Local search is thought to be critical to success, especially when it comes to small and medium-sized businesses. Leveraged correctly, it can provide greater visibility and outreach to companies, and simplify the process of finding suitable brands and products for consumers. But in order to support success, smart tactics need to be implemented in local marketing campaigns. That is exactly where emerging technologies come in, allowing businesses to streamline their local marketing. With that in mind, here are some of the most impactful technologies of today:
Voice search
With smartphones becoming a necessary aspect of everyday lives and smart devices such as wireless speakers and voice assistants becoming more popular, voice search becomes one of the most important factors in local marketing. In fact, over a hundred million people in the US use voice search regularly, proving it’s a vital method for consumers to get information on local businesses. Voice search represents a much quicker and easier way to find information online compared to typing in a search term, and is even thought to be more efficient in terms of finding nearby businesses and relevant directions. For that reason, content is most commonly optimized for voice search today, in the hopes of leveraging the unique benefits of this tactic.
Hands-free navigation
Continuing on the topic of voice search, the need for voice-activated information and directions is probably the greatest while driving. This is especially important when drivers need to change course while on the road. The opportunity to seamlessly connect mobile devices to vehicle systems has drastically improved this process. Now, drivers can easily use their voice to find local businesses and automatically bring up information and directions on their car screens. This is an excellent example of a “micro-moment” when prospective customers impulsively search for the information they need straight away, such as opening hours, contact details, and locations. As such, it opens up a whole new world of local marketing opportunities.
Local optimizations
As search engine optimization (SEO) continues to rise, algorithms constantly change, and new trends begin appearing. The same is true in the sphere of local SEO. Google’s latest updates have caused some fluctuations for local businesses, putting more weight than ever before on a company’s location. As a result, businesses in close proximity have to compete with each other more fiercely. However, classic optimization tactics are still dominating, including keyword-rich content and images optimized for search. Links play a crucial role as well, which is why link building services in Australia are becoming more popular, for instance. With the help of experienced professionals, high-quality links can provide local websites with long-term brand awareness and success.
Online innovations
To support local SEO efforts, a number of innovations have changed local marketing as well. For instance, Google My Business pages have quickly become the norm in local searches. This feature allows businesses to claim their profiles and provide relevant information to consumers, thus increasing the chances of a visit or sale. Similarly, Google Maps have changed the nature of online searches, from the “trending” category recommending popular businesses to the “matching” feature recommending personalized brand options based on previous user activity. But certain innovations came from businesses themselves, too. For example, “click & collect” services make it easy for consumers to check the availability of products and make a purchase, and then collect items in-store, thus streamlining the entire shopping process.
AI-driven content
It’s a well-known fact that content is critical to local SEO, particularly unique, engaging, and valuable content that’s high in quality. Unfortunately, coming up with compelling content can be a challenge for marketers, especially in this competitive online environment. A new solution has appeared with the aim of solving this issue – artificial intelligence (AI) with content writing capabilities. There are a number of AI-driven writing services marketers can choose from today, helping with new concepts and content ideas. But even though they are a great starting point, AI writers aren’t quite as sophisticated as they need to be to fully take over this work. This might change in the following years as AI content writing continues to improve.
Augmented reality
Another evolving technology that has the potential to transform local search marketing is augmented reality (AR). While a solid practical solution is yet to be found, this technology is slowly being implemented across the board. The company is adding AR directions and recommendations to its Street View service, giving users the opportunity to easily find more information on nearby businesses simply by pointing their phone cameras in the right direction. This has great “micro-moment” marketing potential for local businesses.
There is no doubt that emerging technologies are transforming local search marketing. New innovations provide businesses with the opportunity to increase their online visibility and accelerate growth, but they have to be leveraged wisely to ensure success.
