by Skye Conroy
Some time has passed since Google and Yahoo released local search capabilities. In
yahoo's case it indicated that it was definitely moving in the direction of replacing the
yellow pages. Yahoo feels it can offer much more to it's users. It can provide a map
with directions, the phone and fax numbers and a web page or web site that the
business owns.
According to Yahoo their research shows that internet users look for information on the
internet and then look for a local place to purchase the item or service. The Yahoo
developers are apparently drawing on existing yellow pages information as well as local
experts and their own smart pages to build the local search information. Combined with
maps and directions they hope users will find all the information they need on the
internet to buy from or visit local businesses.
For the small business owner it looks like this will be a good thing. If you have or are
developing a web site or page about your business you will be able to arrive on your
customers desk top or cell phone screen with all the information you can provide about
your product or service. The potential customer will then be provided with a map and
directions to your location. Yahoo is offering its mobile local search for selected cell
phone providers.
When you think about local search and how it can benefit small business you have to
view it's benefit to the potential searcher. Who are the people who will use it and how
can your small business get the rewards?
The cell phone aspect brings to mind a business traveler in or near your area who needs
anything from gas for the car to a pizza for lunch. They might also need a copying place
to fax documents or make copies. They might need a motel for the night. Now that GPS
devices are in many more cars and cell phone and PDAs the whole aspect of local
search has matured. The ease with which you can get online with your cell phone and
have information and directions delivered right to your phone is amazing. All of the
items above could be located, mapped, phone numbers and even pricing for food items
could be called up on your phone screen in a few minutes.
In the same type of category is the person who may be planning a visit for fun and or
recreation. They want as much local information as possible. Good prices on hotels,
restaurants, shops and attractions. The travel web sites, Travelocity, Hotels. com and
Price Line. com have begun to expand into this type of information but their main
business is to sell hotel rooms so they limit themselves on the local area information.
This is where Yahoo and Google come in and offer all the information you can handle.
Why? so you will begin to go to them first.
Another potential local search user is the person who is seeking local information as it
relates to history, or their own family genealogy. The internet has made the search for
your heritage much easier and many people are taking advantage of it. Scholars of
course use it but average people seeking their roots are also looking for more and
more ways to refine their searches.
Finally there are the locals themselves, looking for a new dry cleaner , a flower shop
that sells English ivy or even want to buy or sell a used item. Classified ads in local
newspapers are a large source of revenue, but think about the local search that allows
ads for used items. Household products, clothes, power tools, garden equipment. Unlike
Ebay, no shipping costs to pay. Another search locals themselves might use is a search
to find out what is going on in their area. Festivals, special events, concerts, store
sales.
The question now is what will it cost for small businesses to take part. Right now
Yahoo and Google are drawing on their in house information to provide search results.
So basically if you are in their index or directory, and have local information on your
web site you will most likely show up in local search results. But test marketing the
local search in some cities is being based on bids for various neighborhoods as defined
by so many square blocks. So it looks like you will eventually be competing against your
own local market. This is where a clever local can get the jump on his competition, if he
uses internet skills.
If you have a local business, setup your web page or site and include a customer
review/feed back section. Let your customers provide testimonials or award stars for
your performance. Keep those up-to-date and posted on your web site. That will offer
your prospective customers immediate ratings for your product or service and your
competition may not be so forward thinking. Your business can stand out as one with
good buzz. If you were a potential customer, who would you choose? the business with
the reviews and ratings, or one without?
So if you have a local small business get busy and take advantage of the free listing
and get out ahead of your local competitors.
Some time has passed since Google and Yahoo released local search capabilities. In
yahoo's case it indicated that it was definitely moving in the direction of replacing the
yellow pages. Yahoo feels it can offer much more to it's users. It can provide a map
with directions, the phone and fax numbers and a web page or web site that the
business owns.
According to Yahoo their research shows that internet users look for information on the
internet and then look for a local place to purchase the item or service. The Yahoo
developers are apparently drawing on existing yellow pages information as well as local
experts and their own smart pages to build the local search information. Combined with
maps and directions they hope users will find all the information they need on the
internet to buy from or visit local businesses.
For the small business owner it looks like this will be a good thing. If you have or are
developing a web site or page about your business you will be able to arrive on your
customers desk top or cell phone screen with all the information you can provide about
your product or service. The potential customer will then be provided with a map and
directions to your location. Yahoo is offering its mobile local search for selected cell
phone providers.
When you think about local search and how it can benefit small business you have to
view it's benefit to the potential searcher. Who are the people who will use it and how
can your small business get the rewards?
The cell phone aspect brings to mind a business traveler in or near your area who needs
anything from gas for the car to a pizza for lunch. They might also need a copying place
to fax documents or make copies. They might need a motel for the night. Now that GPS
devices are in many more cars and cell phone and PDAs the whole aspect of local
search has matured. The ease with which you can get online with your cell phone and
have information and directions delivered right to your phone is amazing. All of the
items above could be located, mapped, phone numbers and even pricing for food items
could be called up on your phone screen in a few minutes.
In the same type of category is the person who may be planning a visit for fun and or
recreation. They want as much local information as possible. Good prices on hotels,
restaurants, shops and attractions. The travel web sites, Travelocity, Hotels. com and
Price Line. com have begun to expand into this type of information but their main
business is to sell hotel rooms so they limit themselves on the local area information.
This is where Yahoo and Google come in and offer all the information you can handle.
Why? so you will begin to go to them first.
Another potential local search user is the person who is seeking local information as it
relates to history, or their own family genealogy. The internet has made the search for
your heritage much easier and many people are taking advantage of it. Scholars of
course use it but average people seeking their roots are also looking for more and
more ways to refine their searches.
Finally there are the locals themselves, looking for a new dry cleaner , a flower shop
that sells English ivy or even want to buy or sell a used item. Classified ads in local
newspapers are a large source of revenue, but think about the local search that allows
ads for used items. Household products, clothes, power tools, garden equipment. Unlike
Ebay, no shipping costs to pay. Another search locals themselves might use is a search
to find out what is going on in their area. Festivals, special events, concerts, store
sales.
The question now is what will it cost for small businesses to take part. Right now
Yahoo and Google are drawing on their in house information to provide search results.
So basically if you are in their index or directory, and have local information on your
web site you will most likely show up in local search results. But test marketing the
local search in some cities is being based on bids for various neighborhoods as defined
by so many square blocks. So it looks like you will eventually be competing against your
own local market. This is where a clever local can get the jump on his competition, if he
uses internet skills.
If you have a local business, setup your web page or site and include a customer
review/feed back section. Let your customers provide testimonials or award stars for
your performance. Keep those up-to-date and posted on your web site. That will offer
your prospective customers immediate ratings for your product or service and your
competition may not be so forward thinking. Your business can stand out as one with
good buzz. If you were a potential customer, who would you choose? the business with
the reviews and ratings, or one without?
So if you have a local small business get busy and take advantage of the free listing
and get out ahead of your local competitors.
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