02 May 2006 | Author: Scott McBay

Yahoo! helps local businesses attract new customers through paid search

Late last week Yahoo! announced the launch of Yahoo! Local Featured Listings. This is the latest attempt to expand the Yahoo! local offering and compete directly with local newspaper and directory advertising. Yahoo! hopes that this service will introduce a range of small businesses to paid search.

There is a slight difference to the existing paid-search model of bidding on keywords to secure top positions. Yahoo! local featured listings have a flat-fee monthly rate which will allow businesses to run a highly targeted paid search campaign for between $15 to $300 per month depending on the level of demand for the category and the location of the business.

Yahoo even supplies a Rate Card:























So is this a good proposition from Yahoo?

The offered listings provide targeted advertising for small businesses similar to paid search advertising. The listings can be customised and telephone number, tagline, URL, map and directions can all be added to listings. The process is relatively easy to use and previews are available step by step allowing you to see both your listings page and your details page.

The information is displayed cleanly:
















In addition, small businesses that have not yet invested in a website but are interested in advertising with the service can get a free five page site from Yahoo! which can be customised with the company logo, relevant text and links to other sites.

If you are interested in advertising on Yahoo! local with this new featured listing service you will have to be quick as there are limited listings available. Bigmouthmedia best practice advice? Snap up the spots before your competitors beat you to it.

This is one to watch for the small businesses out there.

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