Local Search Means Business

Even if you have a local business you need a local search marketing strategy. By local search I mean online search and now, more and more, searches using mobile phones.

A couple of months ago I wrote about local search taking over from Yellow Pages.

According to the latest study from TMP Directional Marketing it continues to grow. Local search has grown from 11% to 12% and Internet Yellow Pages usage has grown from 19% to 21% in the last year. Some excerpts from the study are below:

…the growing demand for local business information across interactive search platforms, especially online and mobile, is creating additional opportunities…  In order to reach target audiences, marketers must think locally and focus their messages on local marketplaces where consumers shop.

…in-store purchases decreased across the board since 2007, most likely due to economic factors, half of all local business searchers made purchases [emphasis added].

With 22 million consumers using the mobile Internet through June 2009, the preferred mode to access local business information remains the mobile browser. In fact, 127 percent more users accessed local content via downloaded applications on mobile devices, compared to June 2008.

This means having a web site with hours of operation, address, phone number and a map as a minimum. This means claiming your business in local search engines and signing up in online search directories.

To be successful in today’s interactive community, your local business must be in local search engines and online local business directories.