What is Local Search?

We’ll defer to Wikipedia on the definition:

Local search is the use of specialized Internet search engines that allow users to submit geographically constrained searches against a structured database of local business listings. Typical local search queries include not only information about “what” the site visitor is searching for (such as keywords, a business category, or the name of a consumer product) but also “where” information, such as a street address, city name, postal code, or geographic coordinates like latitude and longitude. Examples of local searches include “Hong Kong hotels”, “Manhattan restaurants”, and “Dublin Hertz”. Local searches exhibit explicit or implicit local intent. A search that includes a location modifier, such as “Bellevue, WA” or “14th arrondissement”, is an explicit local search. A search that references a product or service that is typically consumed locally, such as “restaurant” or “nail salon”, is an implicit local search. (Read it all here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_search_(Internet))

Local search websites are primarily supported by advertising from businesses that wish to be prominently featured when users search for specific products and services in specific locations. Local search advertising can be highly effective because it allows ads to be targeted very precisely to the search terms and location provided by the user.

Now that’s just from the Internet info giant Wikipedia, but it certainly sums up the definition of local search for all of us who are used to typing in some keywords and getting answers to our questions. By all means do some more research, your practice is worth it.

With specific regards to a dental practice, local search means having a highly visible online practice footprint within certain localized environments of the search engines. Basically these are local areas of focus complete with map listings, website links, special offers, social links, and other business info – and more. Formally (and for now) these local sections of the search engines are: Yahoo Local, Bing Local, and Google Places.

These local areas allow you to communicate practice information in a totally new environment. The search engines are determining where you’re searching from, and providing relevant results within these local centers – Yahoo Local, Bing Local, and Google Places. This is all in addition to any existing website placement or other online search engine marketing or optimization. When people in your area search online for dental products or services, you want to make sure that you are adequately complementing existing practice marketing with local search optimization.

We’re at a place where information is at our fingertips, no longer do we let our fingers do the walking so to speak – now we run over to a keyboard and search Google, Yahoo, or Bing, quicker than we can thumb through the phone book. For younger generations, they’re searching online from mobile phones, iPads, Xooms…you get the point. We’ve even taken word of mouth online and local; patients are using Facebook petitioning family and friends for dentist referrals!

Speaking social and local, have you used Facebook Places or FourSquare yet?

Can you see how both of these ‘social local’ environments can benefit your dental practice?

It all starts with a solid foundation. Confirmed and controlled practice listings in the primary local search engine environments is the foundation of optimizing (and leveraging) local search for your dental practice. But what happens when everyone controls and confirms their practice listing, then what?

Are you ready to dive in?