Vermont Digital Marketing’s Most Competitive Verticals
When business owners in Vermont mention competition, traditional concerns - like pricing, staffing, market share and location - tend to dominate the conversation. Or so you’d assume.
Those who understand the Green Mountain State’s local marketing “nuances” recognize that the most intense competition is likely digital - in terms of SEO, SEM, and ensuring inclusion in AI search result summaries. Yes, even here.
What Are the Most Competitive Verticals in Vermont?
In 25 years, digital marketing in Vermont has evolved from GeoCities and Overture into a fundamental online survival strategy. Especially across the state's most competitive verticals. But what are they?
Let’s say you’re thinking of opening a new brick and mortar location, or even taking on a franchise. You’d be well-advised to perform a classic SWOT analysis - and may even be in the process.
Which new businesses will face the highest costs in terms of Vermont digital marketing due to competition? So, which Vermont segments are saturated, and which may be a profitable niche?
What Business Should You Open in Vermont?
Or, more specifically: Which type of business should you not open in Vermont?
Unlike national rankings that lump Vermont in with larger states, this analysis zeroes in on sectors that are particularly competitive right here, right now, in 2025. Using state labor reports, tourism and cannabis data, trade associations, and regulatory filings, we mapped out where online competition is most… intense.
The method is straightforward:
Provider density - the more businesses fighting for a limited audience, the fiercer the online race.
Economic weight - industries that drive billions in revenue also generate billions in online searches.
Competitive stress - when regulators or trade groups flag saturation, digital marketers should pay attention.
The outcome is a ranked list of verticals where visibility and competition isn’t optional - it’s the key to growth and making next week’s payroll.
Maybe you’ll learn something that realigns your original business plan for a ski shop hemp dispensary which offers hiking tours. Jesus, I hope so.
1) Tourism, Hospitality & Dining
Tourism is Vermont’s flagship sector, and that shows up in its digital marketing competition. In 2023, visitor spending hit $4.0 billion, fueling a total $6.7 billion impact. For perspective, that’s more than the entire annual GDP of some small U.S. states.
Tourism also supports 45,335 jobs, meaning tens of thousands of Vermonters rely on it directly (or indirectly). We even renamed Burlington’s main retail thoroughfare to “Canada Street”. A touch “on the nose”, but…
A desperate act for a desperate city? Yes. That’s exactly what it is. Even Performance Max probably won’t save the new hot dog spot here. But, in non-siege (further from the highway) cities - hope burns eternal.
Apologies for that tangent. But IYKYK. Where was I? Oh, right…
So what does this mean for Vermont online marketing?
High search intent: Users now use Google to plan every Vermonty detail - from hotels and restaurants to bike rentals, rock-climbing gyms, pepper spray carriers, and brewery visits.
Compressed demand windows: Leaf-peeping season, ski season, and summer lake tourism create spikes that crowd businesses into short marketing bursts. We’re seasonal here.
Review dependency: Studies show that out-of-state travelers are more likely to filter by rating, which pushes Vermont businesses to manage online customer reviews aggressively. They should, anyway.
Take the ski industry as an example. A resort in Killington isn’t just competing with Stowe - it’s competing with short-term rentals, boutique inns, and Airbnbs that all show up in Google Maps results. Below AI summaries (not location friendly) but above classic organic Google results.
Restaurants in Burlington face a similar squeeze: locals know where to go, but visitors scan “best restaurants near me” dozens of times per hour. For these businesses, digital marketing in Vermont isn’t a given - it’s the expensive heartbeat of foot traffic.
2) Cannabis Retail
Vermont legalized adult-use cannabis later than some neighbors, but the industry grew exponentially. By 2025, there were more than 400 licensed cultivators and over 100 retail outlets statewide. A full on Sativa saturation, if you like.
Regulators even paused new licenses to stabilize supply and demand. That’s a strong indicator of market engorgement. It’s completely soaked. Don’t do it.
The dollars are significant: in just the first four months of 2025, taxable cannabis sales reached $46.2 million. That’s not national - that’s just in Vermont!
No surprise then - this vertical is uniquely competitive:
Advertising restrictions: Traditional paid ads are largely off-limits, forcing retailers to rely on organic SEO.
Local pack battles: Shoppers often search “dispensary near me Vermont” or “THC flower Burlington,” making Google Maps visibility critical.
Content pressure: Menus must be updated daily, compliant descriptions matter, and customers expect transparent reviews.
This makes cannabis one of the clearest examples where Vermont digital marketing is almost synonymous with patronage and survival.
The dispensaries that rise to the top aren’t necessarily the biggest - they’re the ones who’ve mastered local SEO, product page and inventory depth, and the management of authentic customer feedback.
“Yes, but our dispensary is gonna be different. Because we’re going to offer free heated face towels, organic honeycomb snacks, and play Phish 24-hours a day”.
Don’t… do… it.
3) Automotive (Dealers & Service)
Cars may feel like a more “national” or OEM-specific industry, but in Vermont, the automotive vertical has the added enjoyment of more local dynamics that make online marketing critical.
According to the Vermont Department of Labor, motor vehicle and parts dealers employ more than 5,000 people statewide. The Vermont Auto Dealers Association represents dozens of showrooms, all fighting to move inventory.
Here’s what that looks like digitally:
Inventory overlap: Multiple dealers list the same models, so SEO battles happen on trim-level keywords (e.g., “2024 Subaru Outback Vermont”).
Service center noise: Independent shops compete head-to-head with dealer service centers for brake jobs, oil changes, and inspections.
Paid search inflation: Google Ads costs climb on brand and model terms, especially in metro areas like Barre and Burlington.
In this environment, the dealers who thrive are those that pair strong VIN-level SEO with real review engagement. A single negative review on a service department can outweigh thousands in ad spend. That’s why “digital marketing Vermont auto dealers” is no longer optional - it’s table stakes.
4) Healthcare (Dental & Primary care)
Healthcare may not seem like a “competitive” industry, but Vermont’s data says otherwise. The 2023 Dentist Census reported 368 practicing dentists, and some counties are already seeing shortages. At the same time, state reporting confirms patients struggle to find timely appointments.
What is this, Canada?
This scarcity creates an unusual form of competition: providers aren’t just competing for patients, they’re competing for staff and visibility.
Digital challenges in Vermont healthcare:
Insurance filters: Patients search “dentist that takes Delta Dental Vermont” or “urgent care Burlington walk-in,” making keyword precision essential.
Review anxiety: In small towns, a handful of reviews can define a practice’s reputation.
Accessibility pressure: Patients expect mobile booking, clear hours, and rapid updates when availability changes.
For dentists, chiropractors, or family doctors, digital marketing isn’t about vanity. It’s about ensuring patients can actually find and access care when they need it.
5) Residential Real Estate
If there’s a Vermont industry that lives and dies by Google, it’s real estate. The Vermont Association of REALTORS® boasts over 2,100 members statewide, which is a heavy concentration relative to the state’s 645,000 residents.
That density creates a brutally competitive digital environment:
Listing overlap: Multiple agents compete for the same properties, making IDX websites vital.
Neighborhood SEO: Searches like “homes for sale in Essex Junction VT” reward those with hyper-local landing pages.
Reputation stacking: Buyers and sellers check reviews on both agents and brokerages.
In many ways, this is where Vermont digital marketing feels most personal. Agents don’t just market properties - they market themselves. The agents who invest in hyper-local content, video walkthroughs, and Google review acquisition are the ones who will rise above the dense din.
6) Home Services & Contractors
Finally, we arrive at the backbone of Vermont’s economy: the trades. Plumbers, HVAC, roofers, general contractors, and all points in- and around.
As of April 2023, residential contractors must register with the Office of Professional Regulation. While the law was designed to protect homeowners, it also created a public list of competitors, raising the transparency of competition across the board.
Why this sector is so digitally contested:
Crowded directories: Homeowners can now scan dozens of contractors by county.
Map pack battles: Searches like “plumber near Montpelier” display five to ten businesses stacked together.
Trust gap: Vermonters place high value on authentic, recent reviews with real provider names, as opposed to local brands.
Contractors who stand out use proof-driven marketing: photos of completed jobs, detailed service pages (e.g., “emergency heating repair Vermont”), and financing information for big projects. In this sector, a bare-bones website is no longer enough to stand out from the pack.
Bringing it all together
The thread across these six industries is clear: Vermont digital marketing competition is most intense where many local providers chase seasonal or urgent demand.
Tourism businesses live and die by reviews during short visitor windows.
Cannabis retailers face structural advertising restrictions, pushing all competition into SEO.
Auto dealers crowd the same model terms while juggling reviews.
Healthcare providers compete for visibility to fill patient gaps.
Realtors and contractors fight in Google Maps, where reputation wins.
For business owners, this means the question isn’t “Should we invest re: digital marketing in Vermont?” It’s “Can we afford not to?” And, possibly, “Can we just open a franchise with built in brand recognition instead?”
Final Takeaway for Vermont’s Next Entrepreneurs
These segments are saturated, customers have dozens of choices, and the deciding factor often comes down to who appears in the top three Google results - not who has the lowest price or highest review star rating.
If you operate in one of these verticals, or have dreams of doing so, competitive search visibility is likely going to be an expensive marathon. Especially if you haven’t looped in the right digital marketing agency.
If your mind is made up, and you can’t be steered away from opening another Burlington dispensary that sells snowshoes while harvesting sap - here’s how you win in that sweaty crowd:
Treat reviews as currency and respond to every one.
Build content strategies tied to seasonality and local demand.
Invest in mobile-first design so travelers, buyers, and patients can act instantly.
Keep Google Business Profiles accurate, down to holiday hours.
Get in touch with Fast Frigate Digital Marketing.
Online marketing in the great state of Vermont is not a two-foot putt - it’s the digital battleground of today’s sub-suburban businesses. The winners will be those who move faster, publish relevant content frequently/strategically, and stay visible in AI search and citations.
OR - whoever opens a Taco Bell franchise near our office in Burlington. Seriously - we’d keep you in business, and probably invest.
