Seventy percent of US households use the web when shopping locally, and about 25 percent of all searches are looking for local information. As more and more households make the switch to broadband connections, this trend will continue to escalate.
Search engines have eclipsed print and TV ads as the primary way consumers find local products and services. But until now large national and international brands had a stranglehold on Internet search marketing. Only they had the manpower or outside resources to plan and implement a multiple site, online search marketing program.
Why should your business get into the online search pay-per-click (PPC) arena? Let's do the math. A recent US Bancorp Piper Jaffray study indicates that the average lead from a search engine costs $0.29. Yellow pages and direct mail leads cost $1.18 and $9.94 respectively. So, a search engine delivers four leads for the price of one Yellow Page lead and 34 for the cost of a single direct mail lead.
But that is not all. PPC advertising:
- expands your market
- targets more, higher income consumers
- is measurable
Some businesses will look for ways NOT to take advantage of this opportunity. I don't have a website, they whine. How will I figure out which sites I should advertise on? How will I manage all those keywords across multiple sites?
Google and Yahoo! answer some of those questions. If you do online PPC with either, they will distribute your ads across multiple sites. However, you'll still have to manage much of the program yourself.
New services are now available that allow small local and regional companies to effectively and efficiently hook customers online and only in the geographic areas where the businesses operate.
ReachLocal is my favorite of the new services. It is the one I'm using for my own business and for that of my clients. It selects the sites on which your ads appear, manages keywords across publishers, optimizes your keywords on a daily basis and even provides a free website for those businesses without a web presence. Additionally, it makes all of your leads measurable. You get daily reports on web visits, emails and telephone calls generated by your program.
PPC is perfect for high cost local transactions such as home purchases, mortgages, or medical services. So, no more excuses. You now have the ability to level the playing field with national competitors. Go local.
Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR, http://www.hoover-ink.com He has 26 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Brent Dees Financial Planning, Levolor, New World Mortgage, North Carolina Tourism, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX and Verbatim.
As a business owner, you already know how important it... Read More
Remember those drawings from science class of how a lever... Read More
Some of the greatest words of wisdom for any man... Read More
Having their own business is something many millions of people... Read More
When is the Chamber ideal for your business?Joining a Chamber... Read More
Many have not experienced a fire up close. One year... Read More
The Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) is a program that... Read More
Habit: A consistent behavior you perform so frequently that it... Read More
A Mattress Cleaning Business might be just for you if... Read More
Today is a Red Letter Day! It's special because today... Read More
There is a Batting Cages Business for those people who... Read More
Shopping for a franchise is easy if you know what... Read More
I've got good news and bad news. The good news... Read More
There are no "rules of thumb" in the pursuit of... Read More
In the 2003 Auto Laundry News Survey it was determined... Read More
As a successful small business owner,you're accustomed to long hours;... Read More
Becoming a contractor or sub-contractor for the U.S. government can... Read More
The Franchise Group at the Federal Trade Commission in all... Read More
"So what?" is a lovely question.It can lead to a... Read More
If you run a pressure washing business it is a... Read More
The employer / employee relations environment has been constantly evolving... Read More
Writing a business plan is a fundamental step to ensuring... Read More
Data. Most people think it is a term relegated to... Read More
The Federal Trade Commission decided to sit down and revamp... Read More
How many hours do you work a week? When was... Read More
Do you know what your genius work is? It's the... Read More
Everyone wants to succeed in life. Most people want to... Read More
Back when I owned an inventory-based business, one of my... Read More
Small business owners often enter their field with great expectations.... Read More
Maximum efficiency in the cleaning industry is a key to... Read More
How much is your time really worth? Is it worth... Read More
Many auto detailers fall short in their sales presentations. I... Read More
Like most regulatory bodies in the United States, the Federal... Read More
Many government department heads are on the take. Oh they'll... Read More
The following are six essential skills to business success. You... Read More
I frequently give presentations at small business gatherings, providing me... Read More
Writing a business plan is a fundamental step to ensuring... Read More
Many have not experienced a fire up close. One year... Read More
As a teenager I worked for my father's small business.... Read More
If a customer owes your local business money, it's hard... Read More
It is estimated that 78% of all small business start-ups... Read More
What unspoken message are you sending your clients and customers?... Read More
The life cycle of the typical small business is short... Read More
The air in my client's office nearly crackled with her... Read More
Last week's question from Anthony R. on how to choose... Read More
It is an American dream to own a business. But... Read More
Many of us have noticed how some nearby communities seem... Read More
If you are a motorcycle detailer and need to expand... Read More
When is it a good thing to say no to... Read More
When deciding to host a fundraiser for your company or... Read More
The easiest way to lift profits is to cut the... Read More
Work smarter, not harderWhat is one of the best ways... Read More
Q: I really want to start my own business, but... Read More
One major issue not being addressed right now in the... Read More
Motivational author and speaker Jim Rohn says that for a... Read More
Someone new to business ownership recently told me, "Before I... Read More
I ran a franchise company for many years, a car... Read More
The book, "Become the Squeaky Wheel," by New Hampshire author... Read More
If you run a pressure washing company in a rural... Read More
Manufactured and Mobile Home owners know that the weather this... Read More
Yes, that IS security when nobody can downsize you because... Read More
A common hazard faced by new entrepreneurs is a lack... Read More
Everyday more web based companies enter the business scene. The... Read More
Q: I'm curious. What is the dumbest business question you've... Read More
As stability emerges in the Middle East there will be... Read More
How do you find the best business partners?Finding a good... Read More
Small Business |