Through search engines and directories, the Internet provides a quick and easy place to choose a local merchant or business.
Just because the Internet is worldwide doesnt mean local businesses cant benefit from having a website and a presence in the search engines. Realizing the benefits of local searches Google recently launched Google Local. This feature allows searchers to enter in their zip code and search using keywords. When the results are returned they provide the address and phone number of the businesses. Google and MapQuest have partnered to provide maps and directions to the locations that are returned in the search. Yahoo, AOL and MSN also have local capabilities.
The Kelsey Group and ConStat have found that 70% of US households use the internet to shop for local products and services. http://www.imediaconnection.com/news/5319.asp
More and more people are turning to search engines and online yellow pages to search for local companies. A website allows for business owners to provide more information about their products and services than a full-page ad ever could.
An important update to make for your site is adding your physical address to your site pages, in the footer perhaps. This will ensure that the search engines indexing spider or bot pick up the address for inclusion in the search engine. Search engine optimization (SEO) is also important so that not only is your address being pulled for inclusion in local results, but your site is found for the correct terms that describe your business. SEO can be performed on an existing site or as part of the development of a site.
Alyssa Duvall is an . She provides proven results for Website promotion. More articles can be found at
This article may be freely reprinted as long as all links and author information remain.
In a recent study looking at the descriptions of website search engine listings, we have noticed that your main SERP listing is being manipulated by Alexa.com.
If you take your top key word search engine placement within Google and look at your websites description, you will notice something similar with other websites, the descriptions match those taken from Alexa.com!!!
Take a peek for yourself.
1 - Search for your top key word in Google (usually the first key phrase within your title tag).
2 - Now copy & paste this description in a note pad or word doc.
3 - Once you have this, go to: www.alexa.com
4 - Type in your url in the address bar
5 - Look at the description from Google and the description from Alexa, they should be an exact match.
NOTE: If you do not have a description in Alexa, Google will come up with its own version but in reality, wouldnt you want to be in control of your websites description within the SERPs
Not having a description in Alexa - Could it directly affect your Google search engine results
ABSOLUTELY ! ! !
I would suggest looking at your description in Alexa to make sure that it directly targets your top key phrase that you want performing well within Google.
Your Alexa description could very well determine better SERPS within Google! Google feeds results into Alexa which in turn updates information on website ranking. They are partnered up, why wouldnt they use each others results!
Alexas Description is the text book definition:
I dont blame Google for wanting to use these descriptions. Most descriptions in Alexa are the text book version of your companys description and are usually well written, and well thought out. This would give Google an advantage so that they can spend less time on delivering quality descriptions and more time delivering better results within their searches.
I really like this idea because if this were true across the board, Google would be giving the individual website owner more freedom to write a proper description for their SERPS without using it to spam or create false information. Again, it would have to be approved by Alexas team anyways, they probably wouldnt allow key word stuffing for their site as it is.
About The Author:
Martin Lemieux is the owner of the Smartads Advertising Network who helps to increase your business online and offline.
Smartads Internet Marketing:
Smartads Canada:
Copyright 2005 Smartads Advertising Network - Reprints accepted as long as the resource box & entire article remains the same.