That comes straight from Google®, the Big Daddy of search engines.

It’s safe to say local search marketing tools like Local Maps and Google Places have replaced the printed Yellow Pages.

Is your small business easy to find online?

Have you claimed and optimized your Google Places page?

Does your business show on page 1 of local search results?

If you can’t answer yes or just aren’t sure then Let Us Help! We provide affordable local Internet marketing services for small business.

Matter of fact, this area of our business got so busy, we had to build its own site. Check out LocalInternetMarketingTools.com for all the details on how we can get you found online!

Check out the article from LocalInternetMarketingTools.com

When SEO marketers talk local search they like to throw out statistics. You know something like 97% of consumers search for local businesses online. (If you like like the facts and figures check out the article on Local Internet Marketing Statistics).

These stats are all good and fine. But let’s put a face on these numbers.

Is it YOUR customer using local search marketing?

So I started thinking how this relates to my own family, which is fortunate to span four generations. Who is using the Internet and more importantly local search?

1) My 85-year-old grandparents are on the Internet.

He’s using it as a platform to save the US from the current political system and she’s downloading the latest recipes. But when they need to find a service in Zephyrhills Florida they use local search.

2) My 65-year-old mother is online.

During the summer she’s in the Palouse Wheat Country of Washington state. Up there they don’t need a Google Places Page to find you. It’s pretty safe to say in a town with a population of 85 they already know every local business owner personally. But when she heads south for the winter she uses local search like a woman possessed to route their stops, service the RV, or find a campground with decent ratings.

3) I’m online. I mean really online

No big surprise there! If you help people with local Internet marketing you eat breathe and sleep in cyber space. But like most people in our… um… “demographic” we no longer keep a phone book in the house. We are comfortable using the Internet and mobile devices for paying bills, managing investments, making reservations, finding a medical specialist, planning a motorcycle ride to Sturgis, or tracking down an Orlando FL plumber.

4) My 19-year-old college student is online

Oh please…when aren’t teenagers online? Oh yeah…. when they are texting. But they now have the power to make and spend their own money!

5) My 8-year-old niece is online.

Yes she has supervision. No she can’t drive herself to your store and pull out a credit card. But trust me…she has influence. In fact her powers of persuasion likely rank her as the best salesperson in our family.

So could you identify your customer somewhere in there? It’s pretty safe to say they are between the ages of 8 and 85, right?

It’s time to embrace local Internet marketing for small business.

If you are not enjoying page 1 rankings for your local search terms please ask yourself, “What is holding my business back?”

• Is it knowledge? Then check out our Learning Center.
• Is it cost? We offer affordable local Internet marketing services designed especially for the small business owner.
• Is it time? Request your free Internet marketing analysis by emailing me at Tracy@ExposureOne.com

You can get more articles by LocalInternetMarketingTools.com here.

So you are starting your own online business and want to know how to pick a domain name? Well, it is a combination of Science, Luck, and Art (not the Garfunkel kind).

Here is the short list of things to pay attention to when selecting your new domain name.

Shorter is Better

Forget the ads on television and the SPAM emails. People really do, when it comes to domains, want it as short as possible.

My very first URL was a great name…but way too long. I have been married to it for so long and every time I type it in the browser I cringe. Since then I have always sought to keep my URL’s as short as possible.

Easy to Spell

Can you believe that poisedpatientplatypus.com is not taken? At least until I publish this article and someone in Tasmania jumps all over it.

Make sure when you pick a domain name; you start with something easy for people to spell.

Keywords

From an SEO point of view it is helpful if the topic of your site is also included in your URL.

If for example you were doing a site on reviewing cameras, you might start with www.camerareviewsXXXX.com [the XXXX would have to replaced with some other word(s) like “Now” or “ForMe” if camerareviews.com was already in use].

I realize when you start to incorporate Keywords into your domain name you start to run the risk of longer URLs – there is a trade off. If you really want to make money online, and you are in a competitive field, you are going to want to start with Keywords.

Unique

Let’s face it, unique domain names get attention. Would you go to LearnToPlayTennisReallyWell.com or FuzzyYellowBalls.com (yes, that is a real tennis site).

People want a name they can remember and tell their friends – course in this case, you might only want to share the URL with other tennis players or start getting some really weird looks from strangers – BUT, you will remember it!

Avoid Duplicate Letters

If you use more than one word in your URL (and you will) then try and make sure the last letter of the first word and the first letter of the second word are not the same).

For example. Eagleearners. (Eagle Earners). The two “e’s” get lost when typing.

You can cheat when you put this type of domain name in your marketing materials buy capping the second one in print…EagleEarners.com but I would avoid it whenever possible.

Common Words

Try to stick with common words. Just because you own a Thesaurus and watch Jeopardy reruns doesn’t mean you need to use your braniac vocabulary it when it comes to picking out a URL.

When it doubt…go back to “is it a word everyone can spell?” If you ask 6 random people to spell it, and they can’t, then the word is not common enough.

Go for it!

Stick to the above few rules and you will be well on your way to building a great site for your online business– that starts with a great URL!

Exposure One is an internationally recognized product launch consulting company with clients all over the globe.

Your successful online launch starts with a solid plan and we work with you every step of the way.

Here are just a few of the online product launch services we can help you with.

Website Design – Any launch starts with a website. It is where people will go to find you and learn more about what you have to offer. Oftentimes, their impression of you will be formed in a matter of seconds. We make sure those seconds count!

Membership Sites – Want to create a sustainable product line with lots of opportunity for growth? Membership sites get away from the “one-off” sales and help you truly create a bond with your customer base. Work once, get paid over and over again.

Social Media Integration – On the plus side, Social Media is cheap. The downside is that there is a lot of “noise” out there. Exposure One helps you create a solid plan for getting your message heard in these viral circles.

Video Marketing – As sang by the Buggles, “Video Killed the Radio Star.” In today’s online sales, videos trumps just about all. But just throwing a video online is not that answer. We’ll make sure your video is in line with your objectives.

Sales Funnel Creation – Today is not just about setting up a sales page and waiting for the cash to come in. Today’s Internet user is smarter. They know they have options. Exposure One can help you navigate through this sophisticated courtship and create a lasting relationship.

Search Engine Optimization – You can have the best product ever, but if no one can find you, then all is lost. We focus on every aspect of your SEO needs including Keyword research, Inbound Links, Article Marketing, and Social Bookmarking. Exposure One uses only the best “white hat” SEO practices that help get you up in the rankings…and stay there.

List Building Techniques – How you stay in touch with potential customers is key. You need to form a relationship. Turn prospects into customers and customers into raving fans.

The Bottom Line…

We have been there. You need someone with experience, not some person in their basement that thinks selling something on eBay makes him or her a product launch expert. Our clients are from all over the world – we treat your launch as if it was our own!

Contact Us for a Free Consultation!

On the plus side, there’s a short list of sites you need to pay attention to (like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and a few others).

The downside is just being on those sites is not enough. You need to build a list and a relationship.

Everyone has different objectives. Maybe you are looking to build credibility. Maybe you are looking to expand your reach. Maybe you want to create raving fans that spread the news about your company!

No matter what your social media needs, Exposure One can help set up your business on these sites and, more importantly, optimize your results.

Contact Us for a free consultation to see whether social media management services can help your online business.

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