In 24 states, retailers using Shop Local ranked on page one of Google when doing a wedding registry related search. In many states, Shop Local retailers dominated the results. For example, for Georgia and South Carolina searches Shop Local retailers claimed six spots on Google's first page.

• We Googled "gift registry" and the state's name.
• We researched results for 48 states. (Shop Local has clients in 48 states; the only states that don't have Shop Local clients are Alaska and New Mexico.)

• For 24 state searches, Shop Local retailers appeared on page one of Google.
• In Georgia and South Carolina, Shop Local retailers claimed six spots on page one of Google.
• In Tennessee and Texas, five Shop Local retailers earned a page one spot.
• In Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Wyoming, Shop Local retailers won four first-page placements.
• In many searches, retailers using Shop Local software are ranking higher than big-box stores such as Walmart and Target.
• Shop Local has a higher quantity clients appearing on page one Google results than any other software provider.

• South Carolina: 6
• Louisiana: 5
• Florida: 3
• Delaware: 3
• Alabama: 3
• Mississippi: 3
• Oklahoma: 3
• Georgia: 2
• Pennsylvania: 2
• Texas: 2
• Virginia: 2
• Connecticut: 1
• Tennessee: 1
• Missouri: 1
• North Carolina: 1
• Wyoming: 1
• Arizona: 1
• Arkansas: 1
• Colorado: 2
• Illinois: 1
• Kentucky: 1
• Michigan: 1
• South Dakota: 1
• Wisconsin: 1

1. Grayco Hardware and Home in Beaufort
2. Sara & Beth Gifts and Home in Georgetown
3. Jeffrey Bannon in Charleston (appeared twice)
4. The Shops of Provence in Greenville
5. The Wacky Rabbit in Myrtle Beach

By using Shop Local's software, indie stores have the best chance of ranking highly in Google. Their store will be found by more customers.

Shop Local uses a variety of strategies to increase a store's Google ranking, from properly coding a page to increasing the number of backlinks pointing at the client's site.

No, stores do not pay extra for their page one page Google ranking. Shop Local provides free tools and features that help make it possible.

Many shoppers start their purchasing on Google. When one can rank well in Google, it increases the likelihood the store will receive the sale.

An indie store often lacks the advantage of having many locations like a big box store, and it lacks access to capital like a venture capital backed entity. When Shop Local helps a small indie outrank bigger competitors, that shows the outsize value we're providing to our clients. We're helping modest Main Street stores beat out companies with 100 locations (e.g. Target, Macy's) and $100m in funding (Zola).

The first page of Google may capture 71% of web traffic, while the second page may receive just 6% of website clicks.*
Source: https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2020/08/19/get-on-first-page-google

Related:
See how Shop Local compares to other registry providers like MyRegistry and Gift Reggie in Google results

Learn more about Shop Local's Registry service:
https://www.shoplocal.org/retailer-online-gift-and-wedding-registry

The results and findings presented in this post are based on research conducted in May 2025. These findings reflect the specific search results observed on that date and may not represent ongoing or future trends. Ranking of individual stores on Google may vary over time and across different locations, search terms, and other factors. The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as a guarantee of similar results for all users of Shop Local or any other platform. Additionally, the comparisons made to big-box stores and other registry services are based on specific searches and rankings at the time of the study. Individual results may differ.