Have you ever thought about a service or product that you needed and the first thing you do is run to Google?

You type in the words and let Google handle the rest -

“Marketing near me.”

Well, you are not alone. In fact, your customers (current and potential) are using the same Google search methods that you do to find products and services near them. With Google, the opportunities are endless.

Did you know that 46% of all Google Searches are looking for local or ‘near me’ information? 

What is Near Me Technology

Over the last five years, there has been a 500% increase in ‘Near Me’ mobile searches. That is a lot!

Although an online presence is crucial for marketing your small, local business. It is not always clear on how to build a presence for generic terms related to your business. 

Every business owner hopes that Google ranks their business high when a potential customer searches for a business like yours. It may seem like you don’t have any control over your ranking, or you are just unsure on how it works. However, what if there was something that you could do yourself to help your business become easier to find. 

Well, no worries.

 Stradigi is here. 

‘Near Me’ searches are searches that are dependent on the user’s location. This search is typically conducted by someone who is ready and able to make a purchase right now. There is an urgency for them to get what they need, when they need it.

• Even if you don’t add ‘Near Me’ to the end of your search, Google will still detect your location and show any local results it finds.

Google will use the searcher's current location (through their VPN) and will perform the search through a radius of 25 miles near them for the best results geared towards their search. Google ensures that they will deliver the results by distance nearest to them. 

How?

Now that you see how important Near Me technology is, you are probably asking, how do I do this? Well, first you need to make sure that your website and Google My Business Profile are properly optimized. 

Here are some of the best ways to ensure optimization -

1. Update and Optimize your Google Business Profile page listing 

• This is your address, hours of operation, phone number, reviews, photos, and other information that is shown on your profile listing.
• Failure to update this information results in failed results. An example of this would be having an inaccurate address on your profile. When someone performs a ‘Near Me’ search, Google will search for addresses closest to the user's location. If your location is in a different city or state, it will never reach the intended users' search results. 

2. Mobile friendly website

• The majority of Google searches are performed on a mobile device. This means that your website needs to be mobile responsive so that you aren't appearing differently on mobile devices vs. desktop devices. Google indexes pages based on the mobile site.

3. Encourage Reviews!

• Although reviews can be feared by business owners, they provide valuable information to help support a potential customer in making a purchasing decision. 
• Google will also rank you higher for reviews containing information that you search. For example, if someone searches for “Marketing Near me” it will pull results from reviews that mention marketing. 

4. Include Keywords

• Although keywords can be complex, they are still CRUCIAL for ‘Near Me’ technology to work. 
• Although it sounds great for someone to pick your business, you don’t just want people to pick your business because you are close. You want a potential customer to pick you because you are relevant to their needs and have a product or solution that will help solve their problem.
• For example, your computer just broke and you need to get it fixed for work. You do a Google search for “computer repair near me.” A local computer repair service pops up at the top. They have their keywords on Google and highlighted below is “computer repair” in the title of their Google listing. In other words, using keywords in the title of your Google Profile listing and website will help you rank higher on Google.  

Tips

1. Don’t Get Discouraged

• Everything takes time. Don’t be discouraged if your ‘Near Me’ search results are taking a bit longer than expected. 
• Always consult with your marketing agency to help assist you in this process.

2. Seasonal Searches

• Just like everything else, some ‘Near Me’ searches have seasonal connections. 
• Using the Google Trends tool, I show how a seasonal search works. Notice how once a year Christmas tree searches spike! This is related to Christmas! It spikes every year in the same months. 
• ‘Near Me’ searches may be popular around certain times of the year only because of the product or service that you offer. 
• Don't get discouraged if your marketing, SEO, and Keyword strategies aren't helping your Christmas trees stay popular in the summer months!

3. Updates

• Updates to your Google Profile may take some time to refresh the new information. On average, it takes three months to update. 

Wow!

‘Near Me’ technology is fast growing, efficient, and user friendly. Although it can seem complicated, it can be very simple. 

With millions of users on Google everyday, why not rank higher and get more website traffic, leads, and credibility online? 

If you want to know more about ‘Near Me’ technology, contact us today. Here at Stradigi, we believe that ‘Near Me’ technology is an NEED, not a WANT.