0 Utilising Google in Your Local Search Marketing Strategy

Many businesses are looking for effective strategies to let everybody in the neighbourhood know that they offer products and services consumers need. There is no need to flood the streets with promotional flyers and covering the skyline with large billboards when you can have a website. No wonder, many businesses want to have their own websites so that they’ll be able to get more customers, sell more products, and gain greater online.

In a nutshell, if your business is listed in the first page of every Google searches made then your business gains greater online presence. With that local search presence, your business will have greater market opportunities.

Recently, the growing importance of search engine optimisation and online marketing has led to the use of Google’s powerful business tools: Google Maps, Google Adwords, and Google Places.

The Power of Google

Google provides a big boost to your local search and market exposure especially if your business is listed on the first page of a local search. In fact, Hitwise Online Competitive Intelligence Service mentioned in their 2010 survey that about 297,000 (9.9%) Australians visit Google every day. It is also the most visited Australian website with 619,500 visitors (20.65%).

Local search specialists capitalise the potential of Google’s marketing tools such as Google Maps, Google Places, and Google AdWords. Implementing an online marketing campaign using Google’s online tools will give your business a significant advantage in serving your local customers over your competitors.

Google Maps Optimisation – Using Google Maps is more than just putting direction to where your business is. In local search marketing, consumers always look for products and services that are being offered near their area. The fact is that Google now determines your location and provides the local service regardless of your search query. If you want to tap into the customers who are looking for the same line of business as yours, you really have to optimise your website for local search through Google Maps and Google Places.

Google Adwords Management – Choosing the right keywords is the key to catapulting your business website to the top of Google’s paid local search list. In local search, you have to anticipate what your customers will type in the Google search bar when they are looking for the products and services that they want. It is important to understand that your geographic location should be included when choosing the keywords to target for your online marketing campaign.

Google Places – Google’s all-in-one business tool is an online local business directory, a city map, and an advertising space rolled into one. Having a verified Google Places account helps prove that the business establishment listed in Google Maps is yours. Utilising the appropriate keywords that best describes your business and the products and services it offers increases the chances that your business will appear in every Google search.

Using Google Maps, Google Adwords, and Google Places as part of your local search marketing strategy will help your business’ online marketing campaign to attract prospective customers, gain more marketing opportunities, and develop your overall local presences.

About the Company

The Web Showroom is a Sydney-based online marketing, website development and web design company that has provided professionally designed and marketed websites for Australian businesses since 1999.

0 What are the Elements of a Successful E-Commerce Web Design

The internet has revolutionised how consumers go through the process of purchasing. No longer do we need to go through the hassle of travelling to the shops, fighting for a park and queuing to pay, in order to buy what we want. The explosion of e-commerce in the past five years allows us to purchase almost every conceivable commodity from the comfort of home or work.

Developments in e-commerce web design have transformed online retailing into a lucrative multibillion-dollar industry. Market growth has allowed Australian companies to venture into E-commerce web development as a serious alternative to bricks and mortar retailing. This article covers in very broad terms what criteria a successful E-commerce web design should meet:

Simple Web Design

Potential customers don’t want to waste their time searching for what they need if they can’t find the products easily. A good E-commerce web design should have well-defined categories, intuitive filtering options, and a user-friendly interface. People hate websites cluttered with useless widgets, small fonts, bad colours, slow loading times, confusing navigation and dead links. A good web design company will consider these issues when designing your e-commerce web design.

Clear Product Information

Your product line, being your website’s centrepiece, should be presented in such a way that users can figure out what they are going to buy. Information about each product should include the price, name, image, description and key features. Online store retailers should consider offering some kind of promotional discount option to tempt users to buy online.  

Secure E-Commerce Web Development

Most online stores allow people to purchase products online at their own convenience. Ordering experience should be easy in an effort to increase sales, improve customer retention, and minimise shopping cart abandonment. More importantly, customers’ credit card and other personal information should be secured and the customer being informed of this.

Flexible Shipping Options

An online store should provide information about how the products are shipped and when the customer will receive the item. Giving customers the option to keep track of their shipment helps build customer trust and confidence.

Good Customer Support

Customers that buy products online need instant support though live chat, toll free phone numbers and email support. 

Search Engine Friendly

It is in your long term interest to have your website prominently listed in top search engines like Yahoo! and Google. Having a good E-commerce web design means that it is a continual process of maintaining effective search engine optimisation strategies such as link building, social networking and article distribution.

Choose Web Design Specialists

Most businesses start small and local and a good way to promote your online store is getting a web design company that knows the Australian market. Make sure that your e-commerce web designer has an extensive web design portfolio with specialisation in online marketing and local search strategies, Google AdWords management, and Google Maps optimisation. Web design Australia is a competitive space and there are likely manner web design companies capable of delivering on your project.

The growing popularity of online shopping and the advancement of new and innovative E-commerce solutions have spurred business competition. Though business objectives are geared towards making a profit and getting more customers, E-commerce web development should also focus on developing healthy customer relationship and helping consumers find the products they want.

About the Company

The Web Showroom is a Sydney-based online marketing, website development and web design company that has provided professionally designed and marketed websites for Australian businesses since 1999.