Consumers have the world in their hands and even the smallest business in the smallest town can take advantage of that according to one of Google Canada’s vice presidents.

Alex Marks, associate product marketing manager at Google recently came to Petrolia to talk about the changing marketing landscape.

Marks says when Coca Cola released its iconic “I Like to Buy the World a Coke” ad in the 70s, it was a time of media scarity – they had the whole world’s attention “The days of media scarity are over and we are being constantly bombarded with messages,” he told the crowd at Victoria Hall.

Marks says there has been exponental growth in marketing since the Internet exploded. And that has grown even more since the mobile market made its breakthrough in 2014 when 4 million mobile devices were shipped and sold every day.

Marks says people use their phones in a different way than we use a desktop computer; “we use it at key moments, to do something, to find something, to go somewhere.”

Marks sees that as an opportunity for every single business, including those in small towns saying they have to “be presents where those moments are.”

Marks urged business owners to figure out what their audience is using the data available for free and the “be there – show up (on the Internet) when people are looking for you.”

The Google executive says the Town of Petrolia is doing a great job of that now, with a very active presence on social media for the town and Victoria Playhouse Petrolia.

And while business could see growth by being mobile savvy, Deb Harkens of the Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce added it will keep your customers coming back as well. “It’s not just about selling stuff but serving people.”

!