3 Ways to Increase the Local Online Presence of Your Small Business

When the internet began the available ways to access websites were unstructured and mainly based on guess work, you’d likely have to search long and hard for a specific business website in your community. Nowadays, with the evolution of search engines and as the general savvy of the average internet user has improved, there are multiple avenues to advertise your business specifically to people within your region.

Whether you run a small plumbing business in town or you are starting an online consultancy firm, local customers and clients are almost always crucial to a small businesses success, make sure you aren’t missing a key way to target them directly online by covering the 3 basics below.

1. Get a Search Engine Maps Listing

Arguably the most effective of the three methods given, getting a local listing on a search engine is a key way to promote your business locally. Search engines now read your query with detail and can then detect the locations mentioned within; based on this they provide tailored results with local map listings.

As an example, search ‘plumbers {your location}’ in Google, and you’ll more than likely see a map with arrows pointing out locations and phone numbers of plumbers around your area. The same applies with other business types, whether it is for catering, consultancy, restaurants, taxis – it is all there.

These types of searches are made every day; they can and will drastically improve your local presence. I’ve given you 3 links below to the key search engines map registration page; they are all simple and free.

• Google Maps Listing
• Bing Maps Listing
• Yahoo Maps Listing

Consumers are literally searching for a business in your area which provides your service; don’t let your competitors have them.

2. Local phone directories

Although more common before the internet boom; local businesses have received consumer referrals through their local telephone directories for years. The brands which have created these directories are now more often than not listed online and are frequently visited.

Get your phone books out and search for their websites. If your small business is not listed on these then you’re missing out on potential customers.

3. Local media advertising

Most people still view the web as a giant playing field, with little options to advertise direct to their very own neighbors. The truth is, as the internet has grown so have the media packs offered by local companies.

For example, your local newspaper almost certainly has a website, as does your local radio station. In this day and age people frequent these online as much as they may do offline, yet the advertising rates are generally nowhere near as high.

This is a guest post by David Merry who is the CEO of online live casino (CastleCasino.com) and a director of Right Casino Media.