Another local search option

There are multiple search engines available to find local information. Since I used Google previously, today I tried Yahoo in order to compare the two. The website address is http://local.yahoo.com. The page is user friendly and easy to navigate. I first typed in the city and state, and multiple categories came up with a few sub categories under each. There is a recently reviewed section in the middle which gives a business’ name and shows the number of stars underneath, then a snippet of the last comments posted. This can be very beneficial from a company’s standpoint as far as advertising, or can be harmful if a bad review is written. In particular I noticed one on a barber shop that suggested it should be renamed “Butcher Cuts”. From a consumer standpoint, after seeing that comment I would not be very likely to spend time looking at that business and would move on to another. On the other hand, I saw an excellent review on a locally owned coffee shop. After reading the great review, I would think that any reader interested in good coffee would likely go visit this establishment on their next coffee shop venture. Businesses need to be aware of what type of experience their customers are having and how the internet has made it so easy and quick for both the unhappy and the happy customer to share their experience with others. This can be a very good marketing tool, or a detrimental one. I continued exploring this site by entering my search for “printing services” and several came up. The results and look were very similar to the Google search I had conducted a few days ago. The name of the company, address, phone number, and a link to their website came up. On many, their website link was also displayed. A few of them had a review beside them, and all had the option for me to write a review. By pointing to the number beside the printing service name, it enlarged the area and number on the map that corresponds to that business’ location, so I could easily see what area of town it is in. Overall the site was very easy to use and I was able to find many helpful options.

This comment would have deterred me from this particular business.

Steps in using the local search feature

Using the local search feature within Google is an effective way to find information. The first step is to go to http://local.google.com. On the left side, you can set your default location so you don’t have to enter it each time. For this research, I entered Saraland, Alabama as the location. Then I went to the search line and put in “printing services” as my mock business is looking to print coupons and business cards and would like to support other businesses in our community. The search produced multiple results, displaying their locations on a map so I could quickly see which printers are close to me. On the left side, the name, address, phone number, and category of each search result were displayed. By clicking on the name of the company, it brought up more information about the company and pointed to their location on the map. It includes an option to get directions, search nearby, save, or post/read reviews. With most companies, a picture was also displayed and a direct link to their website. This local search function allows businesses, and individuals, to quickly locate the types of products or services they are in need of, and easily see their location on the map.

Introduction to local searching

Remember when once a year we received a thick, paper phone book delivered to our home? We would hang onto that book for the entire year, flipping through it to find names, numbers, and addresses of individuals as well as businesses in our area. If we needed our car repaired, to buy a part for our washing machine, or to find out what time our favorite restaurant opened we’d pull out the thick book, put on our glasses, turn to the back half that contained the yellow pages, and start looking. Wow, have times changed. Local searches are now available with just a few quick keystrokes on our computer, or even mobile device, and we have unlimited information readily available. The information is current in comparison to the yearly printing of the phone book. Google places, also known as Google local, is designed to connect searchers with local places. There is a mechanism for businesses to input their information so others can find them through the search based on key words and content. This can be particularly beneficial for businesses since in today’s world customers expect to be able to find up-to-date information very quickly. From a professional standpoint, it can improve efficiency by providing easy access to multiple sources, and allow for comparison in order to locate what one needs.

In this blog, I’ll attempt to give an overview of the process, as well as perform some local searches and describe what I am able to locate. Hopefully my research will help anyone who is interested in finding things that are “close to home.”