, isn’t it a whole lot more profitable for you if you can deliver more customers to your business simply by adhering to Google’s changes? This is free advertising! Here is a great success story on how a storage company boosted it’s sales by using local search marketing: The Store House Company’s Story.

Of course, this is absent indirect costs in time on your part; or contracting to an outside agency, like us.  In either event, both still offer a considerable savings to your business advertising budget.  And, the return can be outstanding.

Let’s briefly review this valuable advertising space and how it’s changed. Recall from the above cited post and the picture in it, the space included two components: Organic or Free Search Listings and Sponsored or Paid Search Listings.  Local Search Marketing is a discipline that drives to dominate the Organic or Free Search listings.

 

 

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The major difference in this picture from the previous article’s, is that Organic Search is now dominated by local businesses. You are seeing the Google 7-Pack, or the top seven business in your local area based on a particular keyword search!

Previously, it was dominated by businesses that either paid a ton of money to Search Engine Optimization firms or were those extremely large companies that have had websites for years. Granted, this is a bit simplistic, but this is not the topic of discussion here.  Suffice it to say, it would be extremely difficult for any small business owner to get listed or occupy any of this space on the first page of Google.

The take-a-way here is that, NOW, all the top listings go to local businesses!  The whole idea behind local search is that Google knows where it’s users are searching from!  So, in order to add value to the user’s experience, Google takes their search right to their local business community.

Again, we run the risk of being overly simplistic.  Google still ranks these businesses.  It’s always best to be at the very top of the 7-Pack. Local search marketing addresses this very issue.  In other words, what does Google expect and how do you get there?  This is the moving target. This not only takes a high degree of attention to detail, but the knowledge of when Google makes changes to their search algorithm.

However, the bottom line is this. A major change has occurred!  This is the time to get involved. The “First Page of Google” is the best place to be to advertise, market and promote your business.  We recommend to all our clients to get in now. We expect this space to very competitive in future months and years. However, as a local business, it is now totally within your resources to get listed on the first page of Google in Organic Search.  This is what local search marketing is all about.

Filed under: Local Search Marketing • Small Business Owner Topics

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