Important Local Search Engine Optimization Techniques

Portland, Maine (PRWEB) August 19, 2013

Success with local search engine optimization, or SEO, can be fleeting. There is possibility that a small firm, even without experience or knowledge in online marketing, can gain a following or rise in the ranks of search engine results. That kind of blind luck typically runs out fast. Effective SEO requires a defined set of parameters, multiple levels of effort, and repeated testing, analyzing, and further applications. The following tips are the same advice provided to clients of My Local Leads, a Portland, Maine firm specializing in local SEO and online lead generation. Local business owners who apply these techniques are more likely to thrive in the highly competitive environment of online marketing.

First, it is important to understand that online marketing for local businesses is comprised of several different layers. Companies that wish to be successful in enhancing their reach online, bringing in new clients and keeping old ones, it is important to remember the various tools available. Having an online presence is serious business in this day and age. This includes everything from maintaining a simple, easy to navigate and affordable Wordpress website to investing in regular content creation methods pay per click (or, PPC) advertising, banner ads, social media marketing efforts, and more. It is also very important to never underestimate the importance of mobile marketing today. Mobile usage has spiked over the past few years and shows no sign of slowing down. Each of the various marketing techniques for local businesses online requires a specific skill set.

Studies have shown that more than half of local businesses with an online presence do not clearly list their physical location or contact information. That is a huge missed opportunity that can negatively impact local search efforts. By providing physical location information, and spreading it out around the internet through review, listing, and directory sites, Google citations are created. Other search engines use this data as well. That information helps to note the content on the site has a local relevance. Local relevance is the difference between trying to get listed first for “plumbing” and first for “plumbing in Maine,” for example.

As just mentioned, online business directories, review sites, and listing pages can help boost the chance of someone finding a local business online. Many of these sites allow business owners to lay claim to the listing, providing accurate contact information, location data, responding to reviews, and more. They help to build the brand and extend reach for local companies. Many are also free. However, there are a large number of these sites available online. It is important to develop a plan for tracking and maintaining these listings over time rather than trying to grab everything at once or try and fly by wire.

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