1st Click Works: Search Works for Local Businesses

Good News for Local Businesses
Search Engines Work for You

When I first started my business more than seven years ago, I targeted only companies that marketed themselves nationally or, at least, statewide. At that time, local businesses had a hard time being found through the search engines. Even if a search phrase like “plumbers” included a geographic identifier like “San Antonio,” the search engines’ results would be skewed towards the big franchise players like RotoRooter. That is no longer the case.

Today, with the search engines’ ability to display results based on the location (identified via IP address) of the computer that is being used to make the search, local businesses have a much greater chance of competing with larger companies in search results.

First, the search engines have changed their algorithms so that they can identify the kinds of businesses that serve local needs. That means that often they will serve up in regular unpaid results local business websites—even if no geographic identifier was included in the search phrase. When I search for “home remodeling” on Yahoo from my computer here in Denver, the search engine displays several local remodeling contractors on the first page of results. I get even more when I search for “Denver home remodeling.”

But, even if your site does not display in the regular results, it can be shown ABOVE those on Google if you are in one of those local business categories. By simply providing Google with some information about your business, you can appear above of the regular results in their Local Business Listings for your category. Your company will be shown closest to the top of the list for searchers whose zip codes are closest to yours.

If the Google Local listings are not high enough on the page for you, you can bid on a pay-per-click ad placement that will put you at the very top of the page. Again, the situation for local businesses has improved. Now, you can bid to have your ad shown only in geographic areas you select—actually down to a particular zip code if you want. There really is no other medium that allows for this kind of targeting.

And, even that’s not all that is possible. There are several directories that typically show up on the first page of results for this kind of local search. Submit your information to those (some are even free!), and you will have yet another way to be found through the search engines.

That’s how my husband’s business, Highlands Property Management, Inc., comes up three times in page 1 results on a Google search for “Highlands Ranch property management.” The company is displayed with a Local Map Listing at the top of the local listings (which includes address, phone number, and a link to the website.), and with the #1 result for unpaid listings. He also has the paid ad at the top of the right hand column of page 1. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, most of his business comes to him through his website.

If you own a local business that does not have a website—or one that has not invested time and money in Internet marketing recently—you are missing potential business. Contact me today to find out how your website could be finding customers for you.

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1st Click Works

Search Works for Local Businesses

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