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 ISSUE 74 / DECEMBER 07 |
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Dear Valued Customer, The Internet is no longer just the realm of big-money national advertisers. As it grows in size, people are turning to the Web for information about local businesses. Whether you're an online retailer, local restaurant owner or professional licensed to practice in a particular area, you can reach your local market online. This month's newsletter offers you tips for reaching out to your local market on the Web, from simple search engine optimization ideas to adding your profile to local online directories. Read on for help getting in front of local customers this holiday season and beyond.
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1. Top StoryHow to Target a Local Audience OnlineLocal-specific searches are becoming more popular on the Web as major search engines continue to expand their local search capabilities and more and more people are turning to the Web for information on places within their communities. A good local search strategy is important to any business looking to reach out to customers in their area whether they sell online or not. Here are four tips for getting your business in front of local customers on the Internet:
1. Submit a local business profile to the popular search engines.When someone searches for a business using Google Maps or Yahoo Local, the results will be a list of links to local business profiles that give them all the information they need about each business. A local business profile is a simple, one-page website that includes the business name, a description of what it does, contact information and a map that shows its location. If the business has a website, the profile might provide a link to that site. If the business does not have a website, the searcher still has all the information he or she needs to visit or learn more. You can create your own local business profile, or some companies (such as Hostway) can make one for you. While creating the profile is usually a simple task, you also must submit it to search engines and keep it up to date. Much like regular websites, local business profiles are ranked by the search engines based on certain criteria. Google generally uses relevance to the search and geographic distance as its most prominent ranking factors. 2. Optimize your website with words related to your location.Attract more local customers to your website by adding location-specific words. When someone types in your keyword plus your city, you're more likely to rank high in the results when your location is relevant to the search. Follow the same rules you would to optimize your website with regular keywords: use your city, neighborhood or state in a heading, in the text and in the meta tags. For more information on how to optimize your website with keywords, read "Web Page Optimization" in our Web Resources guide. 3. Design your promotions specifically for your local audience.When you're business caters to a local market, you can make this apparent in your online promotions. Try tying a sale to the annual summer festival and promote that on your website. If you're sending out a marketing email or newsletter, mention local events to show that you are part of the community. 4. Advertise on your local newspaper website.Local news sources still reign in terms of local news coverage. While some people may read national or international news websites, they'll always turn to the local new sources for things like weather reports and goings-on around the community. A local newspaper's website is a great place to advertise your business and provide a link to your website or local business profile. While advertising on national or international websites may generate more clicks overall, an ad on a local news website is sure to generate quality clicks from people in your community who might actually become your customers. For more ideas on driving quality traffic to your website, visit our Web Resources guide. 2. Hostway NewsKeep up with Hostway's Latest News and InformationSign up for Hostway's really simple syndication (RSS) feeds to stay in the know about all of Hostway's latest press releases and updates to the Web Resources section. Sign up for the press release RSS. Sign up for the Web Resources RSS. Take Advantage of Your Yahoo! Search Marketing Credit!If you have a Web hosting account, and you have not yet signed up for your free $50 credit with Yahoo! Search Marketing, now is the perfect time to take advantage of this perk! Advertise your site in Yahoo's sponsored link section and the first $50 you spend is free. Learn how you can drive target traffic to your website with Yahoo!. Fax over Email LaunchesHostway's Fax over Email service is now available. Digital storage, savings on a standalone fax machine and other features make this an attractive solution for small- to mid-sized businesses. Learn more about Fax over Email. CDN Section ExpansionAfter a successful launch of our Edge Caching content delivery network (CDN), we've created more resources to help you learn about how a CDN can benefit your website, including how CDN works, a case study and white paper. Take a look at our new CDN pages. $5,000 Business Makeover Drawing Entries Now AcceptedWhen you order select Hostway services before December 14, 2007, you'll be automatically entered in a drawing for a $5,000 Online Business Makeover. 3. Smart TipReach out to your local market by collecting a local emailing list.If your business has a physical location, you can collect email addresses at the cash register. Or, get involved in community events where you can interact with locals and get their permission to email them. Get more tips on building an email list at our Web Resources library. 4. Special Offer!Get a Free Subscription to “Website Magazine”Hostway has teamed up with “Website Magazine” to offer you a free subscription. This quarterly publication delivers information about proven Internet business practices and emerging trends that directly relate to website owners. Learn more about this special offer. Just in Time for the Holidays: Discounts on Software and Plugins!PhotoshopSupport.com has gathered a group of discounts exclusively for Hostway customers just in time for the winter holidays. Order now to get:
Treat yourself or the Photoshop user on your gift list to one of these products and save money this holiday season. Need to update your contact or billing information? Log into SiteControl now to update your account information, ensure continuous service and prevent any potential system delays. |
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