Local internet marketing can give companies the competitive advantage, but according to experts at the game, many small businesses think it’s beyond their grasp.
Idaho-based Three Strands Marketing, which provides professional but affordable web design and online marketing solutions to help Magic Valley’s businesses prosper, wants to help small businesses in the region (and nationally) understand the power of local Internet marketing.
Having a website lets small business owners position themselves as the experts in their chosen field. It lets potential customers know how they mean business when it comes to producing the goods or services consumers need. As competition in the marketplace grows, first impressions matter more than ever. People are making those first impressions by surfing the web before they even enter a company’s doors.
“Yellow Pages? Window shopping? Welcome to the internet, the new way to window shop and scrutinize which business to patronize,” a company release reads. “Not having a website likely means a company is losing business. A poorly designed website could mean that too.”
That doesn’t just go for businesses competing nationally or locally, the company says.
Small businesses need to consider local internet marketing if they plan to stay competitive. Millions of local customers use Google and business directories like Yelp to find local businesses in their area. If a business isn’t there, it’s a good chance that business isn’t being found as much as it could be.
Need further evidence? Consider these statistics from Vistaprint Digital Services, which surveyed 2,000 consumers and discovered that:
– 34 percent said they are unlikely to shop at a business without a website.
– 45 percent said they are unlikely to shop at a business with a poorly designed website.
– 75 percent said it’s important to read reviews of a business before visiting it.
– 60 percent expect a small business to have a presence on social media.
For additional insight or to learn more about Three Strands Marketing, click here.