Today, one out of three searches on the search engine has local intentions , that is, it is done to obtain information relating to streets, buildings, places, shops, restaurants, hotels that are located in a specific place (for example “vegan pizzeria South Rome”) or in the vicinity of the user if the latter has geolocation active on their smartphone.
It is estimated that 28% of people search for local information at least once a day, increasingly from smartphones. It is also interesting to note that those who do a local search intend to conclude a purchase action in the short term . That is why, if you have a business, it is important to consider local search marketing as a tool to intercept new customers.
The first step is to create the Google My Business listing. Google, in fact, allows companies to create free cards of their business , visible on the first page of the search engine and on Google Maps. The Google My Business tab allows the user to find useful information such as phone number and address, view company photos and read reviews from other customers.
The list of benefits for your business is really long:
Display accurate information about your business on the web
You can highlight all the details you consider useful to be contacted and to be reached physically (address, opening hours) and digitally (Website address).
Interact with customers
You can post photos of your business and the products and services offered, collect and respond to reviews from your customers. They too will be able to upload photos taken inside your venue and therefore contribute to increasing visibility. Furthermore, within the form, your potential customers can communicate with each other (or directly with you) thanks to a section dedicated to questions and answers.
Attracting new customers
In addition to intercepting local searches to acquire new customers in an organic way (not for a fee), you can activate targeted local search advertising campaigns, amplifying the visibility of your company both in the SERP (search engine results page) of Google and on Google Maps.