Last updated 9 months ago
Mobile devices, especially those with Web capabilities, are continuing to grow in popularity across the globe. In fact, at the beginning of 2012, there were more iPhones sold on average each day than people born on average each day. So, how does this surge in mobile device usage affect your local business?
The continued growth of mobile device ownership highlights the significant shift from traditional desktop browsing to a mobile lifestyle that creates tremendous opportunity for local information. Here are a few mobile statistics from our new ebook: “150 Smart Stats: Online Marketing Trends Every Business Needs to Know” that demonstrate why building and managing a mobile Web presence can help consumers find your local business when they are searching on the go for products and services like yours.
106 Million People in the U.S. Own a Smartphone.
With the number of people own smartphones in the U.S. constantly growing, now is the time to make sure your Web presence is optimized for mobile. Having a mobile-optimized presence will help you stay ahead of the curve as more people use the mobile Web to look for local products and services.
By 2015, Half of Internet Users will Own a Tablet.
Tablet usage is quickly growing among current Internet users. With tablets being lightweight and portable mobile devices, they give consumers more of an opportunity to engage with your business. And because they have larger screens than smartphones, tablets make it easy for consumers to view your videos and content.
85% of People Use a Tablet or Smartphone While Watching TV.
And what’s even more surprising is that 66% of people use a tablet or phone while on a computer while watching TV. So, because consumers are spending a large percentage of time multitasking across various devices at the same time, it is essential for your business to market to people on all of the places they access the Web. It’s also critical to make your messaging consistent across all of your marketing, both online and offline, in order to effectively build your brand with consumers.
By the Year 2016, Mobile will Overtake PC for Local Searches.
Today, three out of five consumers use a smartphone to search for a local business. By developing a mobile marketing strategy now, you can ensure that potential customers can find you when they search via mobile today, and help your business prepare for when mobile becomes even more prominent in the search for local business.
66% of Smartphone Owners Use Phones to Make Purchasing Decisions.
Smartphones enable consumers to make informed and smart purchasing decisions like never before. That’s because now, information and recommendations are in the palm of their hands, at the point of purchase. In fact, 66% of smartphone owners have used their phones to aid them while shopping. That’s why it’s so critical to make sure your business has a visible mobile presence. Also, it’s important to monitor your online reputation and keep your business information up to date so that no matter how consumers find information about you, your presence is always optimized.
What do you think about mobile access to information as a consumer, and as a business owner? What mobile stats did you find the most surprising? To see more stats like this, download our latest ebook, “150 Smart Stats: Online Marketing Trends Every Business Needs to Know,” and let us know what you think in a comment!
About the Author
Tara Banda writes about how small business owners can reach local customers through online marketing for the ReachLocal blog. You can connect with her on Twitter.
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Last updated 9 months ago
ReachLocal has announced the availability of ReachRetargeting™, an innovative online advertising solution that builds brand awareness with interested consumers by showing them a banner ad as they surf the Web. The first solution of its kind, ReachRetargeting combines two powerful technologies — search retargeting and site retargeting — to show your display ad to people who have searched for keywords related to your business as well as to people who have visited your website. Here’s an overview of how ReachRetargeting works and the benefits it delivers to local businesses like yours.
How Search Retargeting Works
Search retargeting shows your display ad to new prospects who have searched for keywords related to your business type, products, or services, such as “children’s braces” or “orthodontist,” but don’t necessarily contact you immediately. By repeatedly showing your ad to these interested prospects, search retargeting familiarizes them with your brand, so they remember you when they are ready to make a purchase.
How Site Retargeting Works
Sometimes referred to as remarketing, site retargeting is a cost-effective way to keep your business top of mind with prospects who have visited your website and therefore are already familiar with your brand, products, and services. Site retargeting works with any type of marketing, including search advertising and display advertising, search engine optimization, and traditional offline advertising, to drive more ROI from all your advertising efforts.
A Unique Combination
By combining these two targeting techniques, our ReachRetargeting technology identifies and targets consumers who have shown purchase intent or consideration for your products and services based on their online behavior. Because it pinpoints people at the exact time they are looking to buy, ReachRetargeting is a powerful way to reach more consumers who are in the market for your products and services and keep your business top of mind.
How can ReachRetargeting help your business? Visit our website to learn more.
Last updated 9 months ago
How much can you learn about online marketing in 40 days? Well, I spent the past eight weeks interning in the marketing department at ReachLocal. And although I already had an understanding of online marketing, this experience taught me just how valuable online marketing is for small businesses.
The first thing that I learned working at ReachLocal is that there is a lot more to online marketing than just pay per click advertising. While it is an important part, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. I discovered that all aspects of online marketing are equally as important for local businesses, even more so now that newspapers, directory books, and print advertising are quickly becoming a thing of the past. And now, consumers are relying more and more on the Internet to search for local information – and even buy products and services.
But, I also learned that the online marketing landscape is complex, involving many different important tactics. And small businesses can’t do everything themselves. They need marketing experts to help them turn consumers into customers so they can focus on running their business.
Consumers are Going Online, and So is Local Marketing
In the past, small businesses focused their marketing strategies on yellow pages, print ads, billboards, buses, or even television ads. But today, in the age of smart phones, tablets, and laptops, more consumers are turning to the Internet to find information, making it an essential way to advertise locally. In fact, by the year 2016, local searches on mobile devices are predicted to overtake those on desktop computers.
Well-organized online directories have made the process of finding a local business shift from picking up a five pound yellow book and looking through hundreds of pages, , to being just a couple of clicks away. Social media and review sites have also made word-of-mouth – one of the most effective forms of advertising – more powerful than ever. When people are searching for products and services, they now use search engines like Google first. Together, these consumer trends paint a very powerful picture of just how important it is for every local business to have an active presence across the Web – from search engines to directories to social media sites and beyond.
The Online Marketing Landscape is Diverse
So, how can small businesses create an active Web presence? Small businesses need a range of online marketing tactics and tools to build their brand and get more customers. Here are some of the top online marketing strategies small businesses should consider:
Search Engine Advertising – When a consumer searches for products or services, search engine advertising helps a small business get their business in front of that consumer. This is one of the best places to start your online marketing strategy, but in today’s diverse digital landscape, it doesn’t stand alone.
Web Marketing – This is the process of helping local businesses build their brand and reach customers through organic search listings, an active social media presence, a positive online reputation, and consumer engagement. Social media is an incredibly powerful form of communicating, sharing news, and connecting with consumers. Having a strong social media presence can help a business reach consumers who are already active on social networking sites.
Display Advertising – Display advertising is an important way to build your brand across the Web where consumers are surfing online. And with a technology called retargeting, display advertising becomes an incredibly powerful tool for marketing your business online. Through retargeting, your business’ display ads are put in front of consumers who have either searched for your business keywords online, or have visited your website, boosting your visibility online and keeping your business top of mind when they decide to purchase.
Local Online Marketing Companies Can Help Small Businesses Get More from Their Marketing
In my time at ReachLocal, I came to understand that online marketing plays a vital role in the success of a local business. But, it isn’t as easy as it may seem. Many small business owners don’t have the time or expertise to market themselves across all these places and get the most out of online marketing. By working with a company that not only has advanced software and strategies, but also offers teams of marketing experts, small businesses can market themselves online – and focus their efforts on running their business.
Looking back, I realize that I thought I knew marketing, but my experience at ReachLocal opened my eyes to an online marketing world that I had never seen before. Not only do companies like ReachLocal have advanced online marketing products and services, but they have smart people with expertise in online marketing to back it up. And with a little help, small businesses can take their online marketing to the next level to reach more customers than ever online.
About the Author
Kelly McCormick interned this summer in the marketing department at ReachLocal. He is currently studying marketing and advertising at Texas State University in San Marcos, TX.
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Last updated 9 months ago
We are proud to announce that Josh Claman has joined the ReachLocal family as our new Chief Revenue Officer. Josh comes to ReachLocal from Dell, where he served in several executive sales leadership and general management roles over the past 10 years. Most recently, he was Dell’s Vice President and General Manager of the Public and Large Enterprise Business in the Americas.
With more than 25 years of experience building and leading multi-billion dollar sales and service organizations across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, Josh will report to ReachLocal President Nathan Hanks.
Josh attended the Advanced Management Program at Oxford University and received his Master of Business Administration from the University of South Carolina and Bachelor of Arts from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
We are excited to welcome Josh to ReachLocal, and we look forward to him leading our next phase of growth.
Last updated 9 months ago
As a local business owner, you know it’s important to market your business online so that you can be found by local consumers. But, it’s also important to know how sites like the Google search engine work and how to conduct searches that can help you – as a business owner and a consumer – find the information you want and need.
To help you become a better searcher, Google has put together a series of six online courses aimed at helping small business owners do just that, complete with video lessons and activities to practice what you learned. Here are a few lessons from the courses to help you learn a little more about how Google search works and how to get more out of it as a searcher. For more in-depth information, make sure to check out the entire program on Google’s power searching site.
How Google Search Works
What exactly happens when you conduct a search on Google? From spiders to indexing to PageRank, this video from Matt Cutts illustrates the process to help you better understand exactly how Google search works.
The Art of Keyword Choices
When you search something on Google, how do you choose the keywords you want to search in order to get the best results? This is a critical skill to learn in order to become a more effective searcher – and it’s important to understand how consumers are selecting keywords when they search for local businesses. This video recommends three simple tips for picking the right term to conduct a search on:
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Think about what you’re trying to find
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Choose words you think will appear on the page
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Put yourself in the mindset of the author of those words
Reading the Search Engine Results Page (SERP)
Have you ever heard or seen the term “SERP”? This stands for search engine results page, and it’s the result you will see after tying a search term into Google. This video offers more information on understanding SERPs and how to read them.
These are just a few of the informational resources that Google has put together to educate people about getting more out of search. Check out their entire course to get even more details and become a Google Power Searcher.
Do you have a favorite Google search tip or trick you use? Share your insights in a comment!
