11 MAR THE ANATOMY OF ONLINE SEARCH RESULTS
11 MAR THE ANATOMY OF ONLINE SEARCH RESULTS
The number one goal for any local business owner is to be FOUND when people are looking for you or your services. Where do customers look while researching a service or product, or when they want local business contact info? They browse in the phone books or search results online.
Where do you search for local services and products ONLINE? You are going to “Google it”. Which means they are entering general terms into the online search bar. Then the search engine spits out a relevant list of results. It is important to know what online search result lists consist of. That way you will know how you can make sure your business is there.
For a demonstration, let’s take a look at a local search for Pizza in Big Rapids, MI
Here you see the results that popped up on my search engine. I used Google.
Did you know that 65% of the United States searches are done via Google Search? The remaining searches are done on Bing (20%), Yahoo (12%), Ask (1.8%) and AOL (1.8%).
First Page Search Results for Pizza in Big Rapids, MI on Google
The very top of the search results list consists of Paid Ads. Next in line is Google Maps. Then the Organic Listings are shown under the map section. What does this mean for a small business owner? They want to make sure that the local community is finding them in search. Here is some more info to help business owners:
#1 – Paid Search Ads
In order to show up in the top of the search results you would need pay google. This is done by starting an AdWords account for advertising to specific keywords. Managing AdWords campaigns can be quite the task for a small business owner. It takes time to learn, implement and manage. Working with a local digital marketing company that you can trust may be worth the investment if you desire these spots in the search results.
#2 – Google Maps
One of the best ways to be found in local search is to verify your business on Google Maps. To verify your business, Google would call you or send you a postcard to your location. There is also a profile for you to fill in more details about your business. This will help your map listing to pop up higher when people search for your products or services locally. To see if you show up on the map, search yourself on google. If the words “Claim this business” on the map result, then it is not verified. If you need help claiming your business on Google maps, contact PDS and we can assist you.
Search Results for Pizza in Big Rapids, MI – Map Section on Google
Example of Complete Google Map Results for Pizza in Big Rapids, MI
#3 – Organic Results
The organic results are located in the list below the maps. They show up based on what is in the website itself. Google and other search engines scan all of the data that makes up a web page. Then they place them in this list in order of relevance to the search terms that are typed in and your IP location (physical location of your internet connection).
To grow your business, it is important to make sure your website pops up in searches for services and products you provide. You need to have good SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Your website is made of code that contains the information that Google reads. In order to have the best results you need to have “keywords” in that code. For Example: I am searching for an “Auto Mechanic in Cadillac, MI”. If a website doesn’t have the words “Auto” “Mechanic” “Cadillac” in it, then it is not likely to pop up in the organic list.
In Conclusion
This is just a basic overview of ways that you can increase your online visibility. For a complete analysis of how you are being found online Contact PDS TODAY. Our digital specialists will review your online presence and contact you for a face to face meeting to discuss the results and recommended solutions.
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