| You know who and why now we can take a look at how they will find you online!. |
kay, you know who your customers are and you know why you want them to be the customer you focus on, now it is time to look at how they will find you. One of the most cruical and perhaps over looked part of being online is keyword research.
In case you don't know what a keyword is it is simply a word and/or phrase that someone types into a browser using a search engine.
for example: Internet Explorer (or Firefox) is your browser, Google is your search engine - google.co.uk - the words your potential customer types into that box is what you need to focus on and are traditionally known online as "keywords"
Which keywords you should use online is not something you can guess at - you need proof to make sure people are searching each month. Doing this research is known as "keyword research"
Every day thousands of local businesses pay out hundreds or thousands of their hard earned money to develop a website without knowing who they want to find them, why they want to be found or even what their keywords are. My first web designer never bothered to ask me - he took my money and developed an attractive site that did nothing for my business.
You hit the online jackpot when you can get this local keyword research right and combine it with some other easy to do on page and off page optimisation techniques that help the search engines ensure they choose your site in the first 3-5 results when someone searches.
Local Keyword Research Basics
The keywords you use will be based upon the number of people searching. For example
If you typed in "car mechanic in North London" and you found out 50 people use that phrase each month you might think that is the best phrase to use on your site
"XYZ is the best car mechanic in North London"
But what if you did some local keyword research on the phrase "mechanic North London" and found out that 1800 people typed that in instead - it makes sense that you want to do your best to rank for that keyword.
The only trouble is it makes it a little harder to write a sentence that makes sense "XYZ is the best mechanic North London" does not read as well. Plus there will be a large number of other mechanics in North London fighting for the top spots. That doesn't make it impossible for you - just might take a little longer and a little more work.
You search again and find "mechanics in N19" : This phrase is being typed in 287 times a month by people searching for a mechanic in that particular part of North London- and it happens to be where your garage is based!
You can also use it online to help you rank for it "XYZ garage is based in North London, if you are looking for mechanics in N19 that you can trust ....."
So which one do you use? Well the truth is you use a combination of all three and you work to get ranked no matter which of the three people type in. It will be easier to get ranked for the first and may take longer for the third but the more you persist the more likely it will happen.
Starting Your Keyword Research
The best tool available for local keyword research in the UK right now is the Google Adwords tool, which brings up local search information.
Go to https://adwords.google.co.uk/select/KeywordToolExternal
Here is an actual example of an image I took for "florist in Camden" which had 28 searches in one month. Now look at "florists in Camden" slightly higher at 36 - but look further down the page and you will see "camden florist" at 260 keywords a month.
Your aim will be to get found for all three and to rank highly for the last one. As local keyword research for the UK improves I will make sure I share that with you but for right now the Google Adwords tool is our best free keyword tool right now.
Your web presenece matters
Your web presence plays a huge part in your local search marketing plan and if you don't have one you can use the Site Build It Local Business package to help you build one that will get you found locally.
Site Build It have their own built in keyword research tool which will help you get an accurate picture of local keyword research and what is happening locally when it comes to people looking for your business.
Don't want to build it yourself? There are options
You can get hold of the Site Build It Local Business package and then get myself and/or my team of mothers to build it for you. We have experience of doing that and all you need to do is book 12 hours of time. Click here to find out more.
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