By Micah Gaudio
Did you know Google knows exactly where you are sitting right now? That’s right – it knows exactly where you are stroking those keys on your keyboard. And because Google knows exactly where your computer connects to the internet, the search-engine giant can customize your search results based on your location, which is good news for local businesses.
Last December, a major update to Google’s local search and geo-targeting pay-per-click feature went relatively unnoticed by most. That is everyone except sales reps for the over-abundant phone books, who now seem more interested in selling Google Map listings than listings in their own print product – and with good reason. From plumbers, attorneys to landscapers, more and more people are turning to Google to find local services. According to data from ComScore and TMP Direction Marketing, search engine use to find local businesses was up 4 percent over printed yellow and/or white page directories from 2007.
In the past, Adwords and pay-per-click advertising seemed out of reach for most local businesses. They simply couldn’t compete with the marketing budgets of national companies. Now, even small companies can afford broad terms like “florist,” “Botox,” and “insurance” while geo-targeting their customers by zip code, mile radius, state or region. You can even draw in the territory you want to reach. Our favorite is the Roanoke/Lynchburg zone pictured below.
Sound too good to be true? Wait, it gets even better. You can set up a campaign for as little as $10 a month and start getting hits on your website immediately. Of course, pay-per-click advertising is a bidding process, so as more of your competitors catch on, the price per click may go up. Starting your local search campaign now will help you get a leg up on the competition and increase your quality score, which Google uses to maintain a good user experience. Best of all, you can actually track the terms that are sending you the most traffic.
So how do you get started? Simply visit google.com/ads and set up an AdWords account. If you’re having trouble and don’t see the results you think you should be getting, it’s best to call a professional who specializes in search management services. Make sure he or she shows you credentials such as screen shots of successful campaigns. The best companies will also set up customized landing pages tailored to your keywords, help you set a fixed monthly budget and even forecast the number of clicks you are likely to receive. Call some of the company’s current customers and find out what results they are getting.
In case you haven’t noticed, Google just changed the rules on you again and will continue to do so until they get a monthly payment from you and every small business in the country. Don’t believe me? Pay attention next time you search; if the search result listings on the right side of the page have a fourth line like “Virginia” or “Roanoke-Lynchburg,” you know it’s a local search.
Smith Mountain Lake, VA, August 15, 2008 – GO Agency, a full-service marketing and advertising agency based at Smith Mountain Lake, is offering design-based printing services in addition to web development, marketing campaigns, and online marketing management. The marketing agency provides creative design consultation and frequently discounted printing for brochures, flyers, business cards, rack cards, postcards, and letterhead.
Micah Gaudio, Owner of GO Agency, said a marketing agency is the ideal place to offer printing. “The design work on any marketing material is as important as the message and presentation. Because we are a marketing agency highly experienced in excellent graphic design, we can provide designs and printing that is effective for selling. If a client needs quality, stand-out marketing materials, there’s no better business to provide them,” said Gaudio.
GO Agency offers regular discounts to printing customers. To subscribe to these specials, email Lindsey@goagency.com.This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
About GO Agency
GO Agency offers Web development, search engine optimization, pay-per click Internet marketing, creative graphic design, and video production. Based at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, the ad agency specializes in vertical markets such as medical marketing, real estate advertising and extreme sports promotions.
Smith Mountain Lake, VA, July 21, 2008 – GO Agency, a full-service marketing and advertising agency based at Smith Mountain Lake, recently launched a new website for Kitchens by Connie, a custom cabinetry company at Smith Mountain Lake.
The new website demonstrates the wide range of design options provided by the company, and features the six primary cabinet lines used at Kitchens by Connie, including Shrock Cabinetry®, Cabinetry by Decora®, CWP Cabinetry®, Sequoia Cabinetry®, Atlantis Outdoor Kitchens® and Shiloh All Wood Cabinetry®.
In addition, the website offers an “Our Work” page, where visitors can view a photo gallery of the Kitchens by Connie team’s completed projects.
The Kitchens by Connie website accomplishes several things,” said Micah Gaudio, Owner of GO agency. “It shows off the impressive design and custom cabinetry that Kitchens by Connie provides their customers, as well as communicates the kind of flexibility and personal service the staff at Kitchens by Connie is best known for.”
Visit www.kitchensbyconnie.com to view the completed website.
About Kitchens by Connie
Kitchens by Connie is Smith Mountain Lake’s most experienced and respected cabinetry company. Their expansive showroom at Westlake Towne Center houses displays of stunning custom and semi-custom cabinetry, fine countertops and an extensive array of fixtures for bathrooms, rec rooms, bars, libraries and offices. Outdoor cabinetry for decks, docks and outdoor patios is crafted to withstand the elements. The professional design team at Kitchens by Connie can create a custom look to fit your budget.
About GO Agency
GO Agency offers Web development, search engine optimization, pay-per click Internet marketing, creative graphic design, and video production. Based at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, the ad agency specializes in vertical markets such as medical marketing, real estate advertising and extreme sports promotions.
