Local Search Marketing: Why Big Hits Start Small

Competition exists in the business world, especially among small business owners and entrepreneurs. For the most part, these groups compete on the local level; first attempting to win the hearts and minds of their neighbors before moving on to attract the big crowds. As such, some people may say that internet marketing is a waste of time in this context, since the Internet is a marketing tool meant for garnering the attention of people outside of their locale.

This is where some people are wrong, because marketing firms also have what is known as “local search marketing” that utilize the Internet to promote a business geographically. The importance of this type of marketing is backed by statistics: about 45 percent of all internet users conduct local searches for finding specific companies or businesses to transact with. Even when the intention to buy a product or service is removed, 74 percent of users start their search using location-specific terms. In other words, those who wish to find used cars for sale in Long Island naturally use the Internet to find used car dealers in Long Island.

Although internet marketing firms have their own methods to improve their client’s online rankings at the local level, small business owners can also take some steps of their own. For instance, appending their contact information and address in their most important webpages can earn them some brownie points in major search engines like Google or Yahoo!