Local Search Marketing

Local search marketing has evolved from Yellow Pages to online search engines. If you own or work within a multi-site business and you aren't getting enough regular phone calls from people eager to buy, then this article is for you.

Most Yellow Pages ads were and are the basic name, rank and serial number variety. Here’s the name of my business, this is what we do, here’s our number or address. Very few of them stray into lead generation. Yet, those that do attract leads on their Yellow Pages ads were and are being smart.

Not everyone is ready to buy. The thing about people is they will buy as and when they are ready to buy, not when you want the sale. Some are ready now, some are open to the idea of buying soon and others aren’t thinking of it but could be. Some people know they aren’t interested.

So, if they're not ready to buy, help them. Smart marketers attract people by offering value first. They offer this through lead magnets, webinars, video content, even gated blog articles.

Back to local search marketing…

When someone includes a geographical term in their search, they are signalling something very important: they are almost ready to buy. They want to find a local place to satisfy their desire to act.

Long Tail Geographic Searches

Gartner research estimates 70% of search is long-tail, geographically based.

Single or two-word keywords are very popular. If you are in the insurance business, ‘insurance’ will get many thousands of searches weekly. With many insurance businesses wanting to be ranked on page one, competition for these keywords is fiercely competitive and expensive.

For smaller businesses, who wisely do not follow the search strategy of their larger competitors, there is some good news. These ‘fat head’ searches do not convert as well as ‘long-tail’ searches. They are akin to browsing in a shop.

Long-tail keywords identify people later in the buying cycle. If the local search is ‘high value home insurance Leeds,’ the person searching is looking for a conversation with a high value broker of insurance, locally. The browsing is done. The local search demonstrates an intention to purchase locally. Now it is time to talk.

There will be far fewer keyword searches for ‘high value home insurance Leeds,’ but if you were a broker offering this solution, wouldn’t you want the searcher to give you a call? Of course, you would.

27% of all searches Google sees are new to them. This is because search terms are longer, more complex, with an expectation of a specific answer required.

Why prompt someone to call?

Utilising local search marketing capitalises on a person's readiness to make a purchase. If someone searches for “emergency electrician Northampton,” they are not in search of a report on electrical safety tips; they need immediate help.

Having a prospective buyer call your business is beneficial as it allows for directly guiding them towards the best sales solution for their needs. A phone call enables you to clarify their exact requirements, resolve any unresolved queries, and, crucially, adapt the conversation according to their responses. 

Does Your Business Have MULTIPLE Locations?

If your business operates multiple locations, such as insurance agencies, care homes, hotel chains, franchise businesses, or retail networks, drawing in buyers through a targeted long-tail keyword strategy on Google Ads and SEO is effective, particularly when including a call to action for a phone call.

Beyond PPC (pay-per-click), it's essential for your business to also optimise for organic search. While up to 36% of users may click on PPC, the remaining 64% choose the organic search results provided by Google.  Of these, the local carousel (Google Maps) attracts clicks from 28% of users, while 72% prefer the organic listings below the local carousel.

Don't overlook the value long-tail keyword searches represent; they signal strong purchase intent. Capitalise on this by engaging the prospect in a dialogue

Time to Dive in?

If your company has the capacity to implement comprehensive local search strategies, then maybe it is  time to dive in.

• Creation of numerous landing pages featuring high-quality local content.
• Adaptation of responsive design alongside the incorporation of accelerated mobile pages.
• Ensuring content security, alongside authentic reviews that accurately reflect the offered services or products.

Graham at Finely Fettled has used these services. He has also introduced them to other businesses. Trust him to introduce you to the best vendor of local search marketing. Call Graham on 01535 654930.