Improving Visibility using Geographical - Targeting!
     United Kingdom, Jan 17 (2007)

Search engine optimisation techniques are both varied and simple, however time and time again website owners fail to see some of the most recent 'common principles' behind an effective and successful SEO campaign. This post will try to bring to light the most recent update in SEO, Geographical-Targeting.

In the past users would open a search engine, search for a product or service e.g. "website design company" and make use of that company to make their purchase or gain information.

But over the past few years' searchers have started to make more purchases online, as the general attitude towards online purchase has changed amazingly.

Big change in search trends
As the searchers have begun to purchase online, the places they look for these products and services have changed considerably.

If an organization wants it’s website to be designed it will not simply search for "Website Design Company". Why? Because this search term is too broad, and will bring up many irrelevant results of companies which are not in the same geographic location as the organization looking for website design.
When searching for products or services that are to be purchased online, the searcher wants to deal with a 'local' organization. This helps them feel more 'secure' in purchasing or ordering a product or service. Because of the factors like: the supplier is covered by the same laws, easier communication, delivery costs and language barriers.

What is Geographical-Targeting?
It is during these searches that geographical-targeting comes into picture. If an organization is planning to get it’s website designed and it is located in the UK, it is very common for them to append 'UK' to their search, so instead of simply looking for "website design company" they will search for "website design company UK" or a combination of this.

This will result in search engine returning with mostly UK based as 'UK' is a term used within the sites on their contact details, delivery information pages and about us pages. Geographical-targeted searching is the filtering of your search by including the name of the location with the search term. E.g "website design company UK", "search engine marketing UK", "web hosting company UK" etc.