Searching Local With Zip Codes

admin — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:12:18 +0000

As consumers become smarter web searchers and search engines become more advanced, the use of zip codes in local searches will be more common practice. Right now, if you’re looking for a grocery store in Denver, CO, it’s very normal to type “grocery stores Denver” into the search engine–which can bring you a vast array of grocery stores scattered throughout the major city. Although the search result is accurate, in that you found grocery stores in Denver, the search result is not precise to your location. The term “Denver” is too general and needs to be broken down into smaller districts.

Instead of using a city in your local search, why not use a zip code–a much narrower, more precise indication of your location within a city. Now, instead of gathering the top ten grocery stores throughout Denver, you can get a top ten list of grocery stores closest to your neighborhood.

What would this mean for optimizing your website? Well, you definitely want your actual zip code to be listed multiple places throughout your website-so your site will rank well for your zip code. Or how about inserting the 5 closest zip codes to your location in the footer of your website? This will increase your funnel size and your chances of being found by those around you.

Diego Velasquez » Local Search

Searching Local With Zip Codes