While some in the brick-and-mortar business world still believe that the web is only for global corporations and eCommerce sites, most have come around and realized the importance of online marketing. Of course, knowing how to market your business online isn't quite so obvious. While there are several best practices, one that we're focusing on today is accurate business profiles, as accurate business profiles – also known as citations - on directory websites are important for local search engine rankings What Citations Are and Why They Matter A citation is essentially a "mention" of your business on the web. Most SEO experts believe that for a citation to be counted by Google, it must include your business name and address. Inclusion of your phone number may be important...
By now, you’ve heard about Google +, and if you’re like many local business owners, you’re trying to get a good grasp on what it means in way of SEO and promoting local business. In way of numbers, it’s no surprise that Google + is growing quickly as they continue to promote and make it easier for people to provide links to invite their friends to join the network. Google also continues to add features...
As Google continues to beef up its online product offerings – Google+, Google Places, and now a hotel-specific search, review and referral system being rolled out – opportunities for small businesses to use cost-efficient local advertising and highly tailored, location specific search engine marketing are better than ever. And in many cases, these advanced SEM techniques will be offering potential customers a valued service just by delivering information. Some sources suggest that of the roughly two...
Local business keyword phrases, which always usually include the city and the service that the business is located in and provides, are worth an inordiante amount of money in terms of ranking for them as compared to other types of search terms with the same low number of search queiries per month. There seems to be a never-ending market for providing local business with Internet marketing services. Most people that run business in fields like...
Let us assume that you have a restaurant and you have been operating in your area for a couple of years. You already have your regulars who come into your restaurant and enjoy your food every so often. But times are rough and you want new customers. How do you go about doing that? There are the tried, tested and traditional ways of getting posters up, distributing fliers, and advertising in the local paper. However, if these...
Location-based services are part of the hottest trends when it comes to local business marketing. Startups like Foursquare and Gowalla has enjoyed great reception and Facebook is trying to replicate their success with Facebook Places. This location-based application allows Facebook users to “check in” when they get to a brick and mortar store. Each “check in” is displayed on the user’s wall as well as in the news feeds of the user’s friends as well...
A lot of agencies nowadays have been working with small and medium-sized businesses to help ensure their success in the local search field. Indeed, small businesses are better focused than their national competitors. For one, they are more able to build a community among their customers and gain engagement from the same. It is good to keep in mind a three-point campaign to ensure success for our partners. Local Search Probably one of the most...
The role of social media in ensuring any local business campaign is unarguably necessary. However, some marketers go overboard with their Twitter and Facebook accounts, and they start to neglect the other tools which have been proven to bring about positive outcome with regards to local business marketing. Although having social media as a part of any business’ local marketing plan is undisputedly crucial, there is also a need to look and utilize other platforms...
We tend to spend much of our time focused on Google, yet Yahoo has local listings for businesses as well. Just like Google the basic service is free to businesses. Yahoo! Local Listings gives businesses the ability to provide detailed business information like products and service local consumers on Yahoo! Local. Yahoo! does have some requirements that businesses need to adhere to in order to take advantage of this local business...
Google Places is a free marketing tool for local businesses. The benefits of these listings include showing up in web search results and mobile search results. Updating these listings is free and available to the business 24x7x365. Not something you can easily do with the traditional yellow pages. Definitely something you need to consider beyond Google and tap into multiple local listing websites and search engines. Here are a few...
