Search For Local Markets on The Rise

Internet users are using search engines to search for businesses and services in their local market and search engines are rushing to offer services that rival the local phone book. Statistics show that 69% of households do at least one search for a local product/service daily. If your business intends to reach a local market, getting ranked for local search results is vital.

How Do Local Searchers Search?

Let's use real estate as an example. Most users searching for real estate will have the locale in their search queries They might type Kelowna Condos, realty in Vancouver, or Victoria new homes. Whether your business is real estate related or otherwise, if users might search for your services by specifying a location, you will want to ensure you are poised to come up in the results.

Special Results for Local Listings

Most search engines now offer specially displayed results for local search queries. In Google, when you search a keyword with a locale modifier, the first results listed come from a specialized database that is ranked specifically for local searches. There is even a 'map it' option for directions. These local listings provide you with the business name, address, telephone number, and website link.

How Do I Get Listed?

Not only will you want to be well optimized for prime ranking results in the organic search listings, you also want to ensure that you get placed in the local search results as well. Talk to your SEO specialist to ensure that you will be found. Or, sign up for your own Google or Yahoo local account (it's free) to list your business.

For some time now, online marketing concepts have been designed to target the larger worldwide audience. Of course, this is still a prime market; however, many users are taking to using their computers to find addresses, phone numbers, and website links (things they might have used the phone book for). The search engines are evolving to offer better local results. Now is the time to optimize for your local market.

By Michelle Collie
GetOn.com Technologies Inc.