WHAT IS LOCAL SEARCH?

Local search is any search made with the goal of finding something within a specific geographic location.

Nearcasting is the term used when a searcher is looking for something close to his or her current location.

Farcasting is the term used when a searcher is looking for something elsewhere, often in a place where he or she hopes to be in the future.

WHY HAS LOCAL SEARCH BECOME SO IMPORTANT?

After years of inattention, local search has become a bustling place. It promises to become a critical online space for most brick and mortar businesses. Why?

• Local businesses of all types are realizing that they need an online presence in order to compete in their marketplace. 
• Major search engines have become very robust, with useful local features that attract an more and more searchers. 
• Users of yellow pages are rapidly moving to online for information that they used to look for in a phone book. 
• Search engines know that when people search with local intent, they want to see different results than country or worldwide. 
• Search engines are committed to integrating local search results into the regular page results. 
• The mobile network service providers are displaying local search results to searchers using mobile devices, such as cell phones and PDAs. 

If where you are located is important to what you do or what you sell, then you must maximize your business’s presence in the local search results and optimize it for the best performance.

HOW IS LOCAL SEARCH ACCOMPLISHED?

The Ways People Search

When people search, they have a need.. They don’t want the process to be complicated; they simply want a solution.

As search engines have become more locally sophisticated, local search intent is now assumed.  Try typing in "plumbers" in the search box.  The top results will be local because the search engine is trying to find businesses near you.  

P eople have learned to use geographic qualifiers in their searches.  They type in what they want and where they want it to be located.  For example, "Grayslake plumbers".  Some have learned to type in an area code or zip code instead. 

LOCAL SEARCH MARKETING TACTICS

Local search changes frequently.. Geographically targeted search engine marketing involves much more than simply recreating your yellow pages ads in an online directory.

In order to be competitive, you need to use the following marketing

strategies.

 Google Places, Yahoo Local and Bing Local - register your business or claim it if already present.

• Local Directories– A presence on certain local business directories can drive highly qualified traffic to your website.  
• Local Paid Advertising– Place your ads on Google, Yahoo and Bing to target area customers interested in buying exactly what you are selling (and exactly when they are looking to buy!).
• Website Optimization– Make your site attractive to the search engines by making it clear what products you sell or service you provide.
• Yellow pages -make sure all your online listings match for phone, address and description.
• Mobile Search– be found when someone searches via a web-enabled phone, iPad, Palm or Blackberry. This can be important for certain types of busineses. 

And finally - Tracking your results –it is critical to know what is working and where to put your marketing dollars.