Most internet users use local search techniques to locate products and services in their area. Steve Barnes, CEO of online search specialist Infoserve, explains how you can get in on the action.

Most internet users use local search techniques to locate products and services in their area. Steve Barnes, CEO of online search specialist Infoserve, explains how you can get in on the action.

There’s little doubt that more consumers are turning to the internet to search for the best places to spend their time and money. Yet as simple as it sounds, the trick is to understand how people search before thinking of the best ways to get noticed online.

A staggering 86 per cent of us use “local search” techniques. That means we search by looking for a company or service in a particular town or village, typing in something like ‘accountant in Aberdeen’ or ‘Bolton boiler repair’. This presents a perfect opportunity if you’ve tailored your marketing accordingly.

A good first step is to use online directories. Try a local search now and chances are that a local online directory will appear on the first page of your search results. Registering your company for a listing can be free or very cheap, making directories good value for businesses struggling to improve their rankings.

There are also more specialist directories, some of which feature prominently on local searches. These focus on a certain type of business and provide more of a guide to the industry, with many including advice and even reviews.

There are opportunities for enhanced listings within any directory, so it’s worth shopping around and seeing what may work best for you and your local area.

Another good strategy is to ensure your website is optimised to boost your position on a local search. There are no quick fixes but learning to describe your business using the words that people are likely to employ in a local search is the best starting point. Put simply, if you wanted the highest possible position when someone looks for ‘painters in Pudsey’, you would need to tailor your website to these key words.

Unless you have a unique selling point, search engine optimisation alone can only take you so far. Appearing at the top of results takes time and patience, and will be a never-ending task. It is, however, a very good long-term strategy for increasing your online presence, especially when incorporated into website development and design, and can be a cost-effective option for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Finally, considering local search habits can boost the effectiveness of paid-for search advertising, as local businesses can tailor their campaigns to key words from their area. A well controlled pay-per-click campaign produces results that can immediately be measured, something SMEs find useful when they have limited budgets.

Even in these days of globalisation, some 90 per cent of expenditure on goods and services takes place within 20 miles of where someone lives or works, so ensuring you have a good online presence is a priority for any business. If you’re not easily found, the chances are your competitor around the corner will be, and you could be losing out.

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