Local Search is Here to Stay

MoreVisibility - September 19, 2007

We have been advising clients more and more on the importance of incorporating Local Search into their Search Engine Marketing (SEM) efforts. In a recent report (Yahoo study), findings show that 82% of searchers made a contact from a listing found on a yellow pages site and, furthermore, 61% accounted for an in-store sale! You might be asking yourself, “How can you take part in this growing marketplace?” Well…

These days the possibilities are endless. Local submissions, mapping services, contextual ads, and geo-targeted search all provide new ways your ad can appear on a web page. Local Search gives small businesses the opportunity to reach their customers on the web and engage in a cost-effective, SEM strategy. I have first-hand experience in which many of my clients found success using these tactics. One in particular was finding it hard to compete in the main search engine results and was able to effectively lower the over all monthly spend while bringing in more qualified and geographically relevant traffic.

If, as the report states, Local Search is growing at a 40% faster rate than main search engine traffic, why wouldn’t you join? Here’s to Local Search!