It used to be that placing an ad in the Yellow Pages was the
surest way to attract local buyers. Over the course of the last decade,
however, those thick printed directories have been almost completely replaced
in most parts of North America.
In 2017, buyers don’t flip through thin sheets of paper to
find businesses in their neighborhoods. Instead, they turn to their smartphones
and tablets to find what they need because Google offers them more choices,
up-to-date contact information, and even unbiased reviews from other buyers.
This change in technology has provided a big boost to lots
of savvy marketers. And, it has allowed them to save quite a bit of money –
it’s a lot cheaper to find customers using Google than it ever was to place a
full-page ad in a print directory. But, if your business hasn’t adjusted, then
you might be missing out.
Here are a few steps you can take today to get more
customers from your local area…
Make the Most of Local
Search Engine Optimization
Ever wonder how Google figures out which businesses match up
to customers in a certain area? It mainly determines location by scanning a
website for geographic keywords. Having city, state, and province names (as
examples) on your website can help search engine spiders to figure out where
you’re located. Additionally, things like street names, ZIP Codes, and
neighborhood identifiers can be helpful in the same way.
Go Beyond Geographic
Keywords
As important as it is to have geographic keywords in your
website, there are other tools you can use to pull local customers into your
business. Maps, driving directions, and local landmarks are all useful. In
addition to giving Google more data about your geographic location, they can
help you turn search visits into new revenue. That’s because photos of your
location, along with updated phone numbers and contact details, make it easier
for someone who is thinking about visiting your office or store to find you in
the real world.
Have a Mobile-Ready
Website
It’s no coincidence that print directories began to decline
in importance just as smartphones found their way into millions of pockets.
Lots of buyers are making spur of the moment decisions from anywhere, relying
on Google to show them the closest restaurants, dry cleaners, and other local
businesses. To take advantage, it’s important that your website be
mobile-friendly. Otherwise, those customers are going to take their time and
money to a competitor.
Boost Your Reputation
With Buyers
Customers looking for local companies to work with aren’t
necessarily going to find your website. That’s because they may explore
third-party review sites (like Yelp) to look for recommendations first. For
that reason, it’s important that your business have profiles on these types of
portals, that your information be up-to-date, and that buyers can see lots of
positive reviews about your business. Encourage your best customers to say good
things about you online and you’ll have an easier time standing out in your
local market.
You probably have hundreds or thousands of local buyers who
are ready to work with your business, but only if they can find you on Google.
So, if you haven’t already replaced the Yellow Pages with a good online
marketing strategy, now is a great time to set up a meeting with our creative
team to see how we can help.