When Internet marketing exploded at the turn of the century, businesses, even small ones almost instantly aimed for the moon. The possibilities Internet marketing gave was simply tremendous. But just a few years back, businesses realized that they have been neglecting the ones that also matter to their businesses – the people in their own backyard.

Local marketing caters to the needs of consumers within a small location. It’s even more beneficial for funeral homes, as client families don’t look very far for their needs. What’s interesting about local marketing is that this year, it’s poised to become even more important.

The following are some things you need to keep in mind when optimizing your funeral home for local marketing.

Mobile search is on the rise

That’s because more consumers are searching for products and services using their mobile and tablet devices. These days, in the United States alone, nearly 35 percent of all web traffic comes from mobile devices and tablet computers. That’s a staggering number. You should also take to heart what experts said that mobile responsive websites rank higher in mobile search.

Mobile advertising and mobile payments

By 2016, nearly 90% of all local ads will be viewed in mobile devices according to local marketing agency and expert Borrel and Associates. That’s fueled in part by how many consumers are now getting more accustomed to paying for goods and services online using their mobile devices. That attitude will continue to spike this year and beyond.

Include eCommerce in your funeral website

Because consumers are now more comfortable in paying for services using their mobile devices, you should make it easy for your funeral home website to accept online payments. You can do this by including ecommerce features in your website.

Explore wearable tech

By 2018, the market for wearable tech is expected to have grown to $30 billion. It’s still in its infancy these days, but soon, wearable devices will provide tremendous opportunities to businesses. You should start exploring how your funeral home should adapt to how client families will soon use wearable technology to find services.

The influence of social media

Social media is here to stay. Consumers have already grown accustomed to communicating and sharing information via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Because of its sheer size, social media has grown to become indispensable in influencing people’s buying decision. That’s why you need to make your funeral website social media ready by strengthening your presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, and by including social sharing features that would make it easy for client families to share your content to others.

For more information on optimizing your funeral home for local search, contact us today.