With Internet marketing, you open your business to the world. You are no longer a big fish in a small pond, or even a small fish in a small pond, but instead, you are a speck in the ocean. The trick is to reduce the ocean to a series of small ponds. Small businesses can not compete with Internet giants for page rankings, so the best method of search engine optimization (SEO) for them is Local Optimization. Instead of competing for an infinitesimal slice of the world pie, put your business in the position of owning the entire local pie. By placing your company at the forefront of local options you expand your markets considerable without the expenses of trying to compete with retail giants like Amazon.

Local search optimization is all about improving your online visibility through local business listings and Google maps. By posting complete profiles on local listing sites, you generate additional traffic through those avenues. Consider, how many times have you visited Google to search for something local and had results that were international? It is a very common phenomenon. Search engine users are becoming more careful in their search terminology. Where once, they may have used the term “pizza and subs” now, they use “pizza and subs in Atlanta”. Some even use more location specific terms that reference a particular neighbourhood. By ensuring that your business is listed locally with Google, you improve your ability to target customers in the immediate area.

Without local optimization for your website, that includes a complete profile including address, your business is unlikely to appear in the top five for any search result. By including local terms and keywords that are specific to your area, you improve your chances of a first page result dramatically. Google is not including maps on search results, so if you business is listed it can show on unrelated searches as well. When a person uses Google maps to find a location, Google automatically generates other places of interest in the area. If they are seeking restaurants, even though yours was not specifically targeted, it may still show in the associated results. The same is true for retail stores, government buildings, entertainment options and much more.

Local optimization allows you to maximize your presence in a highly specific area. By using the Internet to strategically advertise your business, you find a niche that is perfect for your company. SEO is all about finding a niche to market successfully. Niche markets are traditionally under represented in traditional stores. For example, the man who wears a size 15 shoe or the women who needs extra petite in clothing may have difficulty finding items in regular stores. The Internet is designed to bring those niche customers to the appropriate niche retailer. On the Internet, local stores are a niche. Because the business model has swung toward globalization, local markets have been left out of the loop. A business should exploit all local listing opportunities to increase their local market penetration.