The Internet is not a scary place! This is something that any business owner or manager needs to know. The Internet is a valuable tool and resource that can level the playing field against the giant corporations and give you an advantage over your other competitors. The key to this is to have a site that is well designed, search engine optimized (specifically local SEO) and user friendly. When you combine these features with an aggressive social media campaign there is literally no limit to how your business can grow.
We are long past the days when just having a website that is pretty and just on-line is effective. As owners we need to understand just how the world has changed. Local Search Engine Optimization is the first area we need to grasp an understanding of. People use the Internet much differently now than they did even a few short years ago. Customers are searching for your goods and services locally, many times using the Smartphone that is in their pocket. Is your business ready for this paradigm shift?
Statistics show us that 80% of consumers now search locally and then come to your store to make their purchases off-line. If you can’t be found on-line this is a loss of sale for your business. If your website is not optimized for local search then you are going to be missing out on that business since 96% of users will not go past the first page of Google when they are searching.
At LocalTek one of our clients called in the other day to inquire about their website as they expected to be receiving orders online. After researching data we had on hand for the customer it was determined that the customer was in fact receiving targeted, high conversion customers, everyday specifically looking for their business or type of business in their area.
In a little less than a year this store has received almost 12,000 visitors to the website including days close to 300 visitors. This site also ranks number one on Google for specific terms the customer requires for the success of their business. This is a tremendous accomplishment for a small niche shop in a small city in southeast Missouri.
What this shows though is people are indeed finding local businesses but the large majority still visitor the local business to complete the transaction.
When you couple a quality website with a social media campaign using Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, etc. you are putting your business right where your consumers are. Social Media is the new “Word of Mouth” for your business and it is remarkably easy to control your message. The average Facebook user spends 50 minutes per day on the site. That amount of time jumps if it is on their mobile device. If your target audience is spending that amount of time using social media shouldn’t your business have a presence there also?
Combining local SEO with Social Media is the best solution to acquiring and then keeping customers. Keep your message in front of those people that have already enjoyed doing business with you and you are more likely to have repeat customers.
Call us now to let us help your business be found online.
Tags: bruce marler, Chris Ferguson, farmington marketing, farmington web design, local business websites, local search engine optimization, local seo, local seo consultant, local seo st louis, rolla seo, rolla web design
