Every week, we feature one Main Street business or organization that helps make Monroe a little bit smarter, a little bit better, and a lot more interesting.

Local Search Engine

Monroe is home to The Foundry, a digital marketing agency that builds and optimizes websites for clients using Google AdWords and other PPC platforms. The team at The Foundry understands the value of a healthy local search engine in a small town – more than 300,000 searches per day.

As a business owner or marketer in Monroe, you might be curious about how to get started with local search – whether for SEO, PPC, or both. If so, this guide will teach you how to create a localized search engine for your town.

Getting Started With Local SEO

According to Google, 98% of people searching the web visit websites within five minutes of a search engine finding a web page that suits their needs. You might consider this short-lived visit a lost opportunity if you’re not equipped to receive and register these visitors as customers.

In order to become a sought-after local business, you’ll need to take three steps:

Find Your Niche

Every business is different, so identifying your niche is key. To determine your niche, first ask yourself some questions about your business. Can you offer a unique service or product that people in your area are searching for? Can you provide quality service to your customers? Can you build trust with your community by being transparent and accountable?

If you can answer “yes” to these questions, you’re on the right track to identifying your niche. If you’re still searching for your niche, you might consider exploring the growing CBD oasis that is ​​Monroe.

Research Local Events

Another way to attract customers to your business is by engaging with the community through local events. Does your town hold annual festivals that draw people from near and far? Does your church host an art exhibition or an open-mic night? Does your business work with local non-profits to raise money and awareness for a good cause?

If so, consider organizing an event in your area and marketing it widely, both online and offline. You might run a booth at the festival or fair, set up shop at a local market, or advertise on social media.

Create Quality Content That Is Relevant To Local Searches

Based on your answers to the above questions, you’ll have a clear idea of what content you should create to best serve your target audience. To create relevant content, first look for blogs, forums, and other online spaces that your target audience might be found in. Consider creating content that is both useful and interesting to your target audience. If you’re struggling to find relevant content, you can always create your own blog or forum on a platform like HubSpot or WordPress.

When creating content, you should ask yourself questions about being a local business. How can I make my business accessible to people in my area? What do I know about my target audience? How can I deliver value to them?

For instance, if you’re creating a blog post on the subject of “CBD oil”, you should include references to local events, festivals, and non-profit organizations that are related to CBD.

Build Trust With Your Community By Being Transparent And Accountable

In a bid to earn the trust of your community, be fully transparent about what you do and why you do it. You can get started by simply being up-front about your intentions. For example, if you’re applying for a bank loan, disclose that financial considerations are a factor. If you’re seeking government contracts, make that clear in your applications. If you’re simply looking to expand your business, be honest about your goals and plans. Be clear about what you need and what you’ll do to make things happen.

Being transparent and accountable won’t just earn you trust with your community – it will also make you more trustworthy to potential customers. When you’re viewed as a completely candid and reliable source of information, your word carries more weight. Since customers are more likely to be found online, it’s essential that your website and social media pages are informative, accurate, and presented in a manner that instills confidence.