by Soma Jurgensen on January 18, 2012

As the business world becomes more and more competitive, attention for your small business will continue to become more challenging. Many new, small business owners are turning to locally based businesses to fulfill their dreams and support their livelihoods. At the same time, consumer attention is a scarcity in this era, thus local internet marketing can’t be ignored.

If small business owners want to know where potential customers are they should follow the money—through the Internet. Seventy-five percent of businesses are spending between 3 to 10 percent of marketing revenue on the Internet.[i] This revenue is allocated to online channels because that is where customers are actively looking for brands, vendors, and businesses to meet their needs.

You don’t need an Internet Marketing degree to be successful at integrating your business through online channels. All you have to do is stay informed through research, and keep a few tips in the back of your mind. To be successful in local internet marketing keep these five do’s and don’ts top of mind:

1. Don’t ignore the internet and rely solely on word of mouth advertising.
· Do empower new customers to find you and expand your business.

2. Don’t “throw up” a website.
· Do plan your site’s architecture carefully.

3. Don’t restrict your web presence to Twitter and Facebook.
· Do integrate your website and LinkedIn to your internet marketing mix.

4. Don’t ignore local search engine optimization or overemphasize it.
· Do keep searchers, your potential customers, in mind at all times; then make sure they can find you.

5. Don’t count on happy accidents.
· Do plan for growth through lead generation and conversion.

Don’t ignore the Internet and rely solely on word of mouth advertising

Referrals are a measure of customer satisfaction and loyalty. They are also a highly profitable lead source. However; if you rely solely on customer referrals and ignore the potential of the Internet, then you are actually taking power from potential customers. Think of it this way –word of mouth is centered on you – your business and your current customers. Marketing professionals recognize that generating revenue growth is about centering efforts on the customer. Don’t ignore word of mouth, but empower customers that are not a personal connection to find your business.

Don’t “throw up” a website

I’ve heard small business owners say, “We better ‘throw up’ a website.” The thought is as unappealing as it is ineffective. It is fairly inexpensive to start a website and very easy to change a url. However, an element that determines how high your site ranks in search engine results is the age of the site. Designing your site correctly the first time ensures you can build on your search engine optimization efforts and not spend time on constant rework. Usability should be paramount in your information architecture. This website gives great tips to design a site with the user’s needs in mind.

Don’t restrict your web presence to Twitter and Facebook

Although great tools, Twitter and Facebook are only two pieces of the Internet Marketing puzzle. Twitter is great for supporting short event announcements or linking to relevant resources, whereas Facebook can serve as a forum for customers, and even lead to customer acquisition. One additional tool that should not be ignored is LinkedIn. LinkedIn offers some great tools for local businesses. Set up a Company Page and claim it to begin building your business. The page will display the details you’ve entered, and also compile information from other sources. Perhaps you’ve posted job openings…LinkedIn’s page will gather them for you. Most exciting is how this Company Page tool compiles mentions about your company that have been shared in the press. Monitor the information written by and about your company to ensure you are projecting the brand you intend to potential customers.

Don’t ignore or overemphasize local search engine optimization

If you are wondering how to pick the right keywords to attract local customers, there are great resources on the web. WebTiger’s blog has some great articles that delve into the topic. There is a danger of overemphasizing keywords – deemed “keyword stuffing”—which can actually push potential customers away and have a negative impact on your search engine ranking. Do not forget that your whole purpose is to appeal to the needs of consumers. All your marketing communication, including online, should have your end user top of mind.

Don’t count on happy accidents

There is a lot that can happen in your favor thanks to tools like Google Places. If searchers enter your business name often enough, and your website has your location on the home page, it will start appearing in local search results. Although this happy accident will draw potential customers to your site, there is no replacement for intentional marketing. To make the most of local search services, register and claim your business on sites like Google Places, Yahoo! Local, Citysearch, and Local.com. It’s worth the nominal cost to ensure your listing has a business description, photos, categories, and any videos that you capture to promote your product or service. Each site has clear instructions to help the first time user.

These five steps will set you on the road to a local Internet marketing paradigm that will turn searchers into leads who may convert to your new customers.

About the Author: Soma Jurgensen is the Program Chair for the School of Business at Rasmussen College. In addition to teaching upper division business classes in the Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, she’s responsible for growing and promoting the business program at the Brooklyn Park, MN College.