Social Media + Local SEO + Mobile = Success!

A lot of agencies nowadays have been working with small and medium-sized businesses to help ensure their success in the local search field.  Indeed, small businesses are better focused than their national competitors.  For one, they are more able to build a community among their customers and gain engagement from the same.  It is good to keep in mind a three-point campaign to ensure success for our partners.

Local Search

Probably one of the most underestimated area in small business Internet marketing, local search could do a world of wonders for you.  For one, as more and more people are taking to using search engines to find service providers and businesses in their area, local search is tantamount to having a highly-discoverable presence on the Web.  If you do not have a Google Places page for your business, you simply do not exist.

Local search also helps you get found on search engines.  With Google integrating most of its sections (videos, maps, images) into its traditional Web search results.  A local page listing could easily put you at the top of the first page of search results.

Social Media

Social media is a natural offshoot of local search.  Indeed, it seems silly not to have a social media backup for your local advertising.  People are no longer going to the Internet to find businesses, instead they stumble upon a friend’s recommendation to try out a new retailer or perhaps a rave review of the latest restaurant in town.  Small local businesses, much like individuals, are social by design.

Local businesses should have an identity on social media sites that is aimed at fostering relationships and building a community.  This would give them a more engaged client base and that would in turn lead to new customers as followers and likers recommend their sites and help their friends to discover the business.

Mobile

There is a rising trend in the ownership and usage of smartphones.  Now more than ever, people are doing their search on the go.

Over the past year, 54% more people have bought smartphones.  In fact, close to 30% of all American mobile users are using smartphones.  Moreover, 76% of mobile phone users in the U.S. now have GPS-capable devices.

As such, getting a mobile optimized site is a good and smart plan.  Making it easier for people on-the-go to discover your business is also at the top of the agenda. There are also a lot of avenues wherein small business owners could take part in the mobile revolution.  Mobile payments, deals, location-based services, push offers and other mobile services could be used to further enhance the experience of their customers.

The implication is that, unlike in previous years, small business owners now have to attend to a variety of processes and master different technologies to fully take advantage of local advertising.  That is a feat that is much easier said than done.

The average business owner would have their hands full at running their enterprises, so much so that they would simply not have enough time to learn and master the processes.

Getting help is a good idea for most business owners.  What you need is an expert in local advertising, social media and mobile implementations who could, in turn, carry out your campaign for you.