Building Solid Foundations for Your Business With Local Internet Marketing

 Every business that wants to grow should be targeting some of its resources on the local market. If you want to expand you need new customers, and the easiest customers to attract are the ones nearest to you. Doesn't it make sense to target your internet marketing on your own locality before expanding nationally? So, how do you unlock all of this untapped local potential? Are there any simple solutions? Well, no, unfortunately it isn't, but there are a number of things you can do to make your website more 'local-friendly' and bring in the extra business you're searching for.

The most important and obvious step is to make sure your address is prominently displayed on your website, landing pages and directory listings. Believe it or not, some companies forget to do this. If you want to appeal to the local internet marketing manchester, you need to let your potential customers and all the search engines know that you are an essential part of it. If your business is based in Manchester, then make it obvious: be loud and proud of your roots and make sure all your internet marketing material underlines this.

Research your keywords thoroughly. Don't automatically opt for the obvious ones: they may of course be relevant to your particular line of business, but don't forget all your competitors will also be using these same keywords. Your keywords need to be specific, but they should ideally differentiate you from your competitors. Think about your business and what you'd search for if you where in your customers' shoes. Long-tail keywords generally work best. Instead of using words like 'garage' and 'Stockport,' try to qualify your search parameters with words that will make your entry stand out: use 'best'/ 'garage'/ 'service'/ 'Stockport' instead. Long-tail keywords increase your local search relevancy and have the power to distinguish your business from the competition.

Don't just rely on on-page optimisation techniques. Try doing some extra work off-page as well. Set up profiles on local directories and join in with local marketing groups. Always remember though that these must be relevant to your target market. Links are also vitally important. Any website you link to that targets your local geographic should always link back to your own site. Any increased visibility helps the search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing recognise your site and spot its demographic and geographic relevance.

The final tip relates to content. The information on your website should obviously be both accurate and interesting, but it needs more punch and impact to guarantee local search engine interest. The content has to be meaningful and deal with issues that are relevant to your locality. How about writing about things that potential customers can relate to: how you can save them money, or time? You may feel that you know your local area better than anyone else, but you'll need to prove this. If you can convince potential customers that you really are the expert in the area, then you'll more than likely get the business you're after.

No one is suggesting for one moment that you should limit your business ambitions or restrict your aspirations just to the local area. On the contrary, expansion and growth are essential for driving businesses forwards, but you need to build firm and steady foundations before you take that next step. Make the most of your local market first, and then think about expanding. There is, after all, a whole world to explore, and there's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't be part of it.