Answering the "Why?" Question

As I eluded to in my introduction post, many small town business owners have yet to catch on that there is a whole world of interest in their particular business online. I think many business owners today look at the Internet in terms of a much more National focus instead of on the local level.



Things are changing, which I am sure I don't have to tell you about. Many industries are being effected by the increasing popularity of the Internet. My industry alone, newspapers, are one of the many who are seeing a HUGE change in the way we do business. With the Internet being so much easier to navigate and bloggers and other news organizations out there offering headline news and content for free, we've had to find new ways compete with this new media. For newspapers, however, it was more like the old saying, "if you can't beat 'um, join 'um."



But it's not just newspapers that are seeing the difference. A new study out at my newspaper indicated that the only people who have used the phone book during a set period of time were only doing so to look up a number to a business they already knew about. No one is gaining new business information from the phone book any longer. I think everyone can agree that the phone book folks themselves can see that just by how much THEY all promote their own online services even more than their printed product anymore.



If that doesn't answer the question "why" for you yet, then consider this.



With the actual printed phone book slowly becoming obsolete, where do you think all of these people are turning to for information?



As Internet connections become more prevalent in today's households and workplaces, more and more people are seeing the value and ease of simply opening up their favorite search engine and typing in what they are looking for without ever even opening up a phone book.



That means that if Sally who might be sitting at her desk at work in Kingsport Tennessee needs a plumber or is looking into possibly having some cosmetic surgery or is looking to buy a new mattress, what she's doing is opening up a search engine and typing in something like this: "plumbers kingsport tennessee", or "Botox Kingsport Tennessee" or even "Mattresses TriCities Tennessee." Then what she's doing is looking at the first one or two pages for websites in HER AREA that provide her what she's looking for.



Honestly, it's that simple.



The problem is, if your not among the ones in the search results, then your just handing over business to your competitor. And don't think for a second that it is impossible for you to appear favorably in those search results. The key lies within the location. Anyone who goes online and searches for Botox will see National websites explaining what it is or they may even find the official Botox Brand website.



BUT! If someone searches Botox Kingsport Tennessee, then the search engines have more specific information to go on to narrow the search down. They have an actual geographic location that they can pin point more relevant websites and deliver to you. Actually, more and more, the search engines are working very hard to better themselves at doing this very thing. Mostly because if they can serve you search engine results that pertain to what your looking for specifically in your location, then you are going to feel more inclined to use them again when you go looking for something else.



The bottom line is you, a small business owner in small town America, also need to be considering your presence online. I know, just what you were looking for, something else to have to focus on to make sure your business is a success. But hey! The good news is, it can be easy, affordable, and only a little time consuming. I wont lie to you though, time will have to be your biggest investment. But trust me, the time you put into your online identity should pay off in no time.



Why do you need to have an online presence?

• Because your competitor probably does and is most likely reaping the benefits of having one.


• Because there really are people out there searching for YOU and your business as it relates to your area.


• Because the Internet is an incredible marketing tool that you might as well learn to take advantage of sooner than later.

OK, that last one I will explain later when we talk about what type of presence you need to have. Just think of it this way.... your website is your online marketplace, it's your virtual storefront that people find when they are looking for you online (not much differently than if they were walking past your store on the street) so what do you want them to see?

Introducing Myself: Small Town Digital

Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Suzanne Watson. I have been the Online Advertising Sales Coordinator for the Kingsport Times News for 2 years now. I am a tech geek, a photographer, a mom and a wife. I live in a small town in East Tennessee near the Appalachian Mountains.

More than anything I cater to my inner nerd. I love technology, gadgets and the Internet. I feel very lucky to be in the field that I am in because of my overwhelming passion for all things Internet and Marketing. It's ridiculous really. If you have never seen someone get excited looking at Analytics or helping a client put together creative and helpful online advertising and marketing strategies, then you've never met me.

I wanted to take my first blog to introduce myself before I simply started babbling on about the things I love. I decided to start this blog because after having spent 2 years out in the field and on the streets talking to small business owners about the benefits of online advertising and having an online presence (yes, there are several business owners out there who don't even understand WHY you need to be online never mind how and where to start), I felt that there may actually be a need for someone to try and layout the basics to someone who may have the same questions and quandaries when it comes to all "this technology stuff." I don't pretend to be an expert or to have years of schooling behind my ideas. I am someone who is simply taking what I've encountered in real life and putting it to text in the off chance that maybe others out there can benefit from my experience.

What I do is fairly simple. I assist Account Executives at my newspaper in explaining to their customers what our online advertising can do for them. That's the short answer. The truth of the matter is, the conversations inevitably lead to talk of the customer's website (or lack thereof), the customer's understanding of the Internet in general, who is looking at the Internet, how does this relate to my business.... etc. I get handed statements like, "Oh, I don't mess with that computer" or "I have no need for all that stuff" or "My customers aren't looking online for me." - All of those things couldn't be more wrong. YOU don't have to use a computer but know that your customers ARE! And yes, they are even looking for YOUR businesses products or services.

I read somewhere that 60% of all searches are local. That means, not only does the Nike's and Fords and the other major brand names need to pay attention to how they appear online but even Joe Smoe's painting service in small-town-USA does! Because people are looking for you too! And if you don't have any presence online, then your competition is getting all of your business. Which, most likely, is quite a bit of business.

Long gone are the days of folks grabbing the phone book to look up what they are looking for. More and more they are sitting in front of their computers (at work, sorry employers but it's true) with their Google screens up ready to type in what they are looking for. Small local businesses have to learn that having that presence online can make all of the difference in the world to the success of their company.

But what kind of presence do they need? How do they get it? How much does it cost? How do they compete in a search engine war with the big boys? Heck, where do you start?

Well, that's where I hope to shed some light on the subject in my future blogs. Again, I am not the top-of-the-food-chain SEO executive or some genius web designer but I am someone who has been helping clients figure out, on a small and local scale, where they need to be online to be competitive in their local markets. This is a niche that seems, at least in my area, a lost topic. I could be wrong. But now I've committed my thoughts to this blog and now you all have a chance to tell me where I go wrong. I look at this as not only a way to open dialog and help small businesses grow their online market but also as a chance to learn from all of you more about what you know and your experiences.

So, until next time...