Search Engine Optimization and Tapping into the Local Market

Posted: January 29, 2010

Once upon a time in the land of the brave, people where cursed to rely on a “big yellow book” to find the local businesses they needed. This book had the power to provide a solution to all those who seek. The “big yellow book curse” took control of the minds of millions. But a new power was born – and the book’s curse and ambition were now doomed. It was easy to see the book was afraid of this new power, as it knew the end of this reign was close. Many brave souls has to look for a way to obtain this power and seal it for the control of nations. This power connects nations. It surpass any sense of color, language, ethnic, religion. No matter who or where, this power have no barriers. While many found a way to utilize this power, they had realized the source was untamable since the nature of it, the real source was humankind. That power reside on all of us, we all share this power: the power of the Internet.

Yes, the yellow pages still around. Ask yourself now, in the last year how many times have you relied on its information? How many times did you open and use the “big yellow book”? Now ask yourself in the last year how many times you have used a search engine? For many of us – this is a number we can’t even begin to count. Dozens of times each day. So then is it worth investing for local businesses to be in that “big yellow book”?

Some could say today’s new generation of adults even sees the yellow book as stabilizer for that table with a short leg. While they may keep it in the house, it’s just not something they open and utilize anymore. Search engines provides a more efficient way to find a business. This has created a war for visibility within the search engines. Not having visibility in search engines is the same as paying the yellow pages to add your business to it's book. That is the new and improved “Yellow Book Effect” for today’s generation. No tippy table leg there. Just lots of eager customers looking for you and your business.

How can you overcome the lack of visibility in today’s search engines? There is a solution for the savvy business wanting to compete: Search engine optimization (SEO):

Search engine optimization (SEO) is your solution to overcome the Yellow Book Effect. Search engine optimization helps your business website gain visibility on the search engines. Having high rankings means more traffic to your website, but is not all about having millions of visitors to your website. This is all about increasing your sales. If you are local retailer you want local customers -- unless your website have a shopping cart and you willing to ship your products to the world.

Search engine optimization for the local market helps your business more than search engine optimization for the global market. General terms have more traffic then local terms. True, but local terms tend to convert better than general terms. Your percentage of making a local sale is bigger than making a global sale. People tend to search their local area first for a service or a product. Even with all the technology and the cheap prices you can get online, there is a need that can only be fulfill by local retailers. The need of having the item now.

If you already have a search engine optimization campaign in place, ask your internet marketer what is the local focus, or what is the plan for the local market. If you interested in developing a search engine optimization campaign focus on your local market first, it will be more successful and you will see better results in a shorter time.

Next time the “big yellow book” calls you to add you to their system, tell them “No thank you.” You’ve got a faster, more powerful route to connect you with local customers!