Local Business Search for SEO

I've always been a big fan of Google's Local Business Listings. They're free, easy to set up, can connect you with people who want to do business locally and can give you a hand up the search engine results.

So how do they work? Well, very briefly, if someone searches for a business or service with a geographic location, Google will return relevant local business results above the regular natural or organic listings. This is a quick win in terms of optimisation for a local market as it can take weeks to reach the first page of Google naturally.

This image shows local business results for internet marketing near Belfast.

Viewers have the option of clicking through to the company's website or reading their complete profile.

Perhaps the most valuable feature of local search is the customer reviews. Research has shown that consumers appreciate this information being presented as they are searching for a product or supplier. If the reviews are positive it could make them contact you instead of a competitor (Don't nip off and add a fake review now - I'll tell you why in the next post).

We recommend that businesses create a company profile that will include a search engine friendly description, company logo, opening hours photos, company videos etc, anything that will differentiate you from your competitors and make you stand out.

Watch this video to learn how to add your business listing.

Patent Attorneys Belfast

When Belfast based Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys Hanna-IP asked us to prepare and implement their search engine marketing strategy, they opened our eyes to the complex world of Intellectual Property (IP), Patents, Trademarks & Copyright and got us thinking about how Intellectual Property can be used to gain competitive advantage.

From a marketing perspective, the strategic use of IP can help businesses:

• Expand into new markets using the patented technology they already own
• Increase IP revenue streams by licensing their existing patents to third parties
• Reduce R&D costs by using foreign competitors' successful patents that do not extend to the UK & Ireland
• Protect their brand and their right to trade in new territories by registering their trade mark
• Extend their design rights to new/alternative products
• Identify design partners that may licence their successful design

From competitor analysis to design and copyright issues almost every business could benefit from an IP audit and having met Hanna IP we firmly believe that every marketing department should consider consulting a Patent & Trade Mark attorney when preparing their marketing plan.

Visit www.hannaip.com