Shop Local, an e-commerce platform, reported that it's helping indie stores rank on page one of Google in 48% of states for wedding gift purchases. The findings are based on a recent study that Shop Local conducted regarding wedding registry purchasing. 

Study Findings:

• For 24 state searches, Shop Local Stores appeared on page one of Google. This represents 48% of all states. When just calculating the states in which Shop Local has clients (48), the percentage grows to 50%.
• In these 24 states, the total results were as follows: Shop Local (49), Third-party Apps on Shopify (10), MyRegistry (8)
• Shop Local stores ranked 500% higher than stores using Third-party Apps on Shopify or MyRegistry.
• In South Carolina, six Shop Local Stores earned a page one spot.
• In Louisiana, five Shop Local Stores won first-page placements.
• In many searches, stores using Shop Local software are ranking higher than big-box stores such as Walmart and Target.
• Shop Local has a higher quantity of clients appearing on page one Google results than any other software provider. 

How the Study Was Conducted: 

• Shop Local Googled "wedding registry" and the state’s name.
• Shop Local researched results for 48 states. (Shop Local has clients in 48 states; in two states, Shop Local doesn’t have clients: Alaska and New Mexico.) 

Search Results:
State / Number of Shop Local Stores on Page 1 of Google:

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

*Please note: Google results may vary.  This research was performed in May 2025.

Alabama Example:
These Shop Local clients appeared on page one of Google: 

1. Ivy Cottage in Mobile
2. The Flower Store in Auburn
3. Shealeighs in Athens

Shop Local Stores Beat Big-box Stores:
In many state results, Shop Local stores ranked on page 1 of Google ahead of national chains and other registry services, which often have larger customer bases and bigger website budgets.

Examples:

• In Arkansas and Mississippi, Shop Local stores beat Walmart, Target, and Amazon.
• In Delaware, Louisiana, and Wyoming, Shop Local stores beat Walmart and Target.
• In Arizona, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, Shop Local stores beat Walmart and Amazon.
• In Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin, Shop Local Stores beat Walmart.

What Can One Learn From This Study?
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. 

A Few Common Questions:
How does Shop Local get its clients to rank so highly in Google? 
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. 

Do Shop Local retailers pay extra for the high Google ranking?
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. 

Why does ranking highly in Google matter?
Many shoppers start their purchasing on Google.  When one can rank well in Google, it increases the likelihood the store will receive the sale.

Why does an indie store beating a big-box store in Google matter?
An indie store often lacks the advantage of having many locations like a big box store, and it lacks access to capital like a VC-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).

Why is appearing on page one of Google important?
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

Please click the PDF link or icon to view the full report.

Learn more about Shop Local Registry Software:
https://www.shoplocal.org/wedding-and-gift-registry-software.cfm

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Disclaimer: 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.