The world is very quickly moving from brick and mortar to online. Many products are only available online, searchable via search engine optimization that targets local online marketing. One of the many conveniences of this is that products will be shipped directly to the home. More and more small business don’t even have a store front on the street, they only do business online, utilizing professional custom design and branding. By the year 2020, 85% of business transactions will take place online, without any human interaction whatsoever. The internet has revolutionized the way we shop and do business.

The savvy small business will have a user friendly website that incorporates easy to use features and a clickable shopping cart, clear photos, and understandable text. This opens a new world to many who are not familiar with local online marketing, search engine optimization, professional custom design and marketing, creating graphics or even creating text that will be informative to their customers. This is where web design services come into play. They are a valuable resource for the layman who runs a small business.

Since having a strong online presence is the name of the game, we need to understand the basics. Following is a list of some important points to consider when entering the the world of local online marketing:

• Nearly everyone who shops online begins by utilizing a search engine such as Google. They will type their subject into the search box and the search engine will then search the entire Internet for related information.
• There are over 100 billion searches conducted monthly, across the entire world, but the majority of searchers never scroll past the first page of results. The aim of the small business is to get their business name on that first page that comes up. From there the searcher can click on their name and go directly to their site.
• The site then needs to load quickly; statistically the consumer will click away if the page takes longer than three seconds to load, and then must be easy to navigate.
• Studies show that leads generated from local online marketing are more likely to result in a sale than from direct mail advertising.
• Nearly three quarters of Americans never or rarely use a paper phone book, according to a recent study, thus indicating the huge need for a strong online presence including accurate contact information.
• Nearly half of American consumers report that the design and appearance of a website indicate the integrity of the company. A poorly designed website speaks of carelessness and lack of credibility, while a well designed site indicates that the business is concerned about its clients and the quality of its work. This is the beauty of local online marketing: the business can generate a great first impression simply by presenting a well designed site.
• Consumers are more likely to utilize a business if the website works well not only on their computer but on their phone or mobile device as well. The best website design will consider this need and cater to it.

In summary, business conducted via a well designed and user friendly website will result in higher sales, greater customer satisfaction, and higher incidence of repeat business. The use of a web design service that focuses on local online marketing is a must for today’s successful business.