Local Link Building Services

The power of link building is widely recognized and accepted as an important method of improving your search engine rankings. Website owners have become very focused on improving search engine rankings and the need for search engine optimization.

Even now, the emphasis is on global searches, but times are changing, and the value of local business from your website is becoming more recognized.

The decision by search engines to offer improved local searches by town or postcode requires a different approach to link-building.

Search engines often feature local links above all other links, so it is therefore vital to feature well in these searches.

The value of local searches can be difficult to monitor because it is a process where the user often looks for information on-line, without making any commitment at the time.

They find what they want on your website, and then take that information and complete the transaction off-line at your business premises. This transition from on-line to offline is difficult to monitor, and when clients arrive at your premises, you have very little idea of what drove them there. A lot of people shop on-line, but buy offline. In many cases, you don't even need to have a link; your company contact details would be enough!

Where did your clients come from before the internet; before search engines became all important and where are they now?

There can be little doubt that consumers are using the internet for their local information far more than traditional methods such as yellow pages and local publications.

Local Searches are making it easier for visitors to find businesses close by. Businesses that don’t or can’t operate by selling their products or services entirely through the internet suddenly have the power of search engines available to them. Businesses that don’t traditionally market their services through the internet are suddenly seeing the opportunities it has to offer.

Get Your Site featured in the Local Listings

We have done a lot of research into this new and rapidly changing area of search engines and have put together a strategy that will improve your ranking within the local searches.
Internet searches usually turn up websites that relate to the search terms you have selected. Local searches will give names, addresses and telephone number of businesses in your area that relate to the given search terms – EVEN BUSINESSES WITHOUT A WEBSITE. It is no longer enough to have a website. You need a website that has been carefully optimized to exploit the opportunities offered by local searches.

Some of the ways to do this include getting local links to your site:

• Search Engine listings – Google and MSN both offer local searches and it is important to be listed with these services.
• Local Business Organizations – Investigate the opportunities for links offered by organizations like your local Chamber of Commerce etc
• Local Newspapers etc – Local newspapers are feeling the pinch with fewer advertisers advertising in the traditional fashion, and now offer on-line directories which usually include a range of paid-for and free links. Have a look at what they have to offer, and don’t feel pressured into spending money. You don’t need a featured listing in every publication!
• Current Customers/Related Businesses – There must be other businesses and even customers who want their local town to prosper. Consider exchanging links with them.

Other ideas that may help improve your local ranking include:

• Introduce subtle changes to your web pages so that they fully reflect the “localness” of your website.
• If you spend money on advertising (Adwords etc) consider introducing local information into these
• Include detailed directions on how to reach your premises (naming as many local landmarks as possible)
• Display the name of your town and your physical address on all pages if possible.
• If you use a freephone number consider including telephone number with a local area dialling code if  possible

Local searches have definitely not been fully researched and refined by the search engines. New information and changes are constantly being introduced by the search engines and it is important to monitor and attempt to understand the thinking behind these changes.

There appears to be little doubt that Google is committed to improving their local search facility, and this surely means that the other search engines will be doing the same.