When reviewing our client web analytics reports each month, we have seen a noticeable trend over the last 24 months where search engine users (Google Places) are relying more on using local search to find online businesses.  You probably noticed that Google and Yahoo/Bing are placing more importance on local search results by featuring a special section for local search results that can be found just above the organic search listings. To be found on the web for local search, it's important for your business to rank in the local results if the majority of your customer base is located in a 15-25 mile radius from your business address location.  Synergy Marketing can help in getting your business to take advantage of these ranking markers that helps determine why one website will rank high up in the search returns and why another business will rank on the 5th page.

Here's a basic recap on some action-items that needs to take place in order to take advantage of local search rankings for your website:

Keyword Research for Better SERPs 

Going after the wrong set of keywords phrases and not taking advantage of your geo-location keywords (e.g. using city, county, street information, zip code) will reduce your chances to rank well in the local search engine ranking placements (serps). Working with you, we'll identify the correct set of geo-local keyword phrases that are used with the most frequency by your potential online prospects that use local search and live within a 15-25 mile radius of your business location. The point of the keyword research exercise is to place these keywords into your local search profiles and webpage content so that  search spiders will find and list your pages in the search engine ranking returns.

Website Onpage SEO Audit Analysis - Search Engine Optimization

What Synergy Marketing will do is conduct an SEO Audit which includes reviewing your website pages to see if the content is taking advantage of the various ranking factors for better local search results. SEO opportunities will be documented and implemented using geo-location keyword phrases.  The successful outcome is when a potential prospect does a keyword search using a local keyword (e.g. Fort Myers) and your search profile will now have a better chance of ranking higher up the search listings when using local search keyword phrases.

Local Search Citations Helps Your Local Listings to Rank Better

Our SEO approach is not a cook-book "set it and forget it" program.  What you will receive from Synergy Marketing is a fully researched and customized (Google Places) campaign that will give you the best opportunity to succeed online. One Local Search tactic that helps in getting higher search engine ranking placement is seeking out Citations.

Citations is where your business details information is mentioned elsewhere on the Internet, which includes your business name, address and contact details. Finding these citations, the search engines can see that your website is a business website and not a spammy one that serves no purpose. Sites like Yelp.com is a good example where your website can get a citation. Once the citation is achieved, your website will have a higher probability to rank higher using local keywords such as, "Fort Myers bike store" or "Naples condos for rent".