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Marketing Local Businesses Online |
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Local business marketing has shifted. Most consumers now use online media when researching local products and services. Whereas previously, potential customers used to flick through the Yellow Pages to find a business or trader, nowadays customers are much more likely to use the search engines. |
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| Author: James Withey |
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If you are a business owner and you are not using online marketing, yet you are still spending money on newspaper or directory advertising, you are definitely missing a trick and you need to read on. This article will also be a great benefit to anybody considering setting themselves up as an internet marketing consultant for local business.
Not so long ago it used to be very easy to have your businesses website listed in the top few positions of the search engines, with only a sensible work load optimizing your site for certain keywords. Simple SEO or search optimization would consist of making sure that the title tag of the site had exact keywords that will entice your target market. The same key term would also be used in the brief description and throughout the content material of the page. This rule still applies but there are other strategies that must be implemented to ensure success, here are my top 11 tips:
1. Domain Name – Unless you are a huge corporation very few customers will search for your specific name i.e Dave Jones’ plumbing services, what they will do is a search for a business in their local are such as: Plumber in Windsor. This is why I always recommend that your website domain name contains your area and type of service. E.g plumberinwindsor.co.uk . Even if you already have an existing site it is a good idea to have another basic ‘fly-catcher site’ with your contact details that links to your existing site.
2. Your keywords must be in the search engines title tag.
(This is the blue title tag on Google.)
3. Your Keywords should be in all of the heading tags for each page on your website. So instead of just having a contact page, change it to contact Plumber in Windsor. (Or whatever your chosen keyword is for your business and area.)
4. Your keywords should be in the first and last sentence of each page on your website.
5. Keyword Density should be between 2 and 5% of all the words on your website.
6. Font Decoration – Search engines view a little decoration of your text very favourably, so use bolding, underlining and italics. Make sure you keep it relevant and only do this where appropriate.
7. Images – Any images on your site should be tagged with your keywords and renamed with them as well.
8. Videos – Videos, particularly YouTube are viewed very favourably with search engines, especially Google. For this reason I would always recommend having a video on your homepage, it can be something simple such as a brief introduction to your business and yourself, and what it is that you do. This also gives 2 added benefits; firstly you have a relevant link from the video site to your website. Also you are giving the business a face and a personality, people like to but from people and not faceless websites.
9. Content Length – Generally speaking longer content with more information ranks better than shorter content, of course make sure you keep it relevant.
10. Links – The previous tips are all on-page tips which are vitally important, however all things being equal a website with the most relevant links will rank higher on search engines. This means you should remove all unrelated ‘junk links’ to other websites that have nothing at all to do with yours. Concentrate on building links with relevant sites instead. Eg: a link from a guide or article on ‘How to fix a leaky tap.’ Is very relevant for a plumber’s website. A link from a cookery website, not so much.
11. Google places - Nowadays in order for a local business to get top ratings in the search engines it is critical to have your business listed on Google places. This is very easy and quick to do and it is also free!
In conclusion, if you have a local small business and you are not focusing your marketing and advertising on the internet, you are not reaching the majority of your potential customers out there. Of course some of these tips might seem too advanced to carry them out yourselves, but now you know what needs to be done you can always ask somebody with experience in this to do it for you. By the way around eighty percent yes, eighty percent of local searches are people planning to shop right this moment.
If you are a UK small business, particularly in the South East of England, feel free to visit my consultancy website and see what I can do for you.
About Author
James Withey is an internet marketing consultant who specializes in coaching others to success. Despite being relatively new to the industry, he is already proving that he has the skills and tools to be hugely successful.
http://james-withey.com
berkshire-surrey-webdesign.co.uk
Article Source:
http://www.1888articles.com/author-james-withey-41495.html
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