In Part 1 of this series we explored how local search works. Part 2 discussed the recent growth in the popularity of local search with consumers. Part 3 took a deeper dive into some of the pros and cons of local search visibility. Part 4 looked at some of the practicalities of implementing local search. Now we’ll consider some options for getting professional help with your local search campaign.
There are hundreds of search engines and local directories on the Web, and the number changes every day. Each directory has its own unique submission structure that can evolve over time as new categories and features are added. Finding all of the relevant directories, submitting your information and keeping it up to date can be a monumental task.
In addition, even if you create a business listing in all of the relevant directories, you may miss out on leads if the search terms used by potential customers don’t match the keywords you have included in your listing. So it may be more effective to work with an external company that specializes in this area.
Local search service providers have dedicated people employed to keep track of the changing landscape of local search. They will track which directories are available, keep up-to-date with the submission process and also be able to recommend search terms, or keywords, that will perform well in finding prospects your business.
What should I expect from my provider?
Investing time and money to find an external firm to help you with your local search campaigns can seem daunting. However, these tips may help make your decision easier and ensure you hire a firm that can meet your needs and budget.
There are essentially two types of services you can use to support your local search efforts. If you want to outsource the entire process, you can engage a local search marketing consulting company who will create a custom campaign specifically for your business and location. If you want more control and lower costs, you can use a local search visibility service. With a local search visibility service, you create your business profile and the service submits your information to all of the search engine and local directory partners in its database.
Important considerations when selecting a consulting company include:
• Be sure that the company is reputable and has experience in local search, not just general online marketing. As we discussed before, the two are not the same and being competent at online marketing does not guarantee expertise in local search.
• Be sure that you are clear about the budget you are prepared to spend, and remember that local search marketing is not an exact science. Your consultant will be competing for rankings with other businesses that may be employing similar tactics, so your ranking may change over time unless you continually optimize your listings.
When selecting a local search visibility service:
• Again, be sure you are selecting a reputable company – the last thing you need is to have to start over if the company goes out of business.
• Ensure that all the major search engines and directories you are interested in are included in its submission service and that the company has a mechanism in place to keep up with changes in the marketplace.
• Make sure that the service has an easy way to change your business information and resubmit it to all of the partners in its database.
• Find out whether the service can help you with recommendations for popular search terms for your industry and location. If not, you could waste a lot of time in trial and error developing your own search terms.
In both cases, remember that local search campaigns take time to become really effective, so allow at least 3 months to really start seeing results. Finally, make sure your provider has strong reporting tools so you can track the progress of your listing submissions and updates.
As a business owner, it is important to adjust your marketing strategy to keep up with the changing ways that customers find local products and services. Local search marketing is a simple, cost-effective strategy which, if implemented correctly, can make a dramatic difference to your marketing return on investment. It is increasingly important to act quickly to establish a presence in local search results, before your competitors do!
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