What is Local Search?
Local search is the next step in Internet marketing. Search engines and other online information providers are the primary tools for finding information and businesses on the web. Local search is the use of this technology to find information and businesses in a specific geographic area. For example, if you are looking for a pizzeria in Chicago, primary search engines such as Yahoo! and Google will list results from their local search databases ahead of those of their standard search results. Local search applications are becoming more powerful, and as they do, their user base is growing. No longer are people pulling out the print Yellow Pages, instead they are using their computers to find the products or services they are interested in, that are close to them locally. In addition, local search services are feeding data to mobile devices such as smart phones and GPS systems, which in turn help people find local business locations.
Local search is the idea of connecting people and places through search engines. Local search focuses on providing relevant search results within the local geography of the searcher. Local search can be effective even if you don’t have a web site, because local search results are usually shown within the search engine’s own framework, including a map to the business location, address, phone, hours and services. Local search results are derived from a separate database than those used for organic search results. They therefore provide a different level of exposure to search results, and may benefit your existing organic searches listings.
Performing a search online to find information about a business, product or service in the searcher’s local geographic area. Most of these searches result in an offline, in person visit or purchase from a business opposed to online purchasing. Local searchers are seeking information: contact information, driving directions, price comparisons, reviews, menus, etc. Watch this video for more on Google Local.
