While the internet has changed the way customers find products and services, it hasn’t replaced the average in-person company. Companies that rely on a storefront or in-person conversations can still attract business, because a great deal of business is still completed in person. What the internet has changed is how people find those companies. This is what’s known as “local search.”
Local Search Marketing for Accountants and Other Small Businesses
Local search is the act of using a search engine to find local businesses. For example, if I want to find a coffee shop in New York, I search for “coffee new york.” If you scroll down the page, you see several coffee shops and lists of coffee shops that show up for that keyword. Because of the way Google works, I may not even have to add the words “New York.” Depending on the industry, Google will actually tailor my search results to my location.
So companies that still need local customers aren’t necessarily losing business. But in order to find that business, companies need to have enough of an online presence that they rank as high as possible for relevant local keywords. Without that online presence, the company will not be able to attract new clients.
An example of an industry that is in desperate need of local search content marketing is the accounting industry. Right now, accountants are being replaced by easy to file online software. Local accountants can still succeed, but only if you’re able to attract business from what is otherwise a smaller pool of potential customers. That means that you need to show up well in local search, and attract as many potential new clients as possible from the individuals using the internet to research accountants (and other businesses) in the area.
Local Search Marketing Tactics for Accountants
Accounting is actually a great industry for local search marketing tactics. That’s because not only do people need accountants – they also need help answering their tax questions. By catering to local search using traditional content marketing techniques – such as informational articles – you can also attract local clients that didn’t realize they needed an accountant, and were simply searching for help with their tax questions.
This applies to many different industries. Pest control, home repair – any company that needs local customers benefits from effective content marketing strategies, and since competition is generally low in every field, there is a high probability that your content marketing efforts will have a powerful effect on your ability to attract new business. Contact Great Leap Studios today to learn more about local search and content marketing.
