Search Engine Optimization Goes Local
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Many brick and mortar companies that are catering to their local clientel find it hard to optimize their website for local markets despite targeting the best keywords. Quite naturally this is not a surprising matter as many of them, although efficient in running their off line businesses, typically stumble over two critical blocks.Stumbling Blocks and SEO for Local Markets
When local businesses set to do SEO for local markets, many of them invariably ignore the need to think rationally because they are advised by SEO experts to target the big three search engine users and sometimes get confused and tackle this feat on a global level resulting in global traffic. The direct fall out of this step is exposing your business offers, products or services to the world at large only to dilute all other local online SEO efforts. If your product is not global you are in trouble.
So here is the stumbling block number one.
1. Not using localized target keywords, however good they are, will leave your new websites way down the SERP's locally. Actual localized keywords you should be targeting in which will bring you a steady stream of natural traffic.
The second block where you might probably stumble, especially if you are new to web and optimization is wrongfully assuming internet marketing techniques as something radically different and for removed from the earthly- worldly affairs that we all do by trial and errors over and again. The crux of the matter here is SEO for local markets is only a small part of larger marketing exercises, with certain twists, to get exposure with local locations.
Here is the second stumbling point in SEO for local markets.
2. SEO for local markets is not a marketing technique but a sophisticated local technique of optimizing websites on a local basis. Obviously, the one who knows the pulse of the market is not the SEO expert but can contribute his knowledge to SEO expert.
So, What Is Actually SEO For Local Markets?
Let me dash you through steps involved in SEO for local markets in short.
1. Localize your target keywords. This includes prefixing or suffixing local terms, names, and names of areas, cities or zip codes with target keywords. Example: "remo
deling contractors Orange County", not "remodeling contractors".
2. Submit to local search engines (find one, if you don't know already), directories and web based yellow pages.
3. Display your mailing address with street address and zip code. Once your site is indexed, these words gain prominence as a part of content.
4. Submit to local listing sections of Yahoo and DMOZ which is in addition to generalized listing.
5. Don't leave out general SEO techniques because you want to SEO for local markets which the power of link building which can be done globally as there might not be enough local sites to beat you competition.
6. Get on the local maps of Google, Yahoo, as this generally puts you on front of the local search engines.
7. Exchange links and banners with local businesses as the local traffic exchange will bring you new business. Avoid changing banners or links with competitors but exchange them with businesses that will complement you. Verify their traffic so it's an almost even exchange.
Dominating local SEO can be done fairly easily, you just have to either hire a professional with a proven track record or take time to learn local SEO. The main concern is to be patient as it takes at least 3 months to start seeing results.
About the Author: Michael S. Francis the author is a seasoned local SEO expert. Michael S. Francis is the owner of www.seovida.com a Local Business SEO company.
Marketing Blog founder and top-selling author Michael Fleischner has been featured on The TODAY Show, ABC World News, and Bloomerg Radio. 
2 comments :
The company I work for, and other SEO companies I know locally, use these techniques for our clients where it makes sense. There is a huge growth projection for local search as I am sure you are aware. Companies such as retail, Hospitality, any company that has a brick and mortar should be incorporating local terms within their SEO strategy. Any SEO professional should know that as well.
Richard
Here's an Idea! Blog
rsaling.wordpress.com
Local SEO gives more relevant information to searchers and it also brings more targeted visitors to small business owners. This confused many because they treated global SEO and local SEO interchangeably-which is a big mistake
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