Some Town America, the backbone of our country and the foundation of what we have grown into, it’s beauty and simple views and cares so nice to visit, to live in and be part of with knowing all and everyone within. But there is a problem, they are falling vastly behind the technology curve, which does and will continue to be problems with jobs, and tourism. Rural America is slipping behind on the Digital Divide with its lack of technology use, not the cost or the high bandwidth, but understanding and knowledge of its use.
It use to be that Rural America had the problem of high bandwidth use, and in some places it still does, or the cost of computers where a challenge that inhibited those from buying them. Now more and more small towns are receiving fast Internet connections now through Cable access, DSL or even Dish, which is a great thing. But so many web site designers seem to forget that a website should be designed to be light and fast loading. The cost of computers has dramatically dropped and computers now have more abilities then most users are able to fathom. But the cost of Software still is very high, for those who are a bit tight with finances with this economic hardship our country is going through.
But the small towns are also experiencing the challenge of trying to keep up with the ever-going technology always going forward. So few small towns and small business in small town America take advantage of what Technology can offer them. Often they are the ones without a website, no news or highlights of what is happening in these beautiful small towns, and many small business users are challenged with the learning curve of using the software or keeping the computer OS up to date with security. And as far as tourism, they are also falling vastly behind with GEO or Location Based Technology and applications that is the norm of the larger cities. This technology is a great boost of commerce in businesses in cities, but Rural America it seems to be empty upon those maps. The traveling populous and tourism economics this could help boost is amazing
When you look to the company that is setting the foundation of mapping out the world for use with mobile devices and services, they do include Small Town, but the local small businesses of these small towns don’t know of these services that companies such as , and can offer. This could be beneficial for the local people some, but far more helpful with bringing those from the city into the beauty of the local small towns of Rural America with more torsion.
As one travels along the many Highways or Routes of our country, we drive by so many small towns or towns just a few miles off an exit that might have some services, restaurant or event that a person in the city might so enjoy. It is these devices that could help to bring those from the city to enjoy some of the simple pleasures and beauty of our countryside’s and thee small towns within them.
According to , an “Average of 6% of navigation device users visit a business because of seeing an advertisement on their device” and “72% of consumers find location-based advertisements on navigation devices acceptable”. This is such better and higher percents of getting the largest amount of advertising to your clients to come to these locations with it. Far better rating then the advertising in small tabloids that might end up just being paper on the floor to train puppies or at the bottom of bird cages.
GEO or Location Based Technology and applications can enable any business or event in a small town to communicate with customers online or driving by with their mobile devices and get more possible clients to stop in or inform them of specials, events and places to see. But so few small town businesses and governments have a good understanding and use of today’s new technology and are slipping behind on possible economic increases for their communities.
This is where I truly feel Internet Caf?�’s with a small cluster of computers and someone to help these local small businesses get online with websites, adding e-commerce to their business and GEO or Location Based Technology to help bring in more possible clients and torsion to Rural America.
achsan uddin