What is Local Search?

Local Search has been going on for quite some time now and you may not have even noticed it. When you search for something on a search engine such as Google.com, local search results are show if the categories of local businesses relate to your search. On Google, these results are shown next to a Map with red pins showing the location of the results shown.

If I Have A Web Site Do I Still Need Local Search?

Ranking High in the Local Search is extremely important for Local Businesses. Most business websites rarely show up in the organic search results unless they have been optimized for local search. More importantly, if you site does not rank on the organic results you could still have a top position on the local search results even without a website!

 Why Do I need to be on the First Page of Google?

If you are not most likely no one is coming to your site. The fact is that the first three or four results are getting the lion share of traffic and the set are splitting the scraps. If you are not on the first page I would tell you to not expect any traffic at all. Google know that an that is why it chaged up the search results and moved the map to the side and gave other visual clues like ratings and pins to draw your eyes to the local search results. Google is actually trying to provide the best results by showing what is geographically local to our area of search.

The Latest Local Search Changes?

Local Search has integrated into our everyday searches online and local results will continue to gain ground as Google tweaks its local algorithm. On October 27 Google rolled out its latest incantation of local results, called “Place Search”. With the new look comes many changes, some subtle and some not so subtle. The main difference from a searchers perspective is that local results are now show in line with traditional web results and the Places Map has been moved to the right above the paid advertising (which unfortunately will most likely mean more paid advertisements along the top to recover the lost revenue from the displaced ads). Behind the scenes all sorts of changes happened and some sites that had a top position are now off the first page entirely and some sites that were not on the first page are now shown. Actually we embrace the changes because with the methods we use we saw our sites rise in the rankings!

Why do I need Local Search?

It’s simple; if you have a business that relies on local customers you need Local Search. When was the last time you picked up the telephone book? The fact is that increasingly we are going to the internet to research everything and if our business

Will Local Search Really Help?

It is estimated (conservatively in my opinion) that 70% of U.S. households use the internet to make purchasing decision when shopping locally for products and services. That means that when people are doing searches on the internet and they find your business listed in the search results for what they are looking for you already have a huge advantage.

If your business cannot be found do you think you will get that potential business? If you could be on that list do you think you would get more chances to sell your product or service?

Will Every Business benefit From Local Search?

No, some businesses will not benefit but Google understands this and when you do a search you will notice that if you search terms do not have something that could be considered a local search not local search results will show. For example, if you type in golf store you will find local searched but if you type in golf putter you will not.

How Do I Get My Business Listed?

That’s where we come in, Google pulls local information in from many sources and uses it in different ways and those sources are evolving every day. We know where to go and what to do and manually adjust and tweak your properties for maximum results.

What About Those Automated Listing Services?

Avoid them like the plague! Automated listing services are a one size fits all broad sword that looks like spam in Google’s eyes, a rightfully so. If you don’t believe is just ask the thousands of local businesses that got kicked of the Google Places listings for having incorrect, spam type automated listings. There are no shortcuts and the only way to achieve quality results is to manually and add the proper information to the correct places in the order the search engines likes.