If you’ve ever looked up a business online, whether to find the hours, website, read reviews, etc., then you’ve participated in a local search.While this term may not be familiar to everyone, we have all certainly used local search at some point. Whenever you do a search on Google, or any other online directory, the search engine uses your location and your past search history to give you the most relevant results possible. While this may seem creepy to the searcher, it’s great for businesses trying to market to the most relevant audience. According to Forbes, 97% of all customers search for a business online. But how do you get your business to show up in a local search? And, more importantly, how do you get your potential customers to pick you over the competition?
To show up on Google maps you need to start by claiming and verifying your business page on Google. Not sure how to start that? Try following these instructions from Google.After you have claimed your business page, you will want to add your business to other large directories such as Bing, Yelp, Yahoo and even Facebook. Make sure that your information is exactly the same on all the different directories. You could be penalized online for even minor discrepancies, like an inconsistent suite number.It’s important to keep these pages active with updated photos and new reviews from happy customers. Don’t think reviews are important? According to Bright Local, 88% of customers trust reviews as much as personal recommendations. Reviews also help boost your SEO – it’s a win-win! After you get reviews, respond to them to add a personal touch.
In addition to claiming your business pages on major directories and generating positive reviews, staying active on social media will help your online presence immensely. Regular, engaging posts on appropriate social media channels will help connect with customers, while also appeasing Google and other directories.Managing your local search marketing will help your online business presence thrive. If this sounds like too much for you to handle on your own, let us know. We would love to help.
Communicate better. That’s what we help you do. Because better communication means better business.