The topic of online marketing at the local level in 2026 is starting off around everything pertaining to AI algorithms and Google Maps rankings. While that should be the primary focus, there are other options for local businesses in competitve cities and their suburbs, such as Dallas Texas and nearby cities like Plano, Addison, Frisco, McKinney, Carrollton, Lewisville, Garland, the Park Cities, and others.
In addition to regular (web 2.0) methods, there are some advanced uses of new technology which bridge the gap between web 2.0 and web3 technology such as:
Here are just a few examples:
This auto dealership in Plano sells pre-owned vehicles, and it can sell cars and SUVs nationwide. One unique technology slowly being implemented is to get 3D models of the specific make/model/year of desired vehicles. These digital assets then would get pinnedi (n GLB or FBX format) to a virtual world platform which is a map of Earth.
The assets would be pinned to high-emotion locations of prospective customers who can't make it to the dealership during operating hours. The car, for example, then could appear in that prospective customer's driveway on his/her phone (location enabled) - even if the person is over 1000 miles away. The prospective customer then could get a better understanding of how that car might look in his/her driveway, office parking lot, at a nearby beach, or wherever the customer would like to see how the car might look in specific locations of importance to that person.
Each map-pinned upload would have a clickable link to a desired landing page on the dealer's website, the Maps listing, YouTube video, or another page which is the most natural next step for the prospective customer to take in order to become closer to becoming a buyer through the dealership.
Similar to the above situation this driving school, which also offers a DPS accepted online driver education course for all ages in Texas, is going to start placing helpful content via augmented reality in the parking lots of college campuses throughout the state. Assuming then that the links could get into the hands of each campus' respective student body, the tips on location in the parking lot may help college students with concerns such as: how to parallel park, what to do if a tire is flat, tips on what to do if one's car gets hit in the student parking lot, etc.
The company also is doing some similar campus-specific actions in the Earth based metaverse platforms which will be mentioned in more detail shortly.
This company used augmented reality inside the Marriott in Times Square in New York City to help give a festive cheer to those dining in one of the hotel's restaurants.
Here is a link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pJ2KinYw8U
This business tax planning firm serving North Texas has used IPFS-pinned content for some of its marketing efforts. This was done to reduce website bloat on its CPA-focused website hosting company's servers + increase the chances of the content staying live as a backup in case of any website hosting company server issues.
There are a handful of platforms which allow the purchase and ownership (via NFT representation) of plots of land representing real locations on Earth. Each platform has various benefits and drawbacks, so this particular one allows the pinning of memories. In this case a Downtown Dallas-based video production company has the plot of land associated with its address; and a couple of memories have been pinned to the specific land plot. This platform also allows for the memories & images (no videos nor audios) to be rooted and saved on the more-permanent IPFS system.
Just like the video production company above, this plumbing company in Ellis County has an employee photo memory pinned to its land plot in the same platform. It is still determining how & when to use Augmented Reality in its business marketing for 2026 & beyond.
This cybersecurity and managed IT service company is serving Rockwall County and nearby Counties in the Eastern part of the Dallas area. Part of their plan is to help small businesses with web3 fraud prevention such as crypto & digital wallet scams, securing the company wallets' private keys in secure physical locations, navigating attacks by using decentralized social media and decentralized/privacy-focused browsers & malware prevention, and much more of relevance to a small business owner.
This live music bar and entertainment venue in Frisco / Collin County now has a web3 domain for its Frisco location. While not yet in use, those who have the web3 browser extension or Metamask wallet "Snaps" enabled can send cryptocurrency to the establishment if so desired.
The venue, inside the dashboard, would assign to which wallet the sender's cryptocurrency (Bitcoin and altcoins and stablecoins which are accepted) would go. This helps to reduce the risk of cryptocurrency being sent - and not able to be recovered - by a mistyping or adding/removing a character by accident in the otherwise-difficult alphanumeric wallet address.
There is more that can be done with these web3 domains, but the "Vanity License Plate" concept - being easy to remember - is a solid concept and can mitigate the risk of lost crypto funds for nominal cost. These web3 domains don't have any annual renewal fees, with the exception of a small number such as the .eth domain names.