Searches that make me go hmmm….

Posted by Laura Bergells

December 14, 2006

I live in the mid-sized city known as Grand Rapids, Michigan.

So imagine my surprise when I did a Google search for “web marketing Grand Rapids”….and found 1,270,000 million pages indexed for the term! Seriously, there aren’t that many marketing firms in GR, much less those of us who specialize in the fine art of WEB marketing!!

(I run the Maniactive site. So I was pleased to see my ‘lil company come up #3 in the search.)

If you’re a local business and you’re not in Google local search….why not?

After all, it is free and easy…and it will increase your reach.

And hey: why is there so much competition on Google, when in the real world…there’s not much competition for what I do in Grand Rapids, Michigan?

Part of the answer lies in the amount of directories that DO know how to get a good listing in Google….who will turn around and sell it to local companies that DON’T.

Don’t let this happen to you!

Wouldn’t it make more sense for a local business to register…for free… with Google local search?

I mean, before they let their ad agency (that doesn’t specialize in WEB marketing) sell them an ad on a directory site…hosted in Nigeria?

Don’t get me wrong — I like many directory sites and find many of them very useful. Hey, I was a even a DMOZ editor years ago!

But seriously.

Nigeria?

Weigh the cost and usefulness and anticipated traffic from the directory site before you buy an ad program.

And consider getting a higher-powered (and free) Google listing first.