Google Marketing for Local Businesses

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Bryan Nisperos

A franchise opportunity is great for beginning business owners because it comes with an outlined plan for sales and marketing.  However, while there is a plan to follow, every business owner must look at other ways to generate sales and the internet is one method that can generate sales and leads.  As you get closer to becoming a franchisee, it's never too early to start thinking about certain aspects of running your own business.

A local business has many avenues for marketing their business from local coupon offers to newspaper ads, radio, and television.  A growing area for local business marketing is the internet.  With an estimated 3 billion local searches per month, Google is one place that millions of consumers go to when they need a local product or service.  A local search is one where someone types in what they're looking for and then adds a city, state or region like "painter in new york, ny".

Once you realize the power and potential of marketing through Google's search results, you need to understand the areas in the search results where you can get your business listed.  When someone types in a local search like "italian restaurant in San Diego" there are three sections of real estate where you can get your business listed: 1) the Pay Per Click ads at the top and on the right side, 2) the Google Places results, and 3) the organic or middle listings.

Pay Per Click Ads

Pay Per Click ads (aka Sponsored Listings) are the shaded results at the top of the page and on the right side.  Companies pay each time someone clicks on the links to those web sites.  The placement is determined by bids so the company with the first link might be bidding $4.00 per click, the 2nd company listed might be paying $3.50 per click and so on.  Based on the values listed here, 100 visitors clicking would cost the first company $400 and the second company $350 for those 100 clicks.  Pay Per Click advertising can be expensive, but your company will get visibility immediately.

Google Places Results

Google Places is Google's local business directory.  The listings come from other business directories and major business listing information databases such as Axiom and InfoUSA.  These listings are sometimes at the top of the results or mixed in with the other organic results.  Google Places listings show a little map point next to them and many times an image to the left.  Google receives its business listing information from outside databases, but you are allowed to "claim" your listing and make changes to the information.  By claiming your listing, filling out your company information and adding photos and videos, you have a better chance of getting your business to the top of the results.   Other factors that influence your position are the number of reviews you've received for your business and the number of other business directories that also list your business.  The more reviews and business listings, the better.

Organic Results

The last area of real estate on Google's search results are the middle results or organic results.  These results are determined more by the structure of your web site and how optimized your web site is.  If you are a painter in San Diego and your web site has keywords in it like "painter in San Diego" you will have a better chance of  getting ranked higher in the middle, organic results. The more keywords you have in your web site the better.  This ranking is also determined by links from other web sites to your web site.  The more links on business directories and other web sites to your web site the better.

Based on the areas above, you can have your business listed in three spots on the Google results for keywords related to your business. Throw in a YouTube video and you can get up to four positions.  The more real estate you have in the search results, the more opportunities you have to get consumers to click on a link to your business.   More clicks = more business.

Author Biography

Rich Stark is the CEO of Stark Logic, a full service internet marketing firm that has helped over 500 companies for over 15 years. Mr. Stark has frequently given webinars on the changes in web marketing including search engine optimization and changes in local search marketing as well as insight into effective marketing practices for web sites and design.  If you need help with your marketing strategies, you can learn more by visiting us at www.starklogic.com or call us today at (888) 915-6442.