As of 2011, estimates suggest that 20% of Google searches are local. 40% of mobile searches are local. Locally targeted geo domains are gold right now!

Over the past few years, many offline businesses and industries have started to look more seriously at online marketing. They are not simply looking to have an online presence, but how to gain a competitive edge.

Part of this came about thanks to Groupon and other daily deals sites. They’ve shown the power of the internet to drive traffic – not just to websites online, but to drive actual customers to local businesses found online.

It's not enough to simply be online – you have to stand out. There are a few fundamental ways to do that – high quality branding, solid promotional efforts, or SEO.

One thing many businesses have turned to are geo domains. A plumbing company might be named Fix it Right Plumbing, but to appeal to web searchers in their local area (let’s say New York), they might get NewYorkPlumbing.com or NewYorkPlumber.com.

There are actually a few different things geo domains can accomplish:

1. Local SEO

Exact match domains slay the search engines and have improved in performance over 2011. So it’s a natural fit to get a geo domain to target local customers, as it can be an exact match for a lucrative term that may bring a steady stream of highly targeted customers.

2. Ad revenue via local directory

In some cases, a geo domain that’s a plural may be better suited as a directory for the local practice. Even if you are a local business of that type, you can still feature yourself on such a directory and also get ad revenue from other companies/professionals in your area.

Additionally, a broader region domain such as a state or a country would likely benefit more as a directory unless you have a physical presence throughout the region.

3. Branding

Many companies that are strictly local use their locale in their branding to great effect. Not only does your name (and domain) bring in targeted search traffic, but you would subconsciously convey some added authority and relevance. MiamiDryCleaners.com would clearly be relevant to anyone in the Miami area needing dry cleaning, and the name suggests that they are the one and only Dry Cleaners in Miami.

Having the city in your local business name can also attract those local customers that have a passion for their city. Having the city in the name further signifies you are a local company, and that may help you win business for people wanting to support their local economy.

4. Local reviews

On eCommerce, reviews aren’t quite as important – they are to a certain extent, but major sites like Amazon pretty well own the space. For local companies, reviews can be absolutely crucial, and many local customers will look up reviews before becoming a customer. Geo domains can be a hub for local reviews of particular kinds of businesses and effectively be the go-to-site before going to a local business.

5. Tourism

Who would you trust more – someone who is omnipresent, not all that attached to a particular locale, or someone who is there and knows the ins and outs of the area? Geo domains can appeal on a local level even to people outside the locale who may be visiting for business or pleasure.

There are certainly many other uses for geo domains and in general, the cat’s been out of the bag for some time on the values of them in the domain world. That said, the offline business world is starting to wake up to the benefits of geo domains, so it appears they’re destined to continue their rise in value and popularity.

 Check our Available Domains for current listings, including geo domains.