| | | | Local Internet Marketing Aggregators | |
A New Breed of Local Internet Marketing Services
 Perform a search on a product or service related keyword in a specific geographical area in Yahoo or Google and you see local listings appear at the top of the search results page. It is no surprise that the two largest search properties in the US are paying so much attention to local search results. A recent study by The Kelsey Group and Constat, Inc. indicates that 70 percent of US household now use the Internet as an information source when shopping locally for products and services.
Local Internet Marketing Aggregators
Some local businesses are already placing ads in the online yellow pages such as Verizon's SuperPages.com or Citysearch.com to sell product and services to a local audience. Although those are good services, they do not provide enough online exposure for local businesses to get enough tracking on traffic.
To get significant local traffic, within for example a 50 miles radius from the physical business address, one must have more 'online real estate' in the form of high rankings on the local natural or organic search results page, local paid search listings, local Internet Yellow Pages and general local web directories.
Local small- and medium-sized businesses are increasingly eager to market online, but there is a steep learning curve, lack of time and expertise to set-up and manage search marketing campaigns with keyword selection and bidding auctions across multiple paid search networks.
A better approach is to use an Internet marketing aggregator who takes all the "pain" out of the process and takes care of the overall campaign set-up and management. Internet marketing aggregators are Internet marketing firms, Yellow Page publishers and web hosting companies offering to perform integrated local Internet marketing services for local businesses, including Internet Yellow Page listings, pay-per-click campaign management services, web hosting and web design.
A local Internet marketing aggregator typically can provide local businesses with the following:- A web site (if needed)
- Web site hosting
- Prominent placement on national and local search engine listings, Internet Yellow pages, general local directories and portals.
- Campaign tracking with lead/sales reporting
A local Internet marketing aggregator typically selects which Internet publishers and search engines would offer the best placement to market a business' products and services locally within their geographical area of business. Internet marketing aggregators can develop full-service, customized online Internet marketing campaigns based on a business' budget, the geographical area, products and services and customers they want to target, and then tracks the performance of the campaign by click-through and ROI reporting.
Natural Search Listings
The traditional way of reaching a local audience through search engine optimization is to optimize web site content for primary business keywords with local geographic modifiers. This optimized content is then submitted to the major search engines, crawled and indexed in the main natural or organic search listings. A good example is a real estate agent, who works exclusively in Providence, Rhode Island, and therefore is only interested in receiving leads from homebuyers and sellers from within the target area.
Local Search Listings
Interest in local search has been growing as Web users turn to the Internet to find movies, restaurants and other local businesses in their neighborhood. As a result the need for more sophisticated local search products, that makes it easier and faster for people to search and find what they are looking for, has surfaced.
On the surface Google and Yahoo have similar local search products. The local search functionality is integrated into the main search page so relevant local information for specific keywords and locations is automatically presented to users at the top of the search results page. When clicked, users are connected to a local search results page. After finding the desired entry in the search listing and clicking, searchers will find a page with basic local business information such as address, phone number, hours of operations, service description, link to web site, credit cards accepted and a location map.
Both Yahoo Local and Google Local offer a business-editing feature that allows businesses to make edits to their listing. Businesses that are not already listed may complete and submit a form to gain a new listing. Basic listings are free to any US business.
For a flat monthly fee Yahoo Local offers Enhanced Listings that allow businesses to include additional information, which appears directly under the basic listings. Enhanced listings may include: company tag line, business description, promotional offers, up to 10 photographs and basic performance statistics.
Internet Yellow Pages
Internet Yellow Pages have had local search solutions for years. They provide basic business profile listings free of charge and paid sponsored payment plans that include logo and preferred placement. Recently, many Internet Yellow Page publishers have introduced pay-per-lick listings and pay-per-call listings. A sample of major players includes: Verizon SuperPages, Yahoo Yellow Pages, AOL Yellow Pages, YellowPages.com, SmartPages (SBC), RealPages (BellSouth) and DexOnline.
Pay-Per-Click Ad Networks
The payment structure for local pay-per-click listings is based on cost-per-click. Technically the listings are free; the advertiser only pays the bid amount after a visitor clicks on the advertisers' listing.
Yahoo (Overture) Local Match
Local Match is especially helpful for those who do research online and plan to buy or do business offline. With Local Match, advertisers can reach local customers by selecting a geographic area of maximum 100 miles surrounding their business location and bid on keyword phrases relating to their products and services.
Local text ads are displayed within the search results at Yahoo!, MSN Search, AltaVista, AllTheWeb, Infospace (DogPile and Webcrawler), CitySearch and other advertising partners for search terms with a geographical modifier, e.g. "dentist providence". If the locally targeted ad listing is clicked, the searcher is presented with a Locator page indicating the business location, hours of operation, a link to the advertiser's Web site (if they have one), phone number and map. Setting up a Local Match account requires a $20.00 that can be applied to future click-throughs. There is no monthly minimum.
Google AdWords Regional Targeting
Unlike Local Match, which ties ads to specific keywords, Google AdWords' Regional Targeting is based on IP-based targeting. With IP-targeting advertisers can choose to have their text ads appear only for those who search from within a specific geographical area, e.g. city or state. Google Adwords does this by mapping anonymous IP addresses of searchers to the 210 Designated Marketing Areas used in television advertising.
General Local Web Directories
Local online directories and portals are also a good source for targeted local traffic. This traffic is generated from editorial directory listings or text ad links and banners placed in fixed guaranteed positions. Text ad links typically appear in an "Advertising Section" or "Sponsored Links" areas. Web directory listings or fixed placement advertising not only drives qualified traffic to a web site but may also contribute, through the inbound links, to the link popularity. Text link ads typically have a higher click-through rate then banner advertising because visitors are more prone to click on a relevant, on topic, text link ad versus a traditional banner advertisement.
Getting Started With Local Internet Marketing
Local Internet marketing can be enormously complex for the average small- and medium-size business to manage. But consumers are increasingly adopting the Internet to search for local information and that will ultimately drive more businesses online to get in front of them. For many small-to medium size businesses, which do not have the time and expertise to execute local Internet marketing programs, the one-stop shop approach offered by a local Internet marketing aggregator may be viable option to get started with local Internet marketing.
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