What is Local SEO & Paid Search Engine Marketing?

Why flip through the phone book when you can find a local business with a few keystrokes in your web browser? In recent years an ever increasing number of Americans have done just that, turning to Google to find the number of the best Chinese food in town before reaching for the static pages of that hefty Yellow Book buried in your desk drawer. In fact recent research by the Kelsey group has reported that 70% of Americans consult the web before making local buying decisions, while 36% of search engine queries now request local results. This number is expected to rapidly increase with the adaption of mobile search and increased use of media rich hand held devices like Apple’s iPhone.

The search engines have the ability to generate the most qualified leads of any advertising medium out there, which is why so many businesses have recognized the importance of having a web presence. While having a website is a great way to promote you business, its presence is simply not enough. In the same way that you use traditional advertising to promote your brick and mortar store, local search engine marketing is necessary for your online prescense.  Traditional forms of local advertising including newspapers, radio and T.V. target a vast audience of consumers, many of whom are not interested in your business. On the other hand search engine marketing puts your business in front of consumers that are actively seeking out the specific service you provide, at a fraction of the cost.

Each day thousands of individuals use local search phrases to locate a particular product or service. And while some of your loyal customers might use your name in a search query, a large percentage of Internet users are looking for a variety of options. For example if you wanted some mouth watering General Tso’s chicken you might Google search “Chinese Food Burlington VT”. Then you are presented a variety of listing in three major areas: the local listing at the very top of the page, the organic results underneath and finally the paid ads on the right and sometimes top of the page. All three of these areas rely on various factors to determine a businesses position. Think about 10 phrases a potential customer might use to find your business and Google it. If your not showing up all over the first page chances are you are loosing valuable leads every day while your competitors are profiting from this constant flow of targeted traffic.  

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