Try something: Open another tab right now and do a search for art. If you’re using Google, you’ll very likely get a Wikipedia entry, a few websites selling posters, and – tada! – a list of local businesses which feature art. You’ll probably also see a big Google map showing precisely where all those local art studios are.

This might be annoying if you’re researching art, not looking to buy art. But it proves that local search marketing is what’s driving a lot of web-marketed business sales these days.

Nearly 50% of all internet searches include a local keyword. Even when the user hasn’t typed in his local town’s name, Google automatically lists local businesses in the main area of its organic results page. Because even though we can purchase products and services from across the globe, search engines know that most people still prefer to do business with locally-based companies.

The smartest web designs therefore include local optimization whether or not the business has brick and mortar locations. And if your business does have an actual street address, your internet marketing must integrate local keywords, maps, and zip codes with social media, mobile marketing and geo-optimization to be sure that you don’t get skipped.

Blacksmith Marketing knows local, and we’ll make sure your business shows up at the top of the search page whether customers search locally or not. On Google, Yahoo, Citysearch, Yelp, Foursquare or Bing, we’ll optimize your internet marketing campaign to match the buying habits of the customers around the world – and in your town.