Before the Internet, local businesses promoted their product or service a few ways. They could use outdoor advertising like billboards, flyers, etc... They could get listed in local listings like newspapers, directories, or community business listings. Bigger local business could run tv or radio ads on local stations. As you know, with the rise of the Internet, the game has changed. More and more people are getting their information from the Internet and local businesses are starting to catch on. If you are going to get business from people in your local area who are using the Internet, you are going to need to get good Local Business Search Engine Optimization. Here are a few easy tips to start reaching the multitudes of people searching for your business on the Internet every day:

Get a Website

In order to reach people who are using the Internet, you will need to be on the Internet. Getting a website will be your first step in this game. The good news is that you can get a free website from WebStarts! Go to WebStarts.com and sign up for a free account to start your free website. To have a more professional appearance, you are definitely going to want to upgrade to the pro or pro plus account to have a custom domain name, matching email addresses, and much more. Even the least computer savvy individuals are able to create a professional looking website using WebStarts. Get your free website and start working on your Internet presence today by signing up at WebStarts.com

Determine Your Target Audience

It is a great idea to figure out exactly who you are marketing to before you get started. What kind of person is searching for your business? Where are they beginning their search? What search terms are they using in the search engines? You'll want to be as specific as possible when marketing your business. That means marketing towards the phrase "custom landscaping" will be more effective than the term "lawn care" provided that you are a landscaping business. If you are not looking for customers who are searching "custom landscaping", then you won't want to market towards those specific keywords. Come up with a list of 5-10 keywords that you want to be found under and use them everywhere you can.

Display Your Keywords Everywhere

When writing the content for your website, use these keywords and key phrases wherever you can. They will need to be used naturally so you will want to come up with as much content as possible. The search engines will see these key words and phrases and rank you accordingly so you can never have too much content. Try writing blogs or articles about your business that are keyword rich.

Display Your Address Everywhere

Don't get carried away with this one but if you post your business name and address once on every page, your customers will never be confused as to where you are located. This is also great for search engines to see your address as much as possible. Especially in the case of using local business listings. Let me explain why.

Get Local Business Listings Through Major Search Engines

A key to getting found in your local area is getting listed with the major search engines' local listings. When someone uses a search engine to search for a business, they might use these terms "lawn care 33510". More often than not, Google sees the zip code and immediately posts results for this area based on keywords but, more importantly, they provide a map of all the results. If you do not have a local listing with them, you will not appear on that map. This is becoming more and more essential for search engine optimization because every major business is listed. WebStarts has an easy solution to get you on the major maps: Google, Yahoo, and MSN. I highly recommend using this tool to start getting found in your local area, check it out here: WebStarts Local Listing.

Get Local Business Listings

Getting listed with your local newspapers, yellow pages, etc... In most cases, local newspapers and other listings have gotten the hint and moved to the Internet so getting listed in your local newspaper will be valuable for people still using the printed paper and for people using their website to find businesses.

Everyone wants more customers for their business. Now that more and more people are using the web, you need to get your local business out there and reaching these people. Getting a website is the most important step in this process and everything else follows. While this guide is by no means comprehensive, if you start promoting your business using these simple tips, I guarantee you will see more customers and more business from your local area.