One of the keys to Google search results, is filtering legitimate web sites from sites that offer nothing to Google users. Most spammers register thousands of domain names and put up boilerplate content with little value added to the user’s knowledge. In their attempt to discern useful sites from copycat sites, Google relies on several factors including time a user spends on the site, bounce (does the user bail immediately after landing on the home page), and back links from other legitimate site owners.

In addition to usability metrics, Google also looks at the domain expiration date. Legitimate businesses tend to register their domains for 10 or more years, to prevent accidental deletion of the domain from their account. People who are trying to spam Google, typically register their domains for a single year. This allows those site operators to determine which domains get traffic and drop the domains that don’t make money.

If you are a small business owner, I would recommend you that your domain name is registered til at least 2013 (or beyond). This is an easy way to send a signal to Google that your company is real, provides value, and is not going away anytime in the near future.

There is no law that prohibits your business from operating multiple web sites or owning more than one domain name. However, most local professionals utilize a single domain name for their internet marketing strategy. This approach is based on the conventional wisdom that you want a single brand representing your business. While a single brand strategy is important for focus, to achieve reach it is best to develop local landing pages all built around a network of geo domains.

Not All Local Searches Start With Google

The goal of any online marketing plan is to cast a wide net, providing the reach necessary to find potential clients. Not all internet users start their local search on Google. Yahoo and Bing have a small, but significant, local search market share. Yellow Page companies, like YellowPages.com, YellowBook.com, and Superpages.com have converted former print yellow page customers to users of their online directories. Vertical Directories, including Lawyers.com and TheKnot.com, have developed a large following by blending editorialized content with local directories.

The key point is that the local search universe is fragmented. To reach potential customers in your local market, you will need to consider all potential sources of traffic. One source, that is underappreciated by most small business owners, is direct navigation traffic.

What is Direct Navigation?

There is a growing number of internet users who view the address bar in their web browser as a local search engine. The address bar is the text box at the top of any web browser that contains the domain you are visiting. If a user is looking for a Louisville photographer, they may type LouisvillePhotographer.com into the address bar to see what appears. The expectation is that LouisvillePhotographer.com will display information, either a directory or the website of a local photographer, that is relevant to their search. If you own this geo domain, you can take advantage of this highly targeted traffic.

Advantages of Direct Navigation

There is data to suggest that Direct Navigation traffic converts better than traditional Search Engine traffic. Considering the dynamics of both searches, that would make sense. When a user conducts a local search on Google, they are presented with many options to consider. Paid local advertisers, listings overlaid on Google Maps, and free local listings could give the user 25-30 links on a single page. Most users click a few links and browse the results. The breath of this experience results in less time spent on your website.

In contrast, direct navigation users have a deeper experience since they are viewing a single website. This depth allows them to focus on your message, resulting in a better understanding of your services, background, and skills. With only a single business to consider, there is a greater chance that the user will fill out your contact form or call you.

Next Week – Part 2 – Geo Domain Economics

In May, I began working with a Wedding Officiant in Buffalo, NY. Like most professionals, Sandra Hustead was using a non geo domain name for her primary business address. Sandra was kind enough to provide some articles for Local Expert’s wedding planning blog, so I decided to provide free SEO advice.

After a quick search on Google, I noticed that Sandra’s site was buried on page four in the search results for several key local search terms, commonly used by brides to find a wedding officiant. Cross referencing with GoDaddy, I found that both BuffaloOfficiant.com and BuffaloOfficiants.com were unregistered and available for Sandra to use as her primary online address. I sent Sandra this message:

“Sandra, I would register BuffaloOfficiant.com and BuffaloOfficiants.com and then build your site on this domain. My experience is if you provide quality content and link to this domain you should be able to secure the #1 position on Yahoo and Google whenever any bride searches for “Buffalo Officiant(s)”.

Sandra registered BuffaloOfficiants.com in May 2009. Tonight I did the same search on Google and was happy to see that Sandra’s site was #4 for the local search term “Buffalo Officiants”. While satisfied with the results, a quick scan of her Metatags indicated areas for quick improvement.

The current Metatags on BuffaloOfficiants.com:

<title>Welcome</title><meta name=“Keywords” content=“buffaloofficiants, officiants, weddings, marriage, services, non-denominational, minister, officiant, local officiants, ceremonies,civil,service” /><meta name=“Description” content=“I am available to perform your wedding ceremony in WNY. I absolutely love what I do!” />

This evening, I suggested changing the Metatag for BuffaloOfficiants.com to:

<title>Buffalo Officiant Sandra Hustead specializes in non-denominational wedding ceremonies</title><meta name=”Keywords” content=”buffalo officiants, officiants, weddings, marriage, services, non-denominational, minister, officiant, local officiants, ceremonies, civil, service” /><meta name=”Description” content=”Buffalo wedding officiant available to perform your wedding ceremony. I absolutely love what I do!” />

We can track Sandra’s progress and see if her site rises in the search results for the local search terms “buffalo officiants”, “buffalo officiants”, “buffalo wedding officiant”, and “buffalo wedding officiant”.

By changing to a geo domain, Sandra was able to rise from the back pages to the first page. Now, changing the meta-tags to provide better targeting, should help her achieve top billing in her local market.

Have you ever watched “The Amazing Race” on CBS? The reality show features two person teams racing around the world, performing a series of cultural tasks before they are given a clue to their next destination. During certain legs of the race, teams are given the option of pursuing a “Fast Forward” that will allow them to skip all tasks and go directly to the check-in station at the end of each leg. The “Fast Forward” doesn’t guarantee that the team will win the leg, but it gives the team who secures it a big advantage over the competition.

In Hyperlocal SEO, owning Geo Domains can give your business a significant leg up over the competition.

What are Geo Domains?

Geo Domains are domain names comprised of two subparts: A Geographic Name and either a Product, Service, or Piece of Content sought by internet users. Examples of Geo Domains include:

• WeddingsInBaltimore.com
• BaltimoreChiropractors.com
• MiamiPhotographer.me
• AtlantaNews.net
• TampaBayJobs.pro
• ChicagoRemodeling.TV

Why are Geo Domains Important?

Geo Domains are important because search engines, like Google and Bing, prefer legitimate businesses. Search engines recognize that domains, tied to high search terms, are valuable resources.  The more competitive the search term, the more valuable the geo domain. Owning a great Geo Domain implies that your business is legitimate and worthy of strong consideration.

In your market, there could be hundreds of competitors all vying for top placement. If you are a Chiropractor in Baltimore, and a user searches for “Baltimore chiropractors”, Google must decide which 10 Baltimore chiropractor sites to display to the user.   To determine which Chiropractor sites are more important than other Chiropractor sites, each search engine uses a proprietary set of rules to filter the results.

One rule common to all search engines, is that a well constructed site, built on top of a geo domain, will rank higher than the same site located at a non geo domain name. In our example, a site located at BaltimoreChiropractors.com will have an excellent chance of displaying at the top of the search results for “Baltimore chiropractors”.  Why?  The answer is that only one chiropractor in Baltimore can own BaltimoreChiropractors.com. Since you had the foresight or resources to acquire this valuable domain name, then your business is viewed as more legitimate than a competitor who is targeting the same local search term.

Dot Com domains are not the only domains preferred by the major search engines. While BaltimoreChiropractors.com and BaltimoreChiropractors.net see the greatest SEO benefit, over time, sites built on alternative extensions like BaltimoreChiropractors.pro, BaltimoreChiropractors.me, or BaltimoreChiropractors.TV can take advantage of Google and Bing‘s preference for geo domains.