With mobile phones in every pocket, the Web will be entirely mobile within the next 10 years. Just as Search Engine Optimization (SEO) served the needs of computers in the early 2000s, Location Search Optimization (LSO) serves the search needs of today's smart mobile devices. LSO is directly related to the growth of smart phones and location-based searches.

LSO is the newest site optimization method, following in the evolution of SEO and SMO (Social Media Optimization). Site optimization methods improve the visilibility of a website in search engines and finding information online. With SEO, publishers optimized around keywords, and with SMO, publishers optimized sites by adding Facebook and Twitter Share buttons. LSO is optimizing around location so your content will be more easily discovered on location-aware devices.

Why LSO Matters?

More people are accessing the web via mobile devices than computers. By 2014, mobile internet usage is expected to surpass PC internet usage. People turn to their mobile phones to learn what is happening around them and nearby. Location-based searches are now a key way people find information online, and specifically, Google reports that 40% of mobile searches are about a location.

Did you know there will be a concert at the park near your house? What are people saying about that restaurant across the street? What news articles and webpages mention that restaurant? These questions all boil down to location.

More people now are discovering information through location and mobile devices. Location is most relevant in delivering what information users need on their location-enabled devices.

How to Become LSO Compliant?

It takes less than 5 minutes to become LSO compliant. Here are the steps:

1. Use the proper microformat tags that will help search engines better understand your content. These are simply small additions to HTML. You can check if your site is ready by going to this link and clicking the link "Is your Site Ready?". Simply enter the URL for your site, and it will direct you on how to optimize your site.
2. Geotag your site by adding this small snippet of Javascript code that will identify the places and locations mentioned in your webpage. Geotagging your site will add location context to your content. Access the code here.

That's it.

What types of content can be optimized (e.g. LSO compliant)?

• News content
• Reviews
• Daily Deals
• Traffic & Weather
• Local Inventory
• Real Estate Listings
• Job Postings
• Videos

Learn More about LSO

Fwix CEO Darian Shirazi recently gave the keynote talk about LSO at the Street Fight Summit in New York City, where he provides an informative overview. The slides he used in his presentation are not apparent in the video, but we embedded the slides below as well.

View the slides from his keynote below.

Finally, just remember

The web will be entirely mobile in the next 10 years, and LSO is what SEO was in 1999. Don't get left behind!