The future of search engines is locally based searches, Google states that one out of five searches on Google is related to a location. It is hard to work out how many searches that comes out to, but it’s been stated that Google provides results for more than 1 billion searches every day. That’s more than 200 million local searches every day conducted by people looking for something in their area.
Local SEO is a highly effective form of online marketing. It allows local companies to promote their services to local customers at precisely the time they’re searching for your type of business.
Google Places Listings generally appear on the first page of search results, when search terms include a physical location (such as “Plumbers in London”). All three major search engines (Google, Yahoo, and Bing) display these map listings when they determine that the search term has local intent. Within a local listing, a user can visit the companies website, receive directions to the company and even read and leave a review of the business.
And why should you care?
- 64% of local consumers use search engines and directories as their main way to find local business, only 28% of people use paper based directories as their source of local information.
- More and more local customers use mobile phones and mobile ‘apps’ to find local businesses while they are walking around.
- Unlike any other advertising (e.g. local papers and leaflets) with local search SEO there is little wasted exposure. You reach potential customers when they need you not when they don’t. This makes local SEO both an efficient and cost-effective choice.
- Most local companies haven’t got to grips with online marketing yet. That leaves the door open for you to get a lead on your competitors before they wise-up and it gets more competitive.
- Less and less people are reading local papers. Recent figures show some local newspapers have lost 80% of their readership in the last 20 years. Why? Because people are turning to the internet for their local news as well as to find local businesses.
- Word of mouth is a major factor in the success of local businesses. Get your trusted customers to review your business online and attract hundreds of new customers.
