Using Local Searches to Find What You Want
The world wide web is both exciting and frustrating when researching for specific information. It’s no surprise when you type one word on the search engine, and you get a million results. It can be overwhelming trying to filter through all that information to get to the specific information you need. For this reason, we have come up with the top five useful tips on how to make the process a breeze.
This article looks at how local search works, effective ways to use local search for better results, and narrow down the search results. By the time you get to the end of this article, you will be well equipped to slay the beast that is the internet search engine.
5 Ways to Use Local Search to Find What You Want
1. Don’t Depend on One Search Engine
Google, Bing, and Yahoo are the top 3 most used search engines. They all have their perks, like google has a more expansive catalog with a variety of results. Bing, on the other hand, tries to filter down the results that best suit your search. While yahoo offers a more comprehensive service that is news and shopping.
2. Use Keywords on the Search Engine
Refine and narrow down your search by using specific keywords associated with what you’re looking to find. On the search engine, type what you’re looking for and include your location for an even accurate result.
3. Use Simple Search Terms
Try not to use stop words on the search engines, e.g., in, of, on. You should also avoid using plurals of words with suffixes such as -ing.
4. Include Quotation Marks
Quotation marks will improve your search by prompting the search engine to search for the quoted phrase.
5. Eliminate Unnecessary Words
Use this method to refine your search further and make it more specific to the business you are trying to locate.
According to MindTools, there are seven ways to search for what you want, but we just listed the top five, followed by a brief description. You can, however, click on the site for more detailed information.
Why You Should Use Local Searches
Local SEO is a search engine optimization that makes it easier for you to locate businesses near you according to your need and specifications. It might seem unnecessary, but in this digital era, it is very convenient.
Still need more convincing? We have a few compelling reasons why you should try out a local search. Local search makes it simpler to look for service providers near you as opposed to walking around blindly, for instance, try searching for phrases like the following:
- Lawyers near me
- Hospitals near me
- Restaurants near me
- Churches near me
You get to save time and resources instead of driving around and physically going around looking for a service or product. A simple internet search gives you options of the best of the best based on the reviews and rankings, making it one less problem for you to worry about.
Readily available contact information makes it more convenient to get in touch with the businesses you wish to deal with and make it possible to locate their physical location.
Narrowing Down Local Search Results
Having gone through a couple of listings and finally landing on the one site that suits your needs. Keep in mind that there is no sure way to guarantee whether your needs will be met, but there are a couple of things you can check on to be sure:
- Check other customer’s reviews, comments, and how the business responds to them.
- Keep in mind that search engines are not 100% accurate, hence why you should try out different ones for more options.
- The internet is a large space, and research will require a lot of patience and accuracy to go hand-in-hand to get the required information.
