The Importance of Internet Marketing for Small Businesses

More and more local businesses are becoming aware that consumers are using the internet to find out information about their products or services before making a purchase. This information is confirmed in study after study such as that done by The Kelsey Group which has discovered that the amount of consumers doing online research for local products or services has reached 97%.

What does this mean for the local business owner? It means that the internet is not only here to stay, but that the rules have completely changed and we have to adapt! Marketing even a local business online can no longer be shrugged off as a non-essential part of marketing a local business.

The more that consumers do research online, the greater the need for us local business owners to get in the internet game. The first step to getting in the game is to get a website. A business website should be clean and professional looking. It also should clearly communicate how the your business can help meet a consumer's needs and give clear directions for contacting the business. The second step towards getting in the game is marketing your website. This can be done using many different avenues such as Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), or even by using Social Media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

With upwards of 97% of consumers using the internet to search for information about local companies, it only makes sense for small businesses to get online and to begin strong marketing campaigns to market their website. The good news is that local internet marketing is still on the cutting edge. Those local business owners who act fast have the potential to increase their market share dramatically if their competitors have not yet taken the internet seriously.