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Driving Business with Local Search

Your Customers ARE Looking For You!

Small businesses are the lifeblood of countries all over the world. In the USA, small businesses are generally defined by the SBA (US Small Business Association) as those that have:

• 500 or fewer employees
• US$7 million or less in annual receipts

There are an estimated 29.6 million small businesses in the United States, and they:

• Employ just over half of the country’s private sector workforce
• Represent 97.3% of all the exporters of goods
• Represent 99.7% of all employer firms
• Generate a majority of the innovations that come from United States companies

Similarly, the EU defines them as those having fewer than 250 employees, and up to €50 million in annual revenue. There are 23 million enterprises, providing 75 million jobs:

• 91% of all EU businesses have 1-9 employees ("Micro")
• 7% have 10-49 employees
• 1% have 50-250 employees
• 1% are defined as "large enterprises"
• Over 2/3 of all private sector jobs across the continent

For the business owner, it has never been more important to be found in their local town, city or region for people who are already looking for them. Over 60% of us prefer to do business with a local business in our own neighborhood. This includes all kinds of “wallet-ready” businesses such as auto repair shops, electricians, hair salons, attorneys, restaurants, and so on. Each of these businesses has plenty of local competition. Furthermore, competition for placement on the search engines is stiff.

Small businesses drive the bulk of the economy in the world, and most of us prefer to do business with one in our neighborhood. We develop a personal relationship with these owners, and it’s easier to travel to their office. The search engines are a rich source of free leads to a smart business owner’s front door, and they provide many free or inexpensive ways to get ahead of your competition on the next block.

How can a business stand out and easily be found by those who are searching for them?

Read the following articles to help you drive your business through Local Search.