Three important words to remember when opening a retail store may be location, location, location, but opening a virtual storefront on the Internet has its own special rules. Unlike brick-and-mortar shopkeepers, Web store owners can’t rely on neighborhood fliers or mailbox circulars to bring customers to their stores. They also can’t rely on the store’s physical location, a pedestrian-heavy boulevard or even air conditioning on a hot day to lure people inside. Instead, Web shopkeepers are faced with the grim reality of publicizing their stores in a medium that is cluttered and difficult to navigate.
But there’s good news. If you’re an online retailer, you can utilize search engines–similar to neighborhood Yellow Pages–that allow Internet shoppers to type in a keyword and match it to your product offerings. As e-commerce and the comfort level with online shopping grow, search engines are increasingly being used as store directories. Search engines also provide ways to target a highly focused audience with a sales message. While Web shops are undeniably more difficult to find than the neighborhood corner store, a directory listing is perhaps the best place to start promoting your site.