Local Search

When’s the last time you looked in the phone book before you went out to buy something? Most people these days are heading online to Google and other search engines, or Yelp and other consumer review sites, to find businesses in their area.

Recent studies show:

  • 82% of local searchers follow up offline via an in-store visit, phone call or purchase (TMP / comScore)
  • 66% of American use online local search, like Google local search to locate local businesses (TMP / comScore / proprietary average))
  • 61% of local searches result in purchases (TMP / comScore)
  • 35% of all searches are local (DM News)
  • 25% of internet searches have a purely local, commercial focus (Kelsey-Bizrate)

Businesses >5 Locations

Prospects To Go has set up a separate practice completely devoted to local search for large entities. Our Local Search Partner handles online identity management and mobile marketing for institutions, governments, chains and franchises, non-profits and their agencies.

Businesses <5 Locations

Prospects To Go offers a la carte help or full-service packages to get your company found online. We specialize in fixing incorrect listings.

Our goal is to achieve a first-page local/map listing for your primary product or service in each location on the three major search engines - Google, Yahoo and Bing.

Our set-up services include:

  • Keyword research to determine what keywords your best customers are typing in to the search engines to find you.  
  • Competition analysis to determine which categories to submit to for the most traffic.
  • Creating a master listing template in exactly the correct format the search engines want it in, ensuring full inclusion, especially for businesses with multiple locations.
  • Submitting or optimizing your current local business listing(s) in the Maps section of three largest search engines: Google, Yahoo! and MSN Bing.
  • Submitting your business-listing information to data aggregators powering many other local-search providers including:
    • Online Yellow Pages (Superpages, Yellowpages) from all the various carriers like AT&T, Comcast, Qwest and Verizon.
    • Portals and Guides such as AOL, CitySearch, Merchant Circle, Kudzu and more, many with consumer reviews.
    • Mobile listing services for cell phones (BlackBerry and iPhone)
    • 411 Directory Assistance – even if you don’t have a traditional business line or Yellow pages ad
    • GPS mapping services – Garmin, Onstar, Magellin, Toyota, BMW, Chrysler, Ford, TeleAtlas and many more.
  • Submitting or optimizing business listings on Facebook and Yelp and LinkedIn-BtoB only
  • Creating custom landing pages for each of your business locations optimized for keywords and geographic searches.
  • Submitting or optimizing your listing in at least two location-based services, such as Facebook Places and Foursquare.
  • Submitting or optimizing your listings with hyperlocal sources. In Marin County where Prospects To Go is located, this could include MarinCountyGuide.com,  Marin.org, MarinCountyDirectory.com, Telli.com, etc.
After we boost your online presence, you may want to continue working with us for maintenance services:
  • Monthly reporting on search engine ranking and, as applicable, traffic statistics.
  • Creating review campaigns to encourage customers to review your business online.
  • Creating monthly promotions and social media campaigns to drive traffic and build a following for your business
  • Inbound link building to attract customers from other sites.
  • Continuing local-search optimization as needs arise. For instance if an aggressive new company enters your space, we'll have to tweak our strategy to keep top positions.

For more information or for a customized plan for your business, please contact us.