The Mobile Local Marketing Environment

20% of Google searches are local orientated searches. The vast majority of Google’s $32. billion revenue comes from local small business. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg has stated she will not stop until every local business is using Facebook to advertise. Local online marketing is hot especially when you combine it with mobile marketing.

20% Of Google Searches Are Local Based

When is the last time you picked up your Yellow Pages? Most people use the Yellow Pages for a door stop these days. When you need to find a local business you Google it. Most likely you are Googling it on your Smart Phone. Then clicking onto Maps to get directions or perhaps to read a few reviews.

If you are a local business owner most of your customers are within a 5 mile radius of your business. If you cannot be found on local searches from your customers mobile phones and/or computers and/or tablets you are losing business. and falling behind.

Traditional advertising mediums are dying. Telemarketing was good until we got the do not call list. Email still works but the list had better be opt in and even so much of your email will end up being blocked by their spam filters. Newspaper ads are being crushed by Craigslist. TV is expensive as is Direct Mail. Most people are getting their information by doing online searches. That is where your local business needs to be prominent.

Traditional Advertising Mediums Are Dying

Google Places is the king of local mobile marketing. Google has aggregated data from the Yellow Pages, Infousa and many other sources to produce 50 million Google Places pages for local businesses. These pages are already optimized for mobile phones, can contain links, videos, reviews, and even mobile coupon specials for your customers. Here is a video giving you an overview of Google Places.

These Google Places pages are coming up first in all local searches. So most likely is people are searching for your local business or type of local business the first contact your customer has will be with your Google Places page. Here is the rub. Only about 8% of businesses have taken the time to claim their Google Places page.

Google Places Pages Are Coming Up First In Local Searches

If you are a local business owner you want to claim and fully optimize your Google Places page. It is probably even more important than your own website. You need to have as many positive customer reviews as possible. You need to have pictures, videos, specials. The Google Places page that has most likely been provided for you just has your basic information which has been scraped from various online sources. It might not even be accurate. Plus the better optimized your page the higher it ranks with other Google Places pages in your category.

Here is a post which will teach you how to claim your Google Places page.

Most of your customers are actually looking for your business on their cell phones. The great thing about Google Places is that it is already optimized for Mobile phones. I highly suggest that if you have a local business you claim and optimize your Google Places page immediately.

If you found this post helpful please share it on Facebook. Your comments are appreciated.