When your potential customers search for products and services online, they aren’t looking for businesses across the world, ideally they want results that are across the street. Local search is virtually transforming large cities into small towns by returning results within customers’ reach. Sky high gas prices may be another contributing factor to the growing popularity and necessity of local search, consumers are always looking for ways to save and even combine several errands in one trip to save gas. Now more than ever it is important to the survival of your small business that you show up at the top of local search results, and in this post we are going to tell you how to outrank your competition. 
Location, location, location
To be found in local search results, it is vital that you make your business location known. The biggest mistake you can make here is having your business as a picture on your website instead of in plain text—this makes your page and address harder to crawl and less likely to show up in search engine results. Some experts even recommend having your address on your webpage multiple times, for example, the header, footer, homepage, and contact page. You want your page to be found online, but ultimately the goal of local search is to bring customers through your door, right? After you have verified that your address is easily detected on your website, go through the various local search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing, Yelp, etc.) and verify that your address and other information is correct on their pages. Finally, go through and make sure all of your business social media accounts have a location, address, directions, and even a map that will help customers find you easier.
Become the go-to for local information
In our last post we talked about content marketing, and adding content or a blog to your website will definitely improve your rankings. You can use your blog to write about upcoming community events, how-to posts, informative posts, and so on. If you are going to be a sponsor for a concert in the park, let your customers know! Chances are they will appreciate knowing about activities going on in their area and you will also gain opportunities for networking and getting the word out about your brand.
Encourage reviews and feedback
Don’t be afraid to ask satisfied customers to write reviews for your business. Positive reviews on your local search results will really boost your business. Online reviews are the modern day word-of-mouth. You are more likely to attract new clients if people feel like they are going to have a positive experience with your company. If you occasionally get a bad review, don’t let it get to you, use the bad review as constructive criticism and burry the bad with more positive reviews.
We hope this quick how-to post on local search answered some questions that you had on how to improve your rankings and results. Remember to make your location known, show your knowledge with content, and earn street credit with positive reviews!
Good Luck Marketing!
For these and other blogs from Orange Tail Marketing go to www.OrangeTailMarketing.com. Orange Tail Marketing an Ogden Utah Business provides quality search engine marketing, social media marketing, local search marketing as well as long term email nurture campaigns for businesses all around North America. Feel free to call us today at 801-317-TAIL (8245)