Boise Local Search Optimization

Facts About Local Search

Yellow Pages, Dex Direct and Yellow Book have been losing about 20% of their clientele every year for the last three years. When was the last time you used the yellow pages? At my home they serve as a paper weight, only to be used if the internet goes down. Billboards on the side of the road or along the highway are just not that effective. Approximately 39% of the US population now has a DVR, so TV ads are being skipped. Another 59% of Americans have an iPod or MP3 player, which means they aren’t listening to the radio. More and more we are controlling the content we watch, view and listen to. Don’t get stuck in the old ways of marketing. Let our Boise local search optimization company help you climb to the top of the search engines, where everyone is searching.

Using search engines has reached extraordinary levels. It is estimated that 89-95% of the the US use a search engine once a day to find something, whether it is on your PC, Laptop, iPad or your smart phone. It is also estimated that 50% of us ONLY use search engines and NO other form of media to find what we are looking for.

You can see now why it is so important for businesses to show up on the first page of Google when someone is searching their industry. If this is true, why is it that 95% of all small business owners have not claimed their Google Places listing? You may be thinking, What is that? I usually just have to say “Red Pins” in Google and most people know what I mean. Most business owners don’t know they can manipulate their business listing to show up on the first page.

Now there are tricks to claiming/creating your listing pages, whether you are talking Google, Yahoo, Bing, Yelp or Hotfrog. Either you need to really do your homework, or hire an SEO company like ours (www.seoforidaho.com) to help you skyrocket to the top of the listing pages. Local Search Optimization puts your business right under the noses of customers looking to buy. It allows your contact information to be seen by local searchers (IE potential clients), because they’re ready to buy, and they’ll buy from you if they can find you. The perception is that when a company shows up #1 or even on the first page of Google, it is probably the better company or a higher quality business, than a business that shows up on the second or third page. This is not always the case, but you can be sure it’s the perception.

What is Google Places listing (Maps) Optimization?

I have provided an example search results page. The number 1 spot is actually one of our clients!

After looking at the picture above, you can see that Google has now merged “organic” and “local” search.

Google has given local search result the cream of the crop on many of its SERP’s (Search Engine Results Pages). Google integrated businesses URL’s with their Places accounts. What does this mean for my business? Time to consider getting a website. It is getting harder and harder for businesses to compete with their competitors if they don’t have a website. The Google Map when searching for something local has shifted to the right and now floats over the sponsored links. Now it is more important that ever to claim your Places listing.

Claiming your Places listing and having a website that is SEO friendly are two big pieces of the pie. It is rumored that Local Search on Google over the next two years is going to become even more prevalent. Google Places (THE BIG RED PIN) will probably become the default search. You will witness the extinction of Yellow Book, Dex and Yellow Pages.

When buyers look for services on Google, the new and improved 7-pack still most relevant and easy to see. It is hard to miss all the red pins labeled A to G. This is really a great opportunity for local businesses to shine and pop off the page. Most businesses just don’t take advantage of their Places page. There are also your Yahoo LBC and Bing LBC as well as hundreds of others that businesses can claim and use to their advantage.

The smart phone is playing a huge factor in Local Search. Many people are bored, in their cars or just want to look something up and are taking advantage of Google Places, Yelp or HotFrog on their phones. Local Search and mobile search, smart phone search are all exploding with the invention of the iPhone, Droid and Blackberry.

If you want help with your Local Search listing and pages and have a desire for your business to show up on the first page, call SEO 4IDAHO. Each month, SEO 4IDAHO will build citations to your listing pages from other sites and directories. Citations help your business rank higher in local search maps results, boosting you into the top listings, and attracting customers.

What is a Citation? They are the “More About this Place” at the bottom of your Google Places listing. See Below