The Growing Importance of Local Search

I recently read a study from ComScore that said 109 million local searches were performed in July 2006. (Geez, the Internet is huge). That was a 43% increase in local searches over the previous year, in July 2005.

The really cool thing about this data was not the amount of local searches, but the content of them.

Nearly 60% of local search users are looking for LOCAL RESTAURANTS!

This is great news for restaurant owners that have good websites, and it's bad news for restaurants that have bad websites.

I suppose the reason I feel so compelled to write about website quality is because website quality really does matter. These stats are proof. To add even more gravy to the dish, the study went on to show that 47% percent of searchers visited the local establishment as a result of the search.

In summary, people are doing local searches (mostly for restaurants) and then going to those places.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT?

The absolute #1 best marketing spot online for restaurants is in local search engines and directories. Examples include http://local.yahoo.com and http://www.citySearch.com. With some diligence, you may also find more choice directories and websites that are owned and operated locally. These sites are opportunities for local restaurants to increase their customer base exponentially.

Here in Austin, for example, we have the Austin American Statesman. The Statesman is our major newspaper. They offer local search. We also have http://Austin360.com. Undoubtedly, you have some local web directories or search engines in your area. The key is to find them and get listed at a prominent place in their search results for keywords specific to your restaurant.

The best way to do this is to go online and perform a few local searches of your own. Jot down the sites, shoot inquiry emails to the ad departments and if they offer an online sign up/submission form, then sign up. You will find that these sites aren't as expensive as you might think. Most search engines these days offer some form of a budget-constrained pay-per-click model. This way, you only pay for the clicks that are directly responsible for bringing visitors to your website.

Check out future and or past newsletters from Spillover Marketing for more information on this subject. We can help you present an excellent first impression to the local search customer; in addition, we can help you go beyond the box by presenting an action plan that will turn opportunities into dollars.

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