Powerful Marketing for Local Business

Being found online can be one of the most powerful tools for your business, but if you're like most small business owners, you’re going to benefit most from local searches. You can have the number one spot on Google for a keyword like 'pizzeria', but if you're in Denver and the searcher is in Portland, you're unlikely to make a sale as a result of that ranking. For any local business big or small, it's crucial that your marketing efforts include proper local optimization. Here are a few simple steps to get you started: Claim Your Account. If you have been around for a while, chances are there's already a profile started for your business on local directories such as Google Places, Yahoo, Bing, Yelp, Manta and Yellow Pages. Search your business and claim it! Use these local directories to your advantage. Include your contact information on every page. Ideally this should appear before the fold, meaning that it should be visible without scrolling. This ensures that customers are never wondering where you are or how to contact you. Be sure it's text, not an image, or Google can't read it. Include a location-specific keyword in the title tags on your website. (i.e.: 'Pizzeria in Denver, Colorado'). It is important to include this on the home page, but it can be beneficial on other pages as well. Have a location-specific keyword as your domain. You can use a keyword specific name such as ‘denverpizzeria.com’, or your business name plus the location like 'homeslicepizzadenver.com'. Google absolutely loves keyword rich domains, so the benefits are sure to outweigh any awkwardness caused by the longer domain. Use social media to find and contact potential local customers. Offer incentive to visit your business. Using social coupons via your mobile site or through facebook is a great way to attract local customers. You can also use the advance search options to find the keyword 'pet supplies' being tweeted near a location, and then contact that person directly responding to their question or offering a discount. If you're looking for help optimizing your website, check out our SEO page for more details or simply contact us at 303.320.4855.