Local Marketing and the World Wide Web

The Internet gets a lot of press about bringing the world together. And it certainly deserves it. Ten years ago the idea of daily collaboration with coworkers in countries scattered across the globe would have been the stuff of science fiction. But while the Internet has certainly made us more aware of our “global neighborhood”, its impact on local business is not to be ignored.

Search engine optimization and internet marketing are two of the most powerful tools local businesses can wield to get that bell above the front door ringing. Local marketing such as customer reviews and store directions are important factors search engines use to rank a page in a search result. Engines such as Google are alleviating the need to type geotargeted keywords with more intuitive local search results based on the location of the user. Seo providers are riding this trend, helping small businesses harness the global availability of the Web to find customers right around the corner.

Even once a customer is in the door, local marketing is still a factor in their shopping decisions. A significant percentage of shoppers in physical stores use their smartphone or tablet to compare prices. This helps them by bringing the price competition found so naturally online into the brick and mortar realm of commerce. But the Internet also allows small businesses to direct customers to their online sites if a particular item, style, or size is not available in the store, but can be found in their distribution warehouse. This allows retailers to keep a tight hold on “in store” leads.

And any savvy SEO agency knows the importance of a solid, convenient, and “search engine friendly” website, whether a customer is finding the business online for the first time or making the decision to set foot in the store. Website redesign services are a standard practice in SEO for local marketing as well as world wide traffic. The easier a site is to navigate online, the more likely a local customer will walk through the door to peruse the wares.

Yes, the Internet is weaving the world more tightly together than ever before. But it is also helping to keep the individual threads strong and vibrant, by enhancing the impact of local marketing in stores around the block, as well as stores around the world.