Two weeks ago I found a local ski shop in Vermont for an “emergency repair” via my iPhone. A few days later I used the phone to confirm the location of a hotel in Massachusetts, and last week I found a local Cosi restaurant in Manhattan to grab a quick-lunch with a Client.

Every day, more and more consumers are upgrading their cell phones to Internet-connected devises and smart phones – and everyday more Consumers are using them as I do. Currently, it’s estimated that 15% of all mobile searches contain a local modifier (city/state/zip code, etc). Google has even gone as far as saying that desktop p.c.’s will be irrelevant in three years!

Think about it: you always have your cell phone with you, and it’s always on. Those with smart phones are not only always “on”, but their “online” as well.  

According to The Kelsey Group’s Mobile Local Media Forecast (2008-2013),

• the percentage of mobile searches that have local intent will increase from 28 percent in 2008 to 35 percent in 2013
• there are currently 54.5 million mobile Internet users in the United States, which represents 25% of all online users

GPS units and Apple iPad-like devises will also drive mobile searches; so a local business’s ability to be “found” online is increasingly important. This mobile segment of Internet marketing represents a unique and significant opportunity – and businesses who’ve proactively positioned themselves to capture these local mobile searchers will benefit first.

The majority of this growth is being generated specifically by the iPhone – but I believe the numerous new models using Google’s Android mobile platform (Droid, G1, Eris, etc.) will potentially surpass the iPhones influence relatively quickly as they’re carrier agnostic (most major cell phone companies now carry at least one Android phone, the iPhone is limited to AT&T).  Regardless – “mobile” is where the local-search business is headed – so we’ve assembled some important factors and tips that every local business should consider…

• According to comScore/TMP research (2008 vs. 2009), Google Maps and Yellowbook.com have both been the largest beneficiaries of this increase in mobile search:

Getting included is relatively simple: claim your local business listing on Google, and get on Yellowbook.com (which is also one of the most popular applications download on Android phones).

• Create a mobile-friendly version of your website. This involves finding a good web developer to help you understand what can and should be done to your website to make it more mobile friendly. This usually involves creating alternate style sheets (“CSS”) for the mobile device so that your site content lays out differently for the small screen. Sometimes a completely different site is a better option. A “.mobi” version of your site makes sense when you have complicated content that needs to be displayed in a radically different way than is does on a traditional computer monitor.

• Optimize your site for mobile/local search. This includes placing your primary geo (market/city) within your title tag, and your local phone number (not a toll-free) within your meta-description. Additional local SEO tips are posted here.

• You’ll also want to be listed in as many local directories and databases as possible – they “power” local content across many hundreds of properties across the web. Here’s an easy way to get listed into many of them.

Your customers are talking about you — and the whole world is listening.

How do you manage your reputation when everybody is a critic?

For some business owners, this is a terrifying prospect that seems more like mob rule than the wisdom of crowds. Negative reviews can hang an albatross around your neck if they appear prominently in search results. Happily, there is a big upside: referrals from happy clients are traditionally the best source of new business — and online forums are powerful word-of-mouth. The review process has been democratized.

But managing your online reputation requires a whole new skill set, including monitoring the online conversation and engaging with customers and the tech-savvy to promote yourself in the best channels. These skills are becoming essential for mainstream businesses. According to a survey by the Opinion Research Corporation, 84 percent of Americans say online reviews influence their purchasing decisions.

“Social media for business now is life or death,” said Dan Simons, a restaurateur in the Washington area who closely monitors these forums. “You could open a business and do everything right, but if you’re unaware of these social media you will perish. Social media can take a business and put a bullet in it.”

Read the entire article here.