LocalBizBits Local Search Marketing Information and Resources
I have just got back from vacation where there was no Internet available to me. This was good and bad. Good because I was able to read up on a lot of articles that I have been saving and actually worked on a number of posts. Bad because there was no Internet! You really do not realize how much you rely on something until it is gone…It is nice to be back home 🙂
Today I wanted to comment on two posts that I thought were very good. The first was by Miriam Ellis, Where Local Search Falls Down In Small Town USA. Miriam hits the nail on the head in this post!
“Yet, there is a disconnect going on between local business owners and Google Maps/Local that is making this tool so much less useful than it could be, and I feel the trouble is especially apparent in places like my new small town.”
Local search can be a great tool but from my limited travels and where I live, Augusta GA, there still is a lot of room for growth. Local search is a very effective tool in the larger cities but Small Town USA is still a few years behind. Even through locally owned small business directories, local search really has not gotten going. It really is frustrating. Miriam also wrote:
“But here, in Small Town, USA, opportunities are being missed to strengthen the local economy by showing the local people that almost everything they need can be found right here.”
This is so true, all we can do is continue to preach of gospel of local search and eventually small business will see the light.
The second post, was by Greg Sterling, The End of SMB Websites where he said, “in a few years most SMBs effectively won’t need sites at all because their data will be online through third party efforts (they might need to update or correct information however). Richer profiles with more local data will make SMB sites potentially obsolete.”
Greg makes a good point and it really could come to past but the key part of his statement is in a few years. Right now the small business owner is really lost on-line. I am hoping this blog, seminars, etc can help educate the small business owner on how the Internet works and what they need to do to survive.
To the small business owners reading this, build a website, submit to local directories, or use some third party efforts but get your business info on-line. Those that take advantage of it now, will reap the benefits.
Hi Larry!
Thanks for the kind mention.
Isn’t it weird how one feels on vacation away from the web? Sort of guilty, but really glad at the same time? Those breaks can really refresh you and bring you back to work full of creativity. Must take them!
Miriam
There is a need for a website that wants to focus on all small businesses not only in big cities but small cities that don’t get alot of attention. Jippidy is a nationwide Video Yellow Pages where all Small Business can have a profile to reach their customers regardless of geography.
Jippidy.com Video Yellow Pages