Looking for local?
Browse the business directory!

What is the Shop Local Movement in St Albert?

Slight typo maybe? Dare we say it is becoming more of a ‘Revolution’ because the Shop Local ‘Movement’ continues to spread its roots for over 2 decades here in Canada! Now is the time to take things to the next level!

ShopStAlbert.com has always been far ahead of the curve and that’s what our economy needs...a proactive approach to helping small businesses in St Albert!

Change is inevitable and uncontrollable factors such as world events, global economic upheaval, inflation, and strains on supply chains trickle down to affect small business owners and entrepreneurs like never before in history.

What St Albert consumers are telling us!

Consumers are smarter and more savvy than ever before as they make good use of technology to research products and services. St Albert consumers are no exception and in fact their online search behaviours testify to the fact that they are committed to ‘shopping locally’.

Really, what St Albert consumers are saying is that they get it. They understand how vital shopping local is and the positive impact that doing so has for St Albert’s economic growth. No need to keep reminding them to support/shop local; they’re trying.

Where does the gap lie if local businesses continue to struggle? Well, as stated earlier, there is no shortage of challenges out of the control of all of us, yet what we as businesses owners can control, influence and change, however, is how we reach local consumers who are eager to shop local. 
 

How can St Albert businesses reach more local consumers?

If you are a St Albert business owner and are reading this, you must put on your ‘consumer hat’ when developing or modifying your marketing strategy, especially the digital aspect of such. Understanding how and where local consumers seek out local products and services is the first important step toward reaching the local audience where your potential loyal customers reside.

Answer this question honestly: when you need to find a product or service where do you begin your search? Facebook? Instagram? TikTok? It’s fair to say that the vast majority of people ‘Google it’ and they have been doing this for many many years now. In fact, online searches for local products and services experienced nearly a 1,000% increase since 2020! Can you see where this is going?

‘Local Search’ fuels the Shop Local Movement!

A website alone does not constitute a strong online presence. The same holds true for social media. Reports reveal that less than 25% of people that perform Google searches for a product or service will actually move past page 1 of Google; they will conduct a new search instead. This makes page 1 of Google a coveted location for businesses to get found by thousands of local consumers that don’t know a business exists.

Local Search Marketing is an absolute essential for any business looking to get discovered by the ever-increasing number of consumers searching for local stuff. Technically speaking, this concept is not new. It is alternatively referred to as SEO or Search Engine Optimization.

The ShopStAlbert.com platform accomplishes this vital aspect for local businesses by helping them land on page 1 for the relevant and highly-searched keywords local consumers type into Google’s search console.
Our proprietary platform has a proven 20-year track record across North America and creates a robust online business portal for local consumers to start discovering and shop with local businesses, all to the benefit of St Albert's economy!