You wouldn’t believe how much smartphones and social media have changed the way people make spending decisions.
Did you know that a recent study by Google found that about 88% of mobile users search for local content, and half of them visit a store within 24 hours! These people look for prices and reviews; and up-to-date information; and they want your name, address, and phone number.
It’s also important to remember that mobile devices are equipped with location tracking, which means searches on them automatically turn up results that are nearby. And instead of visiting your website, many customers choose instead to check you out on sites like Urbanspoon, Yelp or TripAdvisor; places where they can see a star rating or a review.
- Do you find your own business if you search locally for your products or services?
- Is your business ranking well locally?
- Do you have control over your reviews and public profiles?
- There are hundreds of directories, are you maximizing your exposure on all of them?
- Do you know when you get good or bad reviews?
There’s also a growing amount of talk about hyperlocal search and Google using neighborhood algorithms to pinpoint locations more specifically than just city wide. This is the flip side of the big online retail shake-up – you can’t find a haircut, or a restaurant, or a real estate agent on Amazon Prime. There are still plenty of products and services that people need and want right where they live. And according to Google’s research, those people are more likely to buy once they are in a store; with 18 percent of local searches leading to sales compared to 7 percent for non-local searches. Also, these potential customers have demonstrated that they are more likely to take action if online search ads have complete and relevant information like city, zip code, and immediate surrounding.
All of these signs point out the importance of local SEO for local business. This means it has probably never been more important for small, local businesses to spend some time and energy creating and executing a local search strategy.
Thing is, even if you have an understanding of contemporary SEO practices, a lot of techniques get turned on their ear when viewed in the light of local SEO. The methods for strong local research results can be very different from your average SEO campaign, and the local search results change more quickly. Accuracy and consistency of online listings and developed social media accounts are both key considerations.
Unfortunately, a constant contact survey reports that while 85 percent of small business owners say it’s important to be found on local search apps and directories, only half of them have ever updated their online listings. 50 percent of these business owners KNOW they have inaccurate listings, but 70 percent say that they just don’t have the time to update them at all.
If you understand how important this is to your business, but feel you just don’t have the time to take care of it yourself, let us help. Think about the value of acquiring a new customer. Making sure they can find you where they are looking is a big step. Don’t continue spending money on old media, print or yellow page listings, that are twice or more what our offer cost.
We’ve set up a simple ‘Local SEO’ package so it’s an easy choice to move forward: for a one-time set up of $299 and only $99 per month Idea180 can track and manage your reputation online.
