Local Search - Searching by Geography
by WebAdvantage.net
As more and more brick and mortar businesses market themselves
online, search engines ("gateways to the Internet") have reacted
by becoming more like an advertising platform and less like a
simple directory. In fact, a few (Yahoo, MSN) have morphed into
whole "portals" providing online users with options galore.
Still, no one can deny the power of search which remains the #2
reason people go online behind checking email.
What hasn't necessarily worked well to-date, however, is the
online marketing of local-only businesses. The 'Net is not
necessarily conducive to finding a painter in Stony Point,
New York.
Now, with the advent of new developments, some of the largest
purveyors of search, namely Google and Overture, are out to
change all that...and likely to take a financial bite out of
their off-line informational counterparts along the way.
Will phone book yellow pages, direct mail, local radio and
newspapers take a hit if search goes local? We've compiled the
information surrounding this subject from Google and Overture
localized testing to breakthroughs in geo-targeted search
advertising to changes that can be made to your web site to
optimize for localized search.
* Google and Overture Lead Localized Search *
Last month both Google and Overture released beta test versions
of their geographic search solutions. Overture is currently
testing localized search on its newly acquired property,
AltaVista. It's also testing a handful of geographically-specific
advertisers. Overture's local search demo allows users to enter
a keyword and then the state, city, or zip code of the location
they're looking to pinpoint.
While Google's local search (called "Search by Location") is set
up similarly, they have also partnered with MapQuest in order to
be able to show local matches on a map. If you're looking to get
in a golf game around the Queenstown, MD area, a Google location
search for "golf" and "Queenstown, MD" yields 326 results and
maps 10 of them. Here are the Google Local Search results.
http://labs.google.com/location?q=golf&geo_near=21658&Search=Google+Search
Google's Search by Location reveals tidbits of how it generates
its results, which include site content with zip codes, town
names, and addresses. Notice the second listing on the above
search result page is for a bed & breakfast. It "made the cut"
because its site content aligned with the parameters of the
search. If you are a local business that would benefit from
these kinds of related searches, it seems it would behoove you
to include keyword content not just related to your specific
business.
* Localized Search and Advertising Potential *
While ads are currently missing from the current Google Search
by location, don't expect that to last forever. The ad dollar
potential in mapping plus localized advertising is enormous.
Google could get ad revenues from "mapped advertisers" in
addition to pay-per-click Local AdWords, much as it does right
now. Overture already estimates that local-search web advertising
will be a $1 billion market by 2008. Not a bad chunk o' change
is it?
Clicking on either ad brings the user in seconds so much more
information than a yellow pages or AAA travel book ad does.
Plus, the advertiser could enhance the user experience by
offering special coupons to be redeemed on location or any
number of other promotions they couldn't do otherwise because
of limited space or time in other forms of localized advertising.
Giving the searcher the ability to click directly to a web site
is like giving them a yellow pages dedicated entirely to their
own business
* Optimizing Your Site For Local Search *
Along with basic search engine optimization (SEO), if you have
a geographically-specific business you should be looking at
localized SEO as well. Things may change in how the search
engines eventually refine their local search technology, but
it can't hurt to do a few simple things...and get a jump on
your local competition.
1) Add your address in a prominent place on your web pages.
Many sites use the very bottom of their pages for their address
listings. Address location didn't use to matter. Localized
search may change all that, so consider including all or part
of your address nearer to the top of your page.
2) Add city and state information to your meta and title tags.
3) Add local information to your site's content. As demonstrated
in our local golf search example, links to, and information on,
other businesses and attractions in your town may end up helping
to promote your own site.
* Obstacles in the Way of Local Search Success *
Of course there are obstacles to successfully pulling off local
search. In a study released by The Kelsey Group which surveyed
search and directory executives, the top four perceived obstacles
cited were:
1) Most small businesses lack a web site so won't show up in
local search results
2) Small businesses won't be able to bid for keywords against
national chains
3) Pricing models for localized search may be too complex for
small businesses to grasp (versus Yellow Pages)
4) Local search may be too labor intensive, like today's normal
search results. Do small business owners have the time to
keep up with localized SEO?
It may take a while for Google, Overture and the others to get
their localized search solutions polished and refined, but you
can bet that it's going to happen, and probably sooner than
you're ready for. If you're not thinking about it now, get
prepared.
Read Part Two of this Article, Local Search - The Future of
Internet Yellow Pages at:
http://www.webadvantage.net/tip_archive.cfm?tip_id=322&&a=1
AOL has also beefed up their local search functionality,
http://www.webadvantage.net/tip_archive.cfm?tip_id=327&&a=1
LookSmart is also making waves in Local Search
http://www.searchenginejournal.com/index.php?p=147
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