Explode Your Brand With Local Search Marketing

July 11, 2009 by Butterfly Filed under: Search

Local Search today is more than adding a Free Business Listing in local.Google.com. But don’t “poo-poo” it, as that can help you rank well in Google Maps and Google Searches. And, you have the option of adding a Google Coupon that appears alongside your Business Listing in Google Maps as well as YouTube video and images.

But, if you have only one site ranking on Google for your business, or personal brand it’s worth spending some time exploring and implementing a broader Local Search Marketing strategy.

Google is pushing Local Search. It knows where you live when you search and it is geo-targeting content.

So, take advantage of your internet presence on Google and apply a Local Search Marketing strategy.

Whether you use a Local Search Marketing Expert or dive in by yourself, you can build upon a Business Listing. You can use Free tools to expand your Brand and generate Leads more effectively and inexpensively than Yellow Pages or online Directories.

Answering Customers’ Questions

Of course, Local Search does not take the place of a website, but by integrating it with your site a prospective customer can have their primary questions answered:

- Is your business trustworthy?
- Are your prices affordable?
- Is your business really an “authority” in the market?
- Do others recommend your business too?

A results-oriented Local Search Marketing campaign will solve the single biggest challenge for any business, especially in today’s economy:

- Bringing in NEW customers!

Successful Local Search Marketing does not require a Ph.d. But it does require time and commitment as it is a multi-faceted methodology and is ongoing. So it requires the assistance of an outside Local Search Marketing Expert; a new emerging expertise!

How Do I Begin?

Well, to start we must accept the reality that a website is far more valuable than offline advertising or a static presentation of your business.

In fact, the majority of small businesses in the U.S. still do not have their own website and domain, but Google, Yahoo and MSN now are giving them the best reason for doing so.

Assuming a website is in place, the 1st step, as always, is Keyword Research.

Keyword Research is equivalent to Market Research, only it’s in real time.

We can now enhance that with keyword research that is specific to “local”, meaning taking the keyword(s) that best describe the market and business you are in and adding a geo-specific word to the end of it e.g.” house painting San Diego.”

The best keyword research tool is the Google Keyword Tool, of course. And, with the addition of the Google Wonder Wheel inside of the Google search ranking page, you have a very in depth view on how people search in your market as well as the competition through Sponsored Links and Organic listings.

Anytime you add specific regional keywords to your web content, you make it much easier to rank higher in the search engines for your geography. “House Painting San Diego” gives a better Google rank than just “house painting” for anyone searching in or near San Diego.

Remember, Google is all about providing searchers with the best user experience possible and that is done through highly targeted, relevant content. If Google can deliver a San Diego resident searching for house painting local, relevant content, it will value that more highly because it is more accurate to the search and searcher.

So, start your Local Search Marketing campaign today. It is an excellent adjunct to your website promotion.