Seth Godin recently discussed the end of geography as a limitation for a business. He has some good points because the advances in technology have erased the barriers holding us back from accessing most of the globe. If technology can reach it, you can get it. He ends with a statement that is a springboard for discussion:
“If you’re still betting on geography, on winning merely because you’re local, I hope you have a special case in mind.”
The Special Case For Local
We all have great reasons for making our business as global as possible, but the “special case” that a business has for being local is the unique selling point needed for a great marketing message. If your business doesn’t have an identity that is unique, it is not memorable.
Figure out what makes your business unique on a local level and utilize those differences as part of your marketing strategies. It provides excellent content, for instance, that search engines look for. It triggers long tail keyword strings and other search engine optimizations.
We have talked a lot about local internet marketing on this blog because it is important. Everyone who gets on the internet is local to an area, despite the way the internet has expanded the neighborhood, right? Figuring out the special case for your local business reaches those who might be online buying from somewhere else.
In a way, the search engines are looking for local, too. The locality may not be geographical, but search itself is filtering out the things you don’t want to find the things you do. Those things you want may be ideas, products, services, or something else, but once you have narrowed it down it is a form of locality. Identifying the factors your target audience is looking for will guide them into your locality on the internet.
