What is Local Search?
First of all, what is “local search?” It’s when people search for things, businesses, products and services in a local geographic area. For example, “dentist near me” will show you dentists in your area, based either on your IP address if you’re searching from a computer, or near your GPS location when searching from mobile. Sometimes the IP address isn’t exactly accurate. It can be based on your Internet service provider’s nearest location to you, or other factors. Most mobile searches have some location-based intent. Local SEO is how your local results are improved upon to attract more local customers.
How often do you pick up your smartphone and search for a:
- Restaurant near me?
- Chiropractor near me?
- Hairdresser near me?
- Doctor near me?
- Lawyer near me?
- Handyman or contractor near me?
- Or any of the above “in (city name) or (ZIP Code)?”
When you stop and think about it, most of your searches are for local businesses or services. Are you searching for businesses directly in Google Maps or Waze? That’s local search. Even when you search directly in Google or other search engines, they automatically pay attention to your computer or phone location settings and prioritize local businesses in your searches.
So, is your website and web content customized for local search? If not, you are letting prospective customers slip through your fingers and go straight to your competitors. The scary part is, you don’t even know how much business you’re losing to the competition by not making sure you are leveraging the power of local search.
W3 Group Marketing can help. Our local search specialists will set up your Google Business (Google Maps) profiles, map listings, business directories, industry vertical directories, and more. We will also help you market your local business listings, optimize your video marketing and website content for local search. You can even run ads specifically to appear in the coveted “Three-pack” of Google Maps, on Yelp, Apple Maps, Waze, and more.
Local Search also helps your overall SEO and AISO / AEO / GEO. Google and other search platforms can and do scan the top locally-focused directories, and if you’re not at least in the most important ones, that’s like having demerits against you. Any serious business should be listed in all the right places. Since many of these sites do include a link back to your site (though some only offer that as a premium service), it helps your backlink profile. These can also be sources of visitors to your site, which is one thing you want them to do – come to your property.
Mini Case Studies
For one example, a skincare esthetician client got a 711.7% increase in website traffic month over month through a combination of targeted Google ads, on-page local SEO, and optimizing their Google Business (Google Maps) profile.
We optimized the Google Business profile for a luxury car dealership, and within a month, they started getting over 2000 visitors a month to their website directly from Google Maps.
Another business went from being almost completely invisible (unless you zoomed in on the building they were located in – otherwise you simply could not find them!) to getting not only hundreds or even thousands of new customers a month, but also hundreds of new glowing reviews from happy customers, every month! Whether you’re familiar or not with “Online Reputation Management,” you’ve probably checked reviews before deciding whether to patronize a particular business. Most people do, so this is worth it’s proverbial weight in gold.
Let’s get started optimizing your marketing for Local Search.
Local Advertising FAQ
What are local search ads? Local ads are designed to help businesses attract customers, patients, or clients to a specific location or within a designated service area. Local search ads can help you get more phone calls, more store visitors, more website visitors, and grow your sales.
What is local search marketing? Local Search Marketing includes various methods to promote a business to people in a specific local area. It is designed to generate phone calls, online leads, and foot traffic for businesses serving a particular geography, and can include both online and offline adversiting methods.
How much does Google LSA cost? Like many other online ads, costs vary depending on competition, location, industry, and more. It generally ranges from $10 to $100 per lead. You’re charged per lead, not per click, and you can set a weekly ad budget and a monthly ad spending cap.
Related Services:
- Local Search Optimization – Maximizing your organic findability by prospects near you
- Geofencing – Serving ads to people in highly targeted locations even down to an address
- Behavioral Ad Targeting – Showing people ads based on specific actions or behaviors
Related Press and Speaking Engagements:
HBS DEALER (Hardware + Building Supply Dealer), A slew of helpful SEO guidance: Increase your visibility (and profitability) with these easy tips.
Marketing Workshop Series in conjuction with the City of Progreso’s Department of Commerce and Tourism
Panelist, Atlanta Interactive Marketing Association (AiMA): Managing Reviews & Google’s New Directions
Related Awards and “Best Of” List Rankings:
DesignRush – Top Digital Agencies
Innovation in Business MarTech Awards, Best Full-Service Digital Marketing Agency – North America
UpCity, Best of Georgia Winner
Related Client Testimonials
“David is amazing! I love working with him and his team! He is very professional, thorough, and fun! I highly recommend W3 Group Marketing. You won’t be disappointed!!” – Lashea Cavers (via Facebook)
“We have worked with David several times! He’s great and always very responsive.” – Ansley Parillo, Partner, Rest Assured Infant Nursing (via Google)
“We have been using W 3 Group Marketing services at Easy Legal Mexico…and we are really pleased. We highly recommend their services. David B. Wright is really into details and has improved in a considerable way the traffic to our social media and website.” – Francisco Gutierrez Cetina, Partner, Easy Legal Mexico (via Google)
