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Google tests striking AdWord format that could give your local business priority

Have you ever felt like your business seems to be at the bottom of the search results no matter what you do? 

Whilst bigger companies with bigger budgets invest heavily and draw up huge marketing teams to perfect their strategy, it can often seem like an impossible task to attract leads from search when competing in a busy market. fortunately, this may be about to change...Phew!

A helping hand

Google has started testing a brand new search format for local businesses, aimed at assisting home service providers wanting to connect with local people.

A window pane will appear at the top of the results page, containing local businesses and direct contact details. Users can view the specific skill set of the business and even call directly from the browser!

Image courtesy of Search Engine Land

According to Search Engine Land, users will be able to view:

  • Services
  • Qualifications
  • Opening Hours
  • Website URL
  • Phone Number
  • Location
  • Areas Served

Having this information directly served to the user at the first point of a search will dramatically shorten the level of research required and could quickly direct multiple leads to your site for no extra cost.

The feature will allow searchers to compare up to 3 businesses live, in the search panel. A requirements section can be filled out and sent to 3 vendors with one-click. Your business will then be able to reply directly to the potential leads with your quote or service offering. Fantastic!

Image courtesy of Search Engine Land

Not only will this allow local businesses to get under the noses of local people, it will promote healthier competition between local businesses who can now compete on service and product offering rather than online investment. Whilst promoting your service and investing in optmisation will always play a part in search results, it's encouraging to see that local businesses will receive a helping hand to compete against the big budget players.

How can I get my business into those results?

Whilst the new feature potentially has huge implications and benefits for local businesses, Google won't simply throw in every business with the correct postcode. Google wants to return the best results to those who search. 

In the example trialed which contained local locksmiths in San Francisco, the businesses featured must:

  • Pass criminal background checks
  • Maintain relevant trade licenses and insurance
  • Have good customer feedback and reviews

So make sure your employees are well qualified and your customer feedback perfectly represents how fantastically well you operate. We suggest nurturing customer interaction and reviews with an inbound content strategy. As we've already mentioned, you'll still need to make sure you you have a well rounded online plan that takes into account all aspects of Google's grading rules.

To find out how we can help why not get in touch for a free inbound consultation:

How do you think this update could affect your business? Please share your thoughts below: