How to Generate More Targeted Local Traffic

Here are 5 basic ways to generate more local, targeted website traffic for stores and other local businesses:

1. Make sure your web pages contain quality text content that clearly talked about your products and services and describes what cities and towns you service . Use keyword phrases that your target audience commonly use when searching for your type products and services. Describe accurately each web page in your title tags, meta description tags. (For more inforamtion about Title Tags and the Meta Description see: Understanding the Importances of Title Tags and Meta Description Tags. ) Also, all internal text links, such as in menus, should clearly describe to visitors what to expect if they click on a link. Use Flash and graphics wisely, since they tend to do poorly with the search engine rankings. Avoid using duplicate content that is used in other websites. The search engines usually filter it out, so it doesn't help your search engine rankings.
2. Get as many incoming links from other relevant websites. Incoming links with well written text can dramatically improve your targeted traffic, both from users clicking on those links, as well as improve your "link popularity" with the search engines. (Think of incoming links from other "quality" websites as votes for your website. The more "quality" votes you have than your competitors the higher you will be placed on Google's search results organic listings.)
3. Advertise on the search engines and other portal websites that your targeted audience frequents. The key to pay-per-click advertising (called PPC) is to have a good understanding of how pay-per click advertising works, finding and bidding on high converting targeted keyword phrases and generating  relevant text ads that inspire searchers to click on your ad. Lastly, don’t do paid advertising if you are not going to track and measure your results.
4. Add your website address to all your off-line advertising campaigns. It is amazing to see how many consumers go to the web after they see a company’s TV ad, newspaper ad or hear them on the radio. This is also true for direct mail and catalogs as well.
5. Create an addtional page for each town or city you service, include the product and services you offer. Plus add a call to action to each of these pages. If the towns or cities you service are not ever listed in your website's text content then your website won't be listed in the results when consumers do a local search. 
6. Finally, do this website test. Print out all of the pages you consider are targeted content pages. With a highlighter pen highlight the product and services keywords on each page. Then also highlight the city and town keywords you service. Check to see what is missng. More on content in later blog posts.

Also, be sure to do your research before signing up with any SEO or web marketing company. There are many web companies that play on the fact that most small businesses don’t understand the web and you become an easy target for them. Ask a lot of questions, know what you are getting into and make sure they are continually sending you weekly updates.