I've blogged before about the importance for local businesses of embracing video to sell their wares.  Videos allow potential customers to get a real sense of what firms do, how they do it and the people who do it from a safe distance.  Now that it's easy to showcase a business using video (especially with thebestof where it's part of the package) it's hard to see why more local firms don't do it.

There seem to be three main excuses.

• There's the camera shy - but that's ok because you can just film your happy satisfied customers and they can do the work for you.  
• There's the "oooh, it'll never catch on"  presumably just waiting for it to catch on.  
• There's the lot who spend a fortune on local press ads, presumably because their grand parents did.

But here's a reason why local firms should have another think.

Google is just about to roll out an ad format that will allow big brands to link video to Google Adwords.  So big business will be able to link local search with all its targeted relevance with brand advertising.

Can I just say that again.

Big business will be able to link local search with all its targeted relevance with brand advertising.

This could be bad.

At the moment, a local firm has local relevance as an advantage in search but converts that attention by using a website with copy and pictures created with normal commercial budgets.  Big national firms have expensively produced and very persuasive sites but they lose out on local relevance.  Not exactly a level playing field but at least everyone has a camp.

But it's possible Google are about to hand big business a chance to park their tanks on the local firms' lawn...

But wait.  Local firms can use video just like the big boys.  Local firms can create video content that engages with audiences, shows what they really do and reveal something of their personality, every bit as well as big national advertisers.

I don't blame Google for doing what they are doing - it's another step to making search relevant for searchers.  I couldn't blame major national advertisers for taking advantage of the opportunity.  But I will be mildly vexed if local businesses don't get the fact that, far from being another problem it's another example of the web making competition fairer - so long as they are prepared to compete!

Use video. Showcase your business. Delight potential clients. Win Business. Be only limited by the scale of your ambition. Love Google.

(well, maybe not the last bit but...)