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Most consumers look for businesses online these days, and according to one expert, that’s putting many small, local shop owners in a financial bind. That’s because local shop owners aren’t used to advertising their business online, but most have relied on the Yellow Pages and local newspapers to get the word out about their business.
But times have changed, and according to a spokesman from FindUsLocal.com, a USA business directory that uses GEO technology to match the results visitors see with their location, local shop owners need to modernize their marketing efforts in order to stay relevant in today’s online world. “Today’s consumers use local directories to find USA business listings, and if a business can’t be found there, it will likely lose out on a lot of sales,” he says.
And the studies back up his claims. According to Google, 70 percent of people who search for a business do so online. And of those that use their smart phone to find the business, 50 percent visit the store on the same day that they conduct the search. And all those searches lead to sales. The Google survey says that 18 percent of all searches on USA business directories lead to a sale.
“In other words,” says the spokesman, “If a local shop can’t be found in an online business directory, they are missing out on the 70 percent of consumers who search online for places to do business with. That’s huge, and it explains why so many local businesses are struggling.”
He recommends signing for a free listing at FindUsLocal.com, and then directing all customers there to leave a review. “When reviews come in, it causes a bump in the search engine rankings because it’s seen as fresh content,” he says. “And the higher the rankings, the better chance small, local shops have of being seen.”
About FindUsLocal: FindUsLocal uses GEO location technology in visitor’s browsers to construct a home page focused on their city, town or community. Right there on the front page, they’ll find local weather, sports results for their favorite teams, announcements of the top musical acts and events coming to their city, as well as viral content such as a daily quote, inspirational quotes, and a funny name for the day that has people checking in often. Smart business owners list their businesses on the site to be seen by those who are specifically looking for businesses in their local area.
Release ID: 185867