Try this experiment: Go to Google and type in the phrase “boutique [your city and state]”. What will appear is a long list of local boutiques on the left, along with a map of where these businesses are on the right. Underneath these Google Local results are the regular search engine results, which may or may not match with the map results.

Get Found Locally

It used to be enough to show up on page one of Google's search engine results, but that was before local business listing and local search marketing burst onto the scene. These days, if you want your business to be visible to local customers, your business needs to focus on local search engine optimization or else you're going to get left behind. By “behind,” we mean below the fold in the hinterlands of Google results -- the land of no traffic.

Dallas SEO Dogs is Here to Help

One of our specialties at Dallas SEO Dogs is to help businesses make it into the local business listing so that they can get found locally. Not only will we help you with the other aspects of your search engine marketing and optimization, such as competition analysis, video SEO, keyword research, and so forth, we'll also make sure that in the process we're working hard to get your site into the local business listing.

Google Local is Dallas SEO Dogs' top priority because 70% US households are using the Internet – specifically, Google – when they shop for local products and services (Source: The Kelsey Group). However, once you find a place in Google Local, the chances are that Yahoo Local, Bing Local, and the online Yellow Pages will also pick up your business.

Get More Customers for Less Cost

Some other SEO companies out there might guarantee you a “top spot” in the local listings. However, what they usually mean when they offer such a guarantee is that they'll buy advertising that will place you at the top artificially.

At Dallas SEO Dogs, we think that being visible to local customers should come from local search engine optimization, not from ads. Why? Generally speaking, ads generate fewer clicks and less website traffic than the free traffic that comes from solid local search marketing. Local advertising is ok, but long-term results come from local search engine optimization.

How Dallas SEO Dogs Will Get the Job Done

How does local search marketing work? Here's a short explanation of what gets you the local traffic you desire:

• Set up a free local listing with Google by going through the process of “claiming” your business.
• Promote positive reviews of your business with existing customers and manage local map reviews.
• Optimize your listing through careful keyword analysis and website optimization, including using correct geo-terms.
• Build links to your local listing.
• Maintain your listing.
   

When Dallas SEO Dogs completes these important local search marketing steps, your business will be well on its way to being more visible to local customers and getting the local traffic you desire. Given that just 44% of small businesses have any significant online presence at all, you'll sail ahead of your competition quickly!

Keep these statistics in mind:

• 82% of local searches end in a phone call to the business or showing up at the business (Source: TMP/Comscore).
• 73% of all online activity relates to local content (Source: Google).
• 66% of Americans rely upon local search listings when they are looking for a local business (Source: Comscore).
   

Why wait any longer? Contact Dallas SEO Dogs today to get your business into the local listings.