What Do You Think Is More Important For Local Businesses? Mobile Apps Or SEO?

SEO Services for sure, mobile for local business isn't really something that's converting well for me right now, there's too much hype around it. At my car dealership, the amount of RIO from SEO is just incredible, for every 5 internet lead e-mails, there's a good chance the guys there will sell a car, around $1K+ profit depending on the vehicle.

I think it's a mixed blessing for both local businesses and legitimate consultants and service providers.

On the plus side, it's raised the awareness of many local businesses to some of the possibilities waiting for them online. It's created more ways for prospective customers to find, and choose among, businesses in their community.

On the minus side, there are a large number of wannabes and grifters looking at 'selling online services to local businesses' as the next great get-rich-quick scheme. Some of the local business people I talk to just in everyday life are sick of wasting their productive time talking to cold callers who want to 'put them on the front page of Google' or sell them a website. Makes it much tougher for legitimate service providers to get a toehold.

In general, I think it has the potential to save some businesses and elevate some. Good reviews on trusted sites can sway people to or away from your business. To, if the good reviews are yours. Away from, if the good reviews belong to your competitors.

Good marketing online can also open lines of communication with the customer base, resulting in products and services that better serve those customers.

If it is done right, and the business is sound to start with. Done wrong, or done for a basically unsound business, it can hasten the day the "This Space for Lease" signs go up.

I think it depends a lot on the type of business. Weedy92 has a lead-driven business in his car dealership. An app doesn't make much sense.

A regional chain of gas stations has an app that will allow you to use your phone to pay for gas, hooking the app to your credit or debit card. It also provides coupon codes and special offers for add-on sales, like soda and snacks.

I do think the whole app frenzy is a little overblown as businesses with no need for mobile apps get them just to be cool. For example, a local hospital has an app to keep you up to date with the waiting time in the emergency room. I don't know about you, but I've never been able to plan accidents requiring an ER for a convenient time.

I just saw a post on Nielsen's blog that said smart phones account for just over half of the mobile market, and the percentage is growing.

In the future, being online and mobile-friendly will be extremely important, even if it's just a web page with directions, hours and contact information. Sensible apps will be a natural extension as the 'gee whiz' factor ebbs.