How to use local search to promote cross-channel sales

Consumer popularity with local search is driving up more multi-channel marketing opportunities for retailers, says Scot Wingo, CEO of ChannelAdvisor Corp., a provider of e-commerce technology and marketing services for selling on the web. One effective method is to simply include a store’s city in paid keyword phrases, he says.

The three online marketing channels of Internet search, comparison shopping sites and e-marketplaces can each be leveraged to drive customer traffic to stores as well as to web sites, Wingo says, citing industry figures that indicate that 15-20% of Internet searches have a local shopping component.

Some store retailers, for example, will include the city in which one of its stores is located in keyword phrases promoting the store brand or individual products, because many consumers will use Internet search to see if they can buy something immediately in a local store instead of having to wait for the shipment of an online order, Wingo says. A search phrase such as “New York Sony DVD player,” for instance, could direct New York City-based online shoppers to a local consumer electronics store. “This is why we see search engines investing so much in online maps,” Wingo adds.

Store chains are also buying a larger presence in local shopping sites, such as ShopLocal.com, Yokel.com and Froogle.com. These are other local shopping sites, which let consumers enter their ZIP codes or cities to call up local stores for particular products, are building up their own site brands connect with local shoppers, Wingo says.

Retailers like Sears, Roebuck and Co., he adds, are using e-marketplaces like eBay.com to direct online shoppers to regional outlet stores in their area. Shoppers key in their ZIP code for a particular order to see if Sears will ship products from an outlet store to their home address, but also have the option locate the address of the outlet store to arrange for in-store pick-up.

“Once the retailer gets the online shopper in the store, she usually buys more stuff,” Wingo adds.