local searches are a vital marketing tool for companies that want to increase sales.
- Local search advertising is expected to grow by as much as 10 percent per year until 2015.
- By 2015, local searches will account for 30% of all online searches, up from 12% in 2009.
- 80% of searches made via smartphones are for local services and products.
Local search is constantly evolving and gaining attention from search engines. Google is trying to make it more user-friendly. Google Places allows users to quickly and easily find and compare results when searching for “Chicago car rental” or “San Diego life insurance.”
Please take a look at a local search program that our company created for a global management company of hotels and resorts. The program was tested at 18 properties, and it was so successful that another 25 joined within the first 12 months. The program is now available to 175 hotels after the initial 43 properties recorded an additional $4.3 million or $17,000 per month in bookings during the first half of 2010. The ROI (return on investment) is $84 per marketing dollar spent, which is 3-5 times higher than traditional advertising (e.g., Yellow Pages or pay-per-click ads).
Local search can give you a competitive edge without the need for deep pockets.
Five steps to get the most out of local search.
1. Take your SEO into order
Be sure to optimize your site for search engines (SEO), paying special attention to geo-specific, long-tail keywords. These are phrases that link your business name with the location of your company, like “Chicago insurance agent” or a “car rental in San Francisco.”
The correct use of keywords is essential to improve your ranking on search engines. Create a page that is optimized for each location if you have multiple stores.
2. Create local profiles
Claim your profiles and optimize them on local search engines and directories. If you don’t claim your profiles, it can be difficult for consumers to find your company.
We read about a family restaurant in a town that failed to attract tourists because Google listed it as a grocery store, Yelp listed it as an Italian Restaurant, and Bing listed it with the incorrect address. No listing had the correct phone number.
You can prevent this from happening to you by claiming your profile. Consistency is important to search engine algorithms, so make sure that your business name, address, and phone number are the same across the Web. Fill in all fields, including the NAP. This includes business descriptions, categories, and operating hours.
Include as much local information as you can in your profiles to increase the likelihood of your business location appearing in relevant search results.
3. Encourage customers to leave reviews and ratings
Encourage satisfied customers to rate your products and services on sites like Yelp and Google. According to a BrightLocal 2010 survey, nearly 70% of US consumers surveyed trust online consumer reviews as much as personal recommendations.
Customer reviews can help improve search engine rankings, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Search engines (such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing) also note your reviews, which validates that you are actively serving your customers and encourages them to spread the word about you. This user-generated content influences the search engines to rank you higher.
4. Visuals are important.
Videos and photos make your products more appealing by making them appear more tangible. Search engines also love them. Google, for example, has recently begun surfacing up to five photos from Google Places business pages in its local results.
Visuals can help you rank higher, attract consumers, and increase conversions. Visual content can include customer testimonials, product or service demonstrations, answers to frequently asked questions, and images of your storefront, staff, and even the staff themselves.
5. Update your profile
Update your profile with the most recent information. Update your business profiles every month with new services and products, photos, videos, and specials. Also, if the NAP has changed, update the hours of operation and any other information.