Recently, my business partner and I were on our way back to the office from an appointment. Our conversation was focused on the current state of search engine optimization (or “SEO”) and how it compares to similar real world challenges. I couldn’t help but notice a trend as we passed from one block to the next.

Sign holders everywhere! I suppose they are paid a nominal fee or perhaps offered a free meal to stand on a sidewalk and get the attention of vehicle traffic passing by with the hopes of increasing the foot traffic into their respective stores. It seemed like there was one on every corner!

I couldn’t help but link the similarities in the method used to drive traffic both offline and online. For starters, in realworld SEO, competitive businesses use hand held signs on the sidewalk to bring street traffic into their brick-and-mortar business. In the online world, savvy business owners use proven search engine optimization methodology.

In either case, the objective is the same, to drive traffic to their store (real world) or their business’ web site (SEO) thus requiring efforts in maximizing both local (real world) and global search visibility (SEO). Marketing a business, in the real world or online, is such an important part of running the business that it must be given the proper attention and tactical planning it deserves, in order to really get the appropriate return for your investment.