Where in the world are you?

On the web, nobody knows you’re in Peoria. But for retailers looking to build a solid local clientele, it matters. To bricks-and-clicks folks especially: in person shoppers want to find what’s a reasonable drive from home. But even a pure-play online retailer who wants to offer features like same-day delivery or pickup to local shoppers should take note – not to mention anyone whose customers care about whether they must pony up for international shipping.

Now there are not one but two ways to help Google find you better. Not only can you list your brick-and-mortar business on Google Local, you can also associate your web site with its location.

Speaking of which, a pet peeve from the blogger: please put your full address and phone number on your web page, not just an email or a web contact form. I know Walmart.com went the other way, but it inspires more confidence (and less irritation) in consumers who are trusting you with all their information to know they can find you if something goes wrong. And it makes it a heck of a lot easier to know when to get in touch — or check for a reply — if we know what time zone you’re in. — Meredith Schwartz