When running a brick-and-mortar business, you have to decide how to best spend your money and use your resources to bring in customers. Instead of throwing money at television, radio or print advertising, many companies have started to invest more resources at online marketing. With advancements in search engines, local businesses can now be found based on where searchers are located when they do a search. As a business owner, figuring out how to use search engine optimization in this regard can provide you with more customers and potentially more sales.

One of the most important steps you can take when you’re interested in local search is completing a Google Places listing. Google Places is a service designed to provide information about local businesses in search results. With most established businesses, a Google Places listing has already been set up. If so, you have the ability to customize the listing so that it represents your business better. Providing more information increases the chances that your listing will be found and that it will be helpful to searchers. Provide information such as your business address, phone number, hours, payment methods and services answered. You have the option of adding keywords to the listing so that it will have a better chance of being displayed when someone in your area searches for those words. In the Google Places listing, you can also link to your business website so that visitors can find it easier.

Once you’ve set up a Google Places listing, you can also optimize your business site so that it is more easily found for local search results. In the content on your pages, be sure to include your business address and mention the service area. Google is advanced and will use this information to direct searchers to your site when they are looking for what you have to offer. For example, if the content on your pages mentions that you are a barber in Santa Clara, Google will remember this when someone in Santa Clara searches for a barber.

Implementing the Google +1 button into your local business website can also help with search engine optimization. Once you implement this button into the website, people who like the site can click the button. Google tracks this information and will reward your site for providing good quality. If enough people click the button, this will work in your favor in the search engine results.

Integrating Google + into your business marketing efforts can also be beneficial. Joining Google + and using it as a way to promote your business can be beneficial. Connecting with other local businesses on Google + forms a network that can be used to send customers to each other. Regardless of the steps you take, remember that your site should be all about quality and avoid taking perceived shortcuts.

Ryan Bloom is a writer and researcher who writes about all sorts of web marketing, search engine strategy, and Website design topics. He recommends you check out Google places SEO and WordPress Design.