SEO and Local Search - Reach Out to the People in Your Neighbourhood

Toronto is made up of distinct neighborhoods. Local businesses looking to attract new customers would be wise to look in their local area first and use search engine optimization (SEO) to draw the attention of their neighbors.
Some Compelling Numbers on SEO and Local Search

In 2007, a study was released by WebVisible and Neilsen/NetRatings that shows the tremendous power of local search. The study tells us how people conduct searches for businesses in their local area, what they do with the information they find, and how likely they are to shop locally after finding a business online. Here are some of the results:
  • At the time of the study, there were nearly 1 billion local searches being done every month on search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN. In fact, 73% of respondents used search engines to find local businesses.
  • More than ¾ of respondents (78%) reported using the Internet more now than in the past when searching for local companies. More than half (52%) reported using telephone directories less than in the past.
  • People use search engines the most, but also rely on other sources, like online Yellow Pages directories, blogs, consumer review sites and entertainment review sites.
This study includes some statistics that are of particular interest to small and medium businesses, many of whom do not sell products online:
  • 78% of respondents use the Web to research a product or service online before going to the actual store to buy it
  • 72% of respondents would drive 20 minutes or less to buy a product they researched online, while 23% would travel between 25 and 30 minutes to a local business.
Deciphering the Numbers for Toronto Businesses

Let’s translate those numbers into some meaningful advice for neighbourhood businesses in Toronto.
  • Lesson 1 – Search engine optimization is important even if you don’t sell goods online. Independent retailers, restaurants, and service providers should still have an SEO strategy. People looking to buy kids’ shoes or home décor items in downtown Toronto are highly likely to type those keywords into a search engine. If your site is not optimized for those words, you will not be found by these highly motivated shoppers.
  • Lesson 2 – Emphasize the "local" in your business. You can draw a lot of customers by using simple optimization techniques that focus on the local community you serve. Include references to your local community in your site’s code and in your site’s copy. Write a blog or some articles that pertain. directly to your community – anything to make it clear how close you are to the people looking for your services.
  • Lesson 3 – A comprehensive search engine optimization strategy should incorporate other aspects of local search – blogs, articles, reviews and so on.
Use Local SEO Techniques to Get Noticed in Your Community

Small and medium businesses stand to gain the most from local search. People seeking unique product offerings or specific services – anything from health care to legal and financial advice to mechanics and landscapers – look first to their local community. Ensure that your search engine optimization strategy includes local search as one of its key goals.
Contact Wolf21.com
Looking for an SEO company in Toronto with expertise in local search marketing?

By Susan Lipton
Published: 6/1/2009
 
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