Ok, I have been looking at PPC for a while now and would like to get some feedback on whether it would be worth it to run a campaign for a local service business? We are not in a huge area, but it is decent size. Any guidance in this area would be great. Thanks!
@rakeshmaya - Are you saying that the only way to target at the local level is through PPC? If so, what is the best way to research on how to do this and finding the right keywords to target on the local level? Thanks for the input.
well if you are starting out, start with adwords, they have the keyword suggestion tool so it wont be easy to find the right keywords.. try it out, you will have to learn by trial and error method..
@rakeshmaya - Thanks for getting back with me. I'm getting the feeling from your posts and some others I got in another area on this forum that it is truly trial and error. Not exactly my favorite method, but none the less true. I guess we all have to start somewhere. Thanks!
Pretty much all advertising is trial and error, the trick is to track and have good stats and records and adjust or cut losing ads quick, but i can encourage you with a success story from a small town of about 35K in population and i have a good friend there who was happy with his local ads for a stump grinding service. If i recall correctly he was simply buying leads form ServiceMagic (i think it was) who runs ads at Google, but you could geo-target yourself. Of course there is some credibility to be gained by using a service like that and it's probably a better way to go. They have several competitors that might prove just as good or better. Of course your mileage may vary depending on what you have to market, but there will always be a certain segment of consumers who prefer to do business with local folks, just like some prefer to shop online while others want to walk into a brick and mortar shop. Hope it helps, Worthen
@Worthen - Thanks for your insight. I will look into this and see what I can find out. I agree with you that there will always be those who prefer to walk into a brick and mortar shop. With what we offer, you can have the best of both worlds.
@4WardMotion - We use Google adwords for a local business service serving approx 30-40mile radius around a central point. You can set this precisely using adwords geo-targeting options & double up on your coverage by including the names of every major town/city in the region within the search query/advert. In our experience is worth spending on as ROI is v. high when done correctly - just make sure your website converts well