Buyers want both online and local information about where to buy Most small businesses are local in nature, serving people who live nearby. Their customers found them through traditional methods like the Yellow Pages or newspaper ads. So far, the Internet hasn't figured prominently in their marketing efforts. That's about to change, as Local Search methods become more widespread. Even for buyers expecting to spend their money close to home, more and more of them go to the Internet to locate desired products and services. They rely on search engines to find suitable vendors in the fastest, easiest way. Local Search combines the search query word or phrase with specific geographic terms, like city or zip code. That way, search results only include enterprises in that local area. Instead of information about a small enterprise being lost among millions of pages of search results, it shows up in a small pool of local providers. That's good for them, as well as the person looking for what they provide.
Small operations can easily be located by a whole new group of buyers Consumers don't simply go to the Yellow Pages when ready to buy - as they once did. Studies show that an astonishing 36% of online searches are conducted to find local businesses. About a quarter of all Internet users already conduct local searches. They'd do even more of it, if the desired small business data were more complete. Local enterprises need to prepare for the impact of changing customer habits. An easy first step is to include your business in Internet Yellow Pages (IYP), along with the printed Yellow Page directory. That puts your enterprise on the radar screen. Learn how your business can make the most of Local Search by visiting http://www.yellowpagesage.com.
You'll find reliable advice from experts in Yellow Pages and Local Search so you can get more mileage from your promotional dollars. Start by getting comfortable with search concepts, and improve your odds of being found when people search online for what you offer. You don't even need your own Web site to benefit from Internet Yellow Pages and Local Search. Learn the Relevant Terms Search Engine - method for locating the information available on the Internet; a program that searches Web pages for requested keywords, then returns a list of documents where the query terms were found Google and Yahoo, the major general search engines, have both shifted gears to make Local Search a priority when delivering relevant results. Spider (also called "crawler" or "bot") - goes to every page on every Web site and reads the information so it can be available to searchers; to "crawl" a site it collects and indexes information from it Specialized Search Engines - narrow focus of information crawled and indexed, like medical, business, or shopping sites Keywords - word or phrases used by search engines to locate relevant Web pages; words chosen to improve a site's search engine placement and ranking Search Query - search request, which the search engine compares to the spidered entries, then returns results to the searcher Search Results - compiled list of Web pages that a search engine delivers in response to a query; the number of items returned is usually overwhelming (in the millions), so searchers only bother to view results on the first pages Relevant Results - the test of a good search is whether the results obtained relate to what the person wanted to find, without a lot of irrelevant links Local Search - combining a geographic term in a search query to locate suitable providers in a specific area Pay per Click (PPC) - method of building traffic whereby site owners bid on search terms (keywords) that link to their site Geographic Terms - specific information about the local area that can be included in a local search: zip code, town, county, geographic region, state Top Ranking - sites shown on the first page(s) of search results Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - fine-tuning keywords and page content so the Web site rates high in search engine results Tags and Titles (on Web Pages) - provide site keywords and information to search engine spiders for indexing a site Internet Yellow Pages (IYP) - directory of business phone numbers and locations in a geographic area, organized by category; searchable data base accessed on the Internet Make your business easy for searchers to find The public is embracing the convenience of searching on the Internet to find information about local businesses.
However, their searches for desired information are compromised because so many local enterprises don't show up in the databases as yet. Those that do have an edge in their local market. Climb aboard! Make sure searchers can find you. For little or no money, you can expose your enterprise to the whole world. Whether or not your business has a Web site, you need to provide the information people are looking for in the places that they look for it. Local Search and Internet Yellow Pages open new avenues to buyers ready to spend. Best of all, they support and compliment your traditional methods of finding new business. So you cover all your bases. (c)2004, Lynella Grant
--Dr. Lynella Grant, an expert in visual communication. How printed materials send signals that strengthen or undo the words. Author, The Business Card Book & Yellow Page Smarts http://www.yellowpagesage.com Off the Page Press (719) 395-9450
family-safe home cleaners Lincolnshire ..Most business owners do not think of selling their companies... Read More
The American system of business management has been admired and... Read More
Here are some useful tips on what to consider before... Read More
With the massive explosion of start-ups and home businesses developing,... Read More
If you are in the professional car care business you... Read More
E-mail and Internet use are integral parts of the typical... Read More
In the 2003 Auto Laundry News Survey it was determined... Read More
Car wash businesses are unique to other businesses. In fact... Read More
When do annoyances in a relationship become too much to... Read More
The Franchise Group at the Federal Trade Commission in all... Read More
Washing the exterior of a truck. Sounds easy right? Well,... Read More
The single most important activity you can do in your... Read More
Where do you find more customers?How do you compete with... Read More
Some marine biologists feel that the concentration of dead marine... Read More
Motivational author and speaker Jim Rohn says that for a... Read More
Before you start a business we encourage you to prepare... Read More
The Boston suburbs seem to be rich with possible locations... Read More
$elling $elling $ellingWhat makes a great sales person? Well, the... Read More
To get approval for your small business loan application, you... Read More
What is a guru?A guru is a teacher. A mentor.... Read More
We love Wichita because it has great all round weather... Read More
New Franchisors and Entrepreneurs need to watch out as they... Read More
Franchisor expansion policies are not as simple as one might... Read More
Send handwritten notes. That applies whether you're a guy or... Read More
How do you find groups that are in need of... Read More
maide service in Buffalo Grove ..Most small businesses incorporated in 2005 will fail by the... Read More
In today's marketplace the words 'job security' have become an... Read More
And is having a logo really that important?My answer to... Read More
Pet Transportation Services are needed as the number of pets... Read More
If you are a franchisee of a large franchise system;... Read More
Are you thinking of starting a small pressure washer business... Read More
Ask anyone trapped in a cubical about their entrepreneurial dream... Read More
Providing high quality customer service is a must for any... Read More
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a... Read More
Great question!Freeing your time is an indisputably key element in... Read More
Don't you find that there are so many decisions you... Read More
KEEPING INTEREST HIGH: Supervision is key to the success of... Read More
Buyers want both online and local information about where to... Read More
You may be in Mail Order, Direct Mail, or you... Read More
E-mail and Internet use are integral parts of the typical... Read More
How many hours do you work a week? When was... Read More
Many times small businesses want to expand their businesses and... Read More
Back when I owned an inventory-based business, one of my... Read More
Starting your own e-commerce business can be quite the adventure.... Read More
In the world today, many people are further in debt... Read More
Sexual Harassment is a disturbing part of employment life in... Read More
Pardon my enthusiasm, but a large part of your small... Read More
Where would a business be without a business plan? A... Read More
If you are a small business you know that you... Read More
Seems as though there are a lot of business closings... Read More
Small Business |