Marilyn Johnson’s Baby Lovers Ad Up For Sale
Local Ad rankings used to be printed inside the newspaper. While they are still used in these classifieds, they are considered a dying sector of the newspaper industry.
How to get off the food chain of local search
* Do not count ads that are similar to the general category search. This shows that the local business is competing directly with other competitors in its market.
* Do not use spot-price paid listings, unless the business is, for example, a real estate agent. It is impossible to know their costs, or any connection to the business they are listed with.
* To eliminate areas where there is no need, use paid search advertisements or sponsored links where possible.
Two ranks that are not necessary
* Suburban Spotlight a general listing category): These popular listings were popular decades ago, but today are easy to find on the web and many people no longer depend on them. In a newspaper, some suburban businesses still want to be highlighted, but most people have started using the web or a smartphone app to look up the company and prices.
* The Style section: The Style section is a collection of names, businesses, and people that people have heard about, but are not necessarily customers. It is also recommended to eliminate if you are the same small business as the entire category is, because competition and marketing makes it unlikely anyone would want to add this. Plus, a restaurant or a shop does not need to be a part of the Styles, and people with the same name as an entire category should not be included.
Top ranking factors
* Articles are the single most important local search criteria, and you can see this in the rankings. When the community knows someone loves your business, it makes them willing to buy your products or help you with customer questions. This ties back to the work you do and your experience.
* Website or social media pages have two related advantages. The first is that people can see your business is available, because you are listed on search. The second is that more people will want to read more about your business.
* Social media mentions have little to no effect. People may see these posts to gain a better idea of your business, but they may not plan to buy something because the post is positive.
Local ranking opportunities
* Events. Setting up yourself for local rankings by promoting and participating in community events is the easiest way for your business to be visible in online searches. For example, you might be hosting an event in the area or perhaps need to list a few or all of your events.
* Review advertisements or other ads. If you need to generate leads or sell someone a particular product, then help people learn more about your business. If they are looking for something specific, they may be more likely to buy something from your business than they would from a site that is just similar to yours.
* Local search is making people easier to find. If you have an innovative product that people cannot find anywhere else, the people in your area, because they are active in online forums and social media, are likely to seek out your product, so use local search to get a head start.
* Doing more with your website. If your website has simple, attractive photos, an easy to navigate site and good content, then you might want to update it to make it relevant to local search. Adding useful information that people can find easily will increase your ranking in search engines.
* Running contests and giveaways. You can increase your exposure by offering an enticing contest or giveaway. Give people the chance to win something they may want or need by posting these giveaways on your website and on social media. This is a popular way to capture people’s attention and keep them interested in your business.
* Listing on social media. Creating an account on social media can help you highlight your business in search engines. You can often get ideas by looking through your competitors’ accounts. Many are savvy on how to craft their content, which helps them to perform well in these rankings.
Source: Florida Marketers