Williston, North Dakota, population 5,200, is located in southeastern North Dakota. It is the county seat of Burleigh County, North Dakota. You won’t find many skyscrapers or large buildings in Williston, but you will find a lot of cows. A lot of cows. It is the largest cattle-raising community in North America, which, if you think about it, isn’t that difficult, since it’s mostly flat land. It is often referred to as the “Cattle Capital of America”, and you’d probably agree. Most of the buildings in Williston date back to the early 1900s, and the town hasn’t changed much since then. It’s quiet, conservative, and largely traditional.

The Rise of Online Marketing

While Williston may not be a town that’s at the forefront of technology, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t aware of what’s going on around it. One of the things that North Dakota is known for is its very conservative views, including its stance on tech and social media. It wasn’t until very recently, in other words, that online marketing started to gain popularity in the state. This is reflected in the fact that only 2.7% of the state’s businesses use online marketing methods, according to the North Dakota Business Review.

It’s not that online marketing is a new concept. People in North Dakota have been using the internet to find local businesses and services for a long time, including selling their own goods and services. What has changed is that the public is now more aware of the power of online marketing. Thanks to social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, as well as the internet in general, people in North Dakota are now more likely to seek out business that is nearby, or at least visible, on social media. Offline marketing, including radio ads and local newspaper spreads, still have their place, but as a form of catch-all communication, they are less effective in today’s digital age.

Why Are So Many Cattle Raising Communities Found in North Dakota?

A lot of people are surprised to learn that North Dakota is the birthplace of the modern-day burger. Believe it or not, it was actually the second half of the 20th century before fast food joints and shopping malls, which are now found all over the world, became a part of American culture. It wasn’t until the 1960s that frozen food, fast food, and home delivery became popular, due in large part to the increasing availability of automobiles. Before then, people mostly ate what was available to them in their local area, which often wasn’t much. This is one of the reasons why so many cattle-raising communities are located in North Dakota: there just isn’t that much food available for humans there. In case you’re wondering, there are also a lot of dairy farms in North Dakota, which are also known for their delicious cheeses, including cheddar and mozzarella.

How Social Media Influences Consumers in North Dakota

It’s often said that social media allows consumers to discover content that is relevant to them, based on their personal preferences and the people they follow. This theory seems to apply to the state of North Dakota as well, based on the fact that 96% of its businesses use social media, as do 84% of its consumers, per the North Dakota Business Review.

This discovery aspect is certainly a benefit to consumers in North Dakota. Thanks to the digital nomad population that now calls the state home, as well as the increased use of social media by all ages, people in this part of the country are now more likely to discover new things and keep up with the trends, whether they’re related to fashion, music, fitness, or food. According to HubSpot Blogs research, customers in North Dakota are 2.5x more likely to recommend a brand or product that they’ve discovered through digital media channels.

What Is Online Marketing anyway?

If you’re reading this, then you already know what online marketing is, but I’ll give you a quick overview for those who might not. Marketing is the activity of getting people to do business with you or buy your products. It can be done through various media channels, including SEO (search engine optimisation), PPC (pay-per-click), e-mail marketing, or social media, but essentially, it is marketing. The goal of online marketing is to drive consumers to some sort of action, whether they’re signing up for your newsletter, making a purchase, or simply showing up at a street corner to catch a bus or taxi.

Key Takeaways from This Data

Based on my research, here are some of the key takeaways from this data: