1.      Introduce yourself and tell us about your position at Network Solutions®?

Hi, I am Svetlana West, Product Manager for Online Marketing Services at Network Solutions®. My job focuses on providing affordable online marketing solutions to small businesses that are looking to grow online and get found by potential customers searching the Internet for products and services they want to buy. Our services range from Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising and Local Search Visibility that deliver quick results through targeted online marketing campaigns to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Online Press Releases and Email Marketing that grow the visibility of a Website over time and keep customers coming back to your Website.

2.      How is local search marketing different from regular search engine marketing?

Local search marketing is a component of search engine marketing. Customers looking for local businesses online type search queries that include not only the “what” (e.g., a product name) but also the “where” such as street address, zip code or city name. Thus, “lawyer in New York” or “pizza restaurant in Manhattan” are examples of local searches. Local search marketing can be very effective as it targets customers in a specific geographic area.

Local search marketing can be as simple as creating a business listing in the Internet yellow pages such as Kudzu.com, for example. It can also be a Pay Per Click tactic that involves bidding on local keywords to have your ads appear prominently in the sponsored listings of search engines. You can also optimize your Website with keywords that are local in content, thus attracting visitors from your geographic area of service.

3.      Which are the best local directories to submit to? 

The big names come to mind – Google® Maps, Yahoo!® Local, MSN® Local, AOL® Local, YellowPages.com®, Superpages.com®, Citysearch®, etc. We also have our own Network Solutions ® local directory called ThinkLocal™ with over 17 million businesses listed. It is a good idea to submit to as many directories as possible to ensure that you are reaching out to your potential customers who favor various places when it comes to searching for local businesses online. You will also gain an added benefit of multiple links pointing back to your Website, which is an important factor in achieving higher search engine rankings.

The submission process to individual directories can be time-consuming. That is why, services that submit your listings automatically to the various directories, without you having to visit hundreds of sites, are a cost-effective and convenient way to blast your local information to hundreds of directories out there.

4.      How does local search interact with properties like Google Maps and MapQuest?

Internet users can look for local information in two ways. They can go directly to the search engine such as Google and type what they are looking for. If a local qualifier such as a zip code is entered, Google will return local business results. Alternatively, users can go directly to Google Maps or MapQuest and look for local businesses there. Results similar to the search engine page will be returned here. Each listing will be flagged on the map. The “More info” link provides more information about each business, including customer reviews.

5.      I’ve noticed Yahoo!® Local includes user ratings, how do these impact my listing?

User ratings for local business listings are attractive to both potential customers and search engines. Customers can learn more about your business and its offerings from user ratings and reviews. Search engines view user reviews as additional content that is directly related to your business, which helps move your Website rank upwards in the search results.

As a business owner, it is a good idea to keep an eye on the type of ratings and reviews that you get online. If you happen to receive a negative review, try to reach out directly to that customer and understand why they were unhappy with the service or product. You may even be able to turn them into one of your company advocates.

6.      Network Solutions® has a new tool for Local Search Marketing, can you tell us a little about it?

We are very excited about our Local Search Visibility service. This service is your gateway into the world of local search marketing. You enter your business information into a simple, one-step form. With a click of a button, this information is syndicated to our network of more than a hundred local online directories, including Google® Maps, Yahoo!® Local, MSN® Local, YellowPages.com, Kudzu.com and many more. Your business listing can be as detailed as you want to make it, including company description, products and services, brands, hours of operation, payment methods, etc. This service is priced at $39.95 a month with no setup fees.  

Our service comes with a keyword suggestion tool that automatically prompts keywords that are popular on the Internet and should be included in your business profile. The Delivery Center tracks the status of your submissions and provides links to directory and search engine listings as they become available. The on-demand reporting tracks the performance of your Website and business listing in the top search engines and business directories, day by day.

7.      What is the average cost for local search marketing?

You can create local business listings in places like Google Maps and YellowPages.com free of charge. However, it takes time. If any of your information changes later, you will have to update each individual listing, one at a time, which is a tedious process. Therefore, it is often a good idea to take advantage of services similar to Local Search Visibility from Network Solutions that submits your information to over a hundred local online directories with a click of a button. You can come back and update your information in one place at any time. You can choose to pay for a service like this on a monthly basis. This will cost you anywhere from $20 to $70 a month. Or you can sign up for an annual plan that offers one, two or more months for free.

8.      Aside from submitting to local directories, do you have advice for a larger local marketing strategy?

If you target market is local, make sure that your Website is optimized for local search by selecting local keywords that will bring your site to the top of search results when someone is looking for products and services in your geographic area. It is also a good idea to complement your SEO efforts with a Pay Per Click campaign that targets local keywords as well. Your ads will only appear to customers entering local search terms.

Obtaining a local or 1-800 phone number that you can track is an excellent way to monitor the ROI on your local marketing campaigns. The number can be featured on your Website or included in your direct marketing materials. When a potential customer calls this number, the call is tracked and recorded. You can view the call details (e.g., origin, duration, etc.) as well as listen to the recording online.

When developing your marketing strategy, think big and think creative, but also don’t forget to take advantage of the people and resources right in your own community.