Local search can have real impact on the effectiveness of your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) SEO is, in essence, about getting a link to your website to appear on Page 1 Google. (Other search engines are available but Google is the pack leader – and in general the development of search tends to follow the same path whichever search engine you consider) As the internet grows, both in terms of the sophistication of the Google algorithm and the sheer number of websites competing for listings, traditional approaches to SEO become more challenging (for which read time consuming and expensive!) As we have discussed in other posts, simply making sure you regularly update your website with good relevant content pertinent to your business and the marketing propositions you offer to customers, can offer great benefit to your SEO, particularly if you operate in one or more niche markets.
Geography still matters in Local Search
Unless someone is looking to make an online purchase, it is highly likely that any web search for a product or service is likely to include a geographical reference – they are making a ‘Local Search‘ (Even with e-commerce most people prefer to buy from a UK supplier.) You may notice that when you search on Google, the top listings often relate to a map showing business location. This is ‘Google Places’. Being listed in Google Places can be one of the easiest ways to get high search rankings for your region To get your business listed on Places is straightforward here is a link to details how from Google. You will need a Google account but the process takes about 5 minutes to get a basic listing. Be aware getting your address authorised by Google or making changes to your address details, can involve Google sending information to you by post. This can take a few weeks. If you would like to discuss how local search can help your business, give us a call
