TL;DR: How to Choose the Right Phoenix Web Design Partner
- Match agency model to business objectives: Brand strategy and corporate presence require different expertise than SEO-driven lead generation or e-commerce platform specialization
- Platform alignment determines operational efficiency: WordPress/WooCommerce dominates Phoenix e-commerce and SMB markets while custom software solutions serve unique operational requirements beyond standard content management
- Verify local Phoenix presence: Most agencies serve Phoenix market genuinely while some use “Phoenix” branding without substantive Arizona operations—confirm actual location and local market knowledge during evaluation
Executive Summary
Key Takeaway: Phoenix agency ecosystem segments into brand and corporate strategy specialists emphasizing positioning and stakeholder communication (Avenue 25’s 30+ year focus), performance and lead generation engines optimizing for SEO visibility and conversion (HireAWiz, Phoenix Creative Media approaches), and platform specialists providing e-commerce execution through WordPress/WooCommerce expertise (eCreations’ Platinum WooCommerce certification) or custom software development (SoftCircles capabilities).
What separates strategic Phoenix agency selection from portfolio comparison?
Five critical assessment dimensions determine optimal fit:
- Partnership operational model (embedded strategic partner functioning as ongoing team vs project-based vendor executing defined scope)
- Platform technical specialization (WordPress/WooCommerce for e-commerce, custom software for unique operational tools, standard CMS for content presentation)
- Vertical market focus (B2B professional services, local service businesses, e-commerce retail, corporate brand communication)
- Marketing service integration (comprehensive SEO, PPC, content services in-house vs web development focus requiring external marketing coordination)
- Support and maintenance structure (ongoing optimization retainers, managed hosting relationships, launch-and-transition models)
Critical Rules:
- Evaluate partnership style before technical execution because embedded strategic partners (functioning as external marketing departments) require different organizational structure and decision patterns than project vendors delivering defined scope with clear completion milestones.
- Prioritize platform expertise matching business model because e-commerce operations requiring WooCommerce depth (eCreations’ Platinum certification) differ fundamentally from corporate brand presence needs or custom software operational tool requirements.
- Assess vertical market experience when operating in specific industries because domain knowledge in professional services, local businesses, or B2B sectors reduces client education burden and enables authentic communication understanding stakeholder expectations.
- Consider integrated marketing depth during selection because agencies combining web development with SEO, PPC, and content services provide operational coordination efficiency compared to managing multiple specialized vendors separately.
- Verify actual Phoenix market presence and operational understanding because local agencies provide geographic market knowledge, Southwest business culture alignment, and time zone convenience for Arizona-based operations.
Additional Benefits: Strategic selection based on partnership model and vertical expertise reduces project risk through proven industry patterns, accelerates delivery through established workflows and domain familiarity, and creates foundation for optimization partnerships where agencies understand business context deeply enough to drive continuous improvement beyond initial website launch.
Next Steps: Define website primary function (brand asset, lead generation engine, e-commerce platform, operational tool), map internal marketing capabilities and resource constraints, identify platform preferences based on team technical skills, assess budget structure accommodating project-based or retainer-based engagement, evaluate Phoenix market presence importance for collaboration patterns. Prioritize methodology compatibility and proven expertise over aesthetic portfolio preferences because approach alignment determines execution quality more reliably than visual presentation.
How Phoenix Agency Ecosystem Segments by Specialization and Market Focus
Phoenix web design agencies organize around distinct operational models (brand strategy consultants, performance marketing engines, platform specialists) and vertical markets (corporate communications, local service businesses, e-commerce retail) rather than providing undifferentiated full-service capabilities.
Brand Strategy and Corporate Presence Specialists
Agencies emphasizing brand positioning, corporate communications, and strategic marketing integration focus on:
Creative Intelligence and strategic branding methodology combining research, strategy development, messaging frameworks, and visual identity systems where brand platform development precedes web design execution rather than treating website as isolated deliverable.
30+ year market presence and award recognition demonstrating sustained client relationships, established credibility, and industry acknowledgment through “Best of Phoenix” designations and third-party evaluations (DesignRush, Digital.com, Expertise.com recognition).
Full-service integration across disciplines providing branding, web design, creative services, and digital marketing through unified agency relationship eliminating multi-vendor coordination for organizations preferring comprehensive single-source partnerships.
Mid-market and corporate client experience serving organizations with established operations, multiple stakeholder groups, and brand perception priorities requiring formal processes, governance understanding, and corporate communication sophistication.
Avenue 25 (Phoenix-based since 1991, 30+ years) exemplifies this category through Creative Intelligence™ philosophy and comprehensive service integration. Corporate organizations, funded companies, manufacturing firms, professional services requiring brand platform before website, and businesses valuing long-term agency relationships benefit from strategy-focused specialists. Brand strategy agencies provide positioning depth and stakeholder sophistication that performance-focused shops typically cannot match for corporate communication requirements.
Performance Marketing and Local Lead Generation Specialists
Agencies treating websites primarily as lead generation and conversion tools emphasize:
SEO and local search optimization as foundational strategy where organic visibility, Google Maps prominence, and search ranking determine success more than brand aesthetics or creative sophistication.
Results-oriented positioning rejecting pure creative posturing explicitly prioritizing measurable outcomes, lead flow, and business results over design awards or abstract creative concepts.
Balanced design and marketing service integration combining professional visual execution with technical SEO implementation, PPC campaign management, and conversion optimization rather than separating creative and performance functions.
Local and regional business focus understanding Phoenix metro area competitive dynamics, Arizona market patterns, and Southwest business culture where local visibility and regional targeting drive customer acquisition.
HireAWiz (Phoenix, since 2001) and Phoenix Creative Media (founder Robert Kubaiko, multimedia artist background serving small-medium companies) operate through performance-first methodology. Local service providers, regional businesses, home services companies, restaurants, professional practices, and organizations where SEO visibility determines lead flow benefit from performance specialists. Performance agencies provide lead generation focus and measurable ROI emphasis that pure creative studios typically deprioritize for aesthetic sophistication.
E-Commerce Platform and Technical Specialists
Organizations requiring sophisticated e-commerce operations or custom technical solutions need:
WooCommerce certified expertise and platform mastery providing Arizona’s only Platinum WooCommerce Expert certification demonstrating advanced technical knowledge, established plugin ecosystem understanding, and proven e-commerce implementation patterns.
25+ year operational stability and client retention showing sustained business viability, established processes, and long-term client relationships (eCreations’ 98% retention) indicating service quality and partnership reliability.
Comprehensive digital marketing integration with e-commerce combining WordPress/WooCommerce technical implementation with SEO, PPC, content marketing, email campaigns, SMS marketing, and Google Analytics 4 configuration through unified agency relationship.
WordPress partnership models for marketing teams (King Grizzly approach) providing specialized WordPress development, maintenance, and technical support for organizations with internal marketing strategy preferring execution partner over comprehensive agency engagement.
eCreations (Phoenix, founded 1997, 25+ years, Platinum WooCommerce Expert) and King Grizzly (WordPress-only agency serving marketing teams) represent platform specialization. E-commerce retailers requiring WooCommerce depth, businesses with complex product catalogs and inventory requirements, marketing directors needing reliable WordPress technical partners, and organizations treating e-commerce as primary revenue channel benefit from platform specialists. E-commerce certification and platform mastery enable sophisticated functionality that generalist agencies cannot replicate through surface-level platform familiarity.
Custom Software and Application Development Specialists
Organizations where website functions as operational tool or software product require:
Custom software development and mobile application expertise building web applications, mobile apps, and operational tools beyond standard content management where business logic, data processing, and workflow automation determine requirements.
Startup budget management with scalable architecture understanding resource constraints while implementing technical foundations supporting future growth without requiring complete rebuilds as business scales.
Technology automation and operational efficiency focus treating websites as business process automation tools rather than marketing assets where operational integration and workflow efficiency determine success metrics.
Business requirement-driven technical solutions developing functionality based on operational needs and unique business processes rather than forcing operations into standard content management system limitations.
SoftCircles (US-registered custom software company with Phoenix presence) serves organizations requiring custom development. Startups needing scalable technical foundations, businesses with unique operational workflows requiring custom solutions, companies where website integrates with operational systems, and organizations treating digital properties as software products benefit from custom development specialists. Custom development capability enables unique functionality and operational integration that standard platforms cannot support regardless of configuration sophistication.
Full-Service Regional and Local Business Specialists
Small-medium businesses and established local operations benefit from:
Comprehensive service bundling and operational simplicity providing web design, graphic design, logo creation, SEO, hosting, and ongoing support through single-vendor relationships eliminating coordination complexity for businesses lacking dedicated marketing resources.
Affordable pricing and transparent package structures offering accessible entry points and straightforward scoping suitable for small business budgets and decision-making without enterprise procurement complexity.
Long-term support emphasis and relationship stability prioritizing ongoing client relationships, gradual evolution, and reliable maintenance over aggressive experimentation where established businesses value continuity and vendor stability.
Phoenix metro area focus and Southwest market understanding serving Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, and surrounding communities with local market knowledge, regional business culture alignment, and geographic convenience for in-person collaboration preferences.
Seota Digital Marketing (Phoenix + Frisco TX offices, small agency with structured process, WordPress/Shopify specialization) serves regional businesses through balanced approach. Local service providers, small-medium businesses, regional operations, established companies preferring stability, and organizations wanting comprehensive services without enterprise complexity benefit from full-service local specialists. Regional specialists provide accessibility, support depth, and local market understanding that national agencies or pure specialists typically cannot prioritize for smaller client relationships.
Why Platform Architecture Decisions Determine Technical Capability and Maintenance Patterns
Platform selection creates fundamental technical constraints, functionality boundaries, and ongoing maintenance requirements affecting long-term ownership beyond initial launch:
WordPress and WooCommerce Platform Dominance
Phoenix market WordPress/WooCommerce prevalence (eCreations Platinum certification, HireAWiz expertise, Seota specialization, King Grizzly focus) creates:
Extensive plugin ecosystem enabling functionality extension providing e-commerce through WooCommerce, form builders, membership systems, SEO tools, page builders, and specialized features through established marketplace rather than requiring custom development for common business requirements.
Broad developer availability and market access enabling easier hiring, freelance support coordination, and vendor transitions through large WordPress developer community compared to proprietary platforms with limited specialist availability.
E-commerce maturity through WooCommerce platform supporting inventory management, payment processing, shipping calculations, tax compliance, product variations, and merchandising workflows through proven e-commerce architecture refined across millions of installations.
Content management flexibility and publishing workflows accommodating complex content structures, custom post types, advanced taxonomies, user role management, and editorial workflows through mature CMS architecture.
Platform considerations include:
- Plugin coordination and compatibility management requiring ongoing maintenance
- Security update responsibility and vulnerability monitoring
- Performance optimization depending on plugin selection and hosting quality
- Technical expertise requirements for troubleshooting and advanced customization
Organizations benefiting from WordPress/WooCommerce:
E-commerce retailers requiring proven platform and extensive functionality, businesses wanting long-term platform control and developer market access, organizations with complex content management needs and publishing workflows, local service businesses prioritizing affordability and flexibility. Choose WordPress specialists when plugin ecosystem, developer availability, and e-commerce maturity provide strategic advantages exceeding managed platform convenience.
Custom Software Development Requirements
SoftCircles custom development approach enables:
Unique business logic and operational workflow implementation building functionality matching specific business processes rather than conforming operations to standard platform limitations and content management constraints.
Scalable technical architecture for growth designing systems supporting future feature expansion, user volume increases, and business evolution without platform migration or fundamental rebuilds.
Operational automation and efficiency tools creating dashboards, reporting systems, workflow management, and business process automation treating website as operational software rather than marketing presentation.
Integration with existing business systems connecting websites with inventory management, CRM platforms, ERP systems, and operational databases through custom API development and technical architecture.
Custom development considerations include:
- Significantly higher initial investment (typically 5-10x standard website costs)
- Ongoing maintenance requiring developer expertise and technical support
- Longer implementation timelines (4-6 months minimum for complex systems)
- Vendor dependency for updates and technical troubleshooting
Organizations benefiting from custom development:
Startups with unique business models requiring custom functionality, businesses where operational efficiency determines competitive advantage, companies with complex integration requirements, organizations treating websites as software products generating direct revenue. Choose custom development specialists when business requirements exceed content management capabilities or when website functions as operational infrastructure rather than marketing asset.
What Makes Phoenix Market Different From Other Agency Ecosystems
Phoenix agencies operate within specific business environment and geographic context creating advantages for certain organization types:
Southwest Business Culture and Relationship Patterns
Arizona market business dynamics influence agency operations through:
- Relationship-based vendor selection where established connections and referrals determine choices more than formal procurement processes
- Growth-oriented business culture emphasizing results and pragmatic outcomes over purely creative sophistication
- Accessible agency owners and direct communication patterns reducing corporate formality and communication layers
- Long-term partnership preferences where multi-year vendor relationships remain common across professional services
Organizations valuing direct communication, relationship-based partnerships, and pragmatic business focus benefit from Phoenix culture alignment. Cultural compatibility matters most for organizations preferring accessible agency relationships and straightforward communication over formal enterprise processes.
Mountain Standard Time Zone Positioning
Arizona geographic location provides:
- Pacific time zone alignment (no daylight saving) enabling convenient West Coast collaboration
- Mountain time operational hours supporting multi-coast coordination
- Convenient scheduling with California technology companies and markets
- Southwest regional market understanding for businesses serving Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico territories
Companies with West Coast operations, businesses serving Southwest markets, organizations coordinating across multiple US time zones benefit from Phoenix positioning. Time zone advantage provides greatest value when frequent real-time collaboration with Western markets determines operational efficiency.
Local Market Knowledge and Regional Expertise
Phoenix metro area specialization creates:
- Understanding of competitive dynamics across Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, and surrounding communities
- Familiarity with local business sectors (real estate, hospitality, professional services, home services prevalent)
- Regional SEO and local search optimization expertise for Arizona market patterns
- Southwest demographic understanding and cultural market nuances
Local service businesses, regional operations, companies targeting Arizona customers, businesses requiring local SEO expertise benefit from Phoenix market knowledge. Local expertise provides practical advantages for organizations where geographic market understanding and regional presence determine customer acquisition success.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do brand strategy specialists like Avenue 25 differ from performance marketing agencies in project execution?
Brand strategy agencies structure projects around comprehensive discovery, stakeholder workshops, brand platform development (mission, vision, values, positioning), messaging framework creation, and visual identity systems before website design begins. Process emphasizes strategic foundation requiring 6-12 weeks pre-design investment. Timeline expectations span 4-6 months for comprehensive corporate projects due to brand development depth and stakeholder coordination. Deliverables include brand guidelines, messaging architecture, visual identity systems, and website as integrated component. Suitable for corporate organizations, funded companies, businesses undergoing rebrand, and situations where brand perception determines market positioning. Performance marketing agencies begin with keyword research, competitive analysis, conversion optimization planning, and technical SEO architecture. Website structure follows search intent analysis and lead generation workflows rather than brand platform. Timeline compression through focus on measurable outcomes and technical implementation over strategic brand development. Suitable for local businesses, service providers, regional operations where lead flow and conversion determine success more than brand positioning sophistication. Selection should align with whether brand perception or lead generation determines primary business objective rather than assuming either approach universally superior.
Can e-commerce specialists successfully serve B2B professional services or corporate communication requirements?
E-commerce platform expertise (eCreations’ WooCommerce certification) optimizes for product catalogs, inventory management, payment processing, shipping calculations, and transactional workflows. Technical focus emphasizes merchandising functionality, conversion optimization, and e-commerce operations rather than thought leadership architecture, complex content structures, or corporate communications sophistication. B2B professional services require different priorities including educational content libraries, lead nurturing workflows, thought leadership platforms, case study architectures, and service portfolio complexity. Corporate communications emphasize brand positioning, stakeholder messaging, governance processes, and perception management requiring different expertise than transactional e-commerce. Organizations should evaluate agency portfolio for relevant vertical experience rather than assuming e-commerce technical skills translate to B2B or corporate contexts. Professional services firms, consulting practices, corporate organizations benefit from agencies with documented B2B experience and thought leadership architecture expertise. E-commerce retailers, product businesses, transactional operations benefit from platform specialists understanding merchandising and conversion optimization. Platform expertise enables specific functionality but vertical experience determines whether agency understands business model, stakeholder dynamics, and success metrics beyond technical execution.
What advantages do comprehensive full-service agencies provide compared to specialized firms?
Full-service agencies (Avenue 25’s branding through digital marketing integration, Seota’s structured multi-service approach) provide branding, web development, SEO, PPC, content marketing, and graphic design through unified vendor relationship. Benefits include operational coordination efficiency eliminating multi-vendor management overhead, strategic alignment where services support integrated objectives rather than independent tactics, accountability for comprehensive outcomes versus isolated deliverables, and simplified communication through single relationship. Considerations involve potentially higher costs from broader service scope, risk of mediocre execution across multiple disciplines versus specialized excellence in specific areas, and dependency on single vendor for diverse needs. Specialized firms provide deep expertise in specific platforms (King Grizzly WordPress focus) or services enabling sophisticated execution but requiring clients to coordinate multiple vendors or maintain internal strategy. Organizations with internal marketing leadership can coordinate specialists while businesses lacking marketing expertise benefit from full-service coordination. Budget considerations involve comprehensive agency costs versus specialist fees plus coordination overhead. Selection should consider internal marketing capabilities and coordination preferences rather than assuming integrated or specialized approaches universally superior for all business contexts.
How should organizations evaluate WordPress agency claims about e-commerce expertise versus verified certifications?
WooCommerce Platinum certification (eCreations’ Arizona-only designation) requires documented project volume, technical expertise demonstration, platform contribution, and ongoing education maintaining certification status. Certification provides third-party validation of expertise beyond self-proclaimed capabilities. Evaluation criteria should include specific e-commerce project examples with similar complexity, technical implementation approach for inventory management and payment processing, understanding of merchandising workflows and seasonal operations, and integration expertise connecting e-commerce with shipping providers and business systems. Organizations should request references from similar e-commerce clients, review specific technical implementations, and assess post-launch support structures for ongoing optimization. Certified expertise indicates platform mastery and proven patterns while general WordPress experience may lack e-commerce depth. E-commerce businesses treating online sales as primary revenue channel benefit from certified specialists understanding platform capabilities and optimization opportunities. Simple product catalogs or secondary e-commerce may not require certification-level expertise. Platform certification provides meaningful differentiation when e-commerce sophistication and ongoing optimization determine competitive advantage and revenue performance.
When does custom software development justify significantly higher investment compared to standard platforms?
Custom development (SoftCircles approach) becomes justified when business requirements exceed content management system capabilities through unique operational workflows requiring custom logic, complex integrations with existing business systems (ERP, inventory, CRM) beyond standard platform APIs, high-volume transaction processing and performance requirements exceeding CMS architecture, or proprietary functionality creating competitive differentiation impossible through standard platforms. Cost considerations involve 5-10x higher initial investment, ongoing maintenance requiring developer expertise, longer implementation timelines (4-6 months minimum), and vendor dependency for updates. Standard platforms (WordPress, Shopify) provide 80% of common business requirements through established functionality, faster deployment timelines (8-12 weeks), lower initial costs, and broader developer availability for future transitions. Organizations should map specific functional requirements against platform capabilities before assuming custom development necessity. Startups with unique business models, companies where operational efficiency determines competitive advantage, businesses with complex existing systems requiring deep integration justify custom investment. Standard business operations, straightforward content presentation, common e-commerce patterns typically suit established platforms. Custom development should follow thorough requirements analysis and platform capability evaluation rather than preference assumptions or vendor recommendations driven by project scope maximization.
What support and maintenance models should organizations expect from different Phoenix agency types?
Brand strategy agencies (Avenue 25) typically provide project completion with optional ongoing retainers for strategic consultation, periodic brand refresh, and campaign development rather than technical maintenance. Suitable for organizations with internal resources managing routine updates while engaging agencies for strategic initiatives. Performance marketing specialists (HireAWiz, Phoenix Creative Media) offer ongoing optimization retainers combining technical maintenance with SEO monitoring, content updates, PPC campaign management, and conversion improvement. Monthly structures cover both technical support and active marketing optimization. Suitable for businesses treating website as lead generation engine requiring continuous enhancement. E-commerce specialists (eCreations) provide maintenance plans including security updates, plugin management, performance monitoring, plus e-commerce-specific support for product updates, promotional campaigns, and seasonal merchandising. Suitable for retailers requiring technical reliability plus merchandising support. Platform specialists (King Grizzly WordPress focus) offer technical maintenance and support without strategic marketing services, suitable for organizations with internal marketing teams needing reliable development partners. Custom development firms (SoftCircles) require ongoing developer relationships for feature enhancements, technical updates, and troubleshooting given custom codebase complexity. Support model should align with internal capabilities and whether website requires primarily technical maintenance, marketing optimization, or strategic evolution determining vendor relationship structure.
How does Phoenix geographic location provide practical advantages for certain business types?
Phoenix location benefits Arizona-based businesses through local market knowledge, Southwest regional understanding, convenient in-person collaboration, and Mountain Standard time zone alignment with Pacific operations. Local service providers benefit from agencies understanding Phoenix metro competitive dynamics, regional search patterns, and Arizona customer demographics. Real estate, hospitality, professional services, home services companies prevalent in Phoenix gain from agencies with established local market expertise. In-person collaboration preferences suit businesses valuing face-to-face strategy sessions and local relationship development. Companies with California operations benefit from convenient time zone coordination and West Coast market alignment. Remote collaboration capabilities reduce location importance for purely digital projects with clear requirements and established communication infrastructure. National agencies or remote specialists operate effectively when project complexity and expertise requirements exceed local market availability. Geographic proximity provides greatest value when local market knowledge, in-person collaboration, or Arizona business culture understanding determines project success and ongoing relationship quality. Location importance depends on whether geographic market expertise and relationship patterns matter more than technical specialization and methodology alignment available from broader market access.
Agency Selection Framework: Strategic Fit Matrix
When Your Project Requires
Corporate Brand Strategy and Comprehensive Marketing Integration → Avenue 25 (Phoenix since 1991, 30+ years, Creative Intelligence™ methodology, full-service branding through digital marketing, multiple “Best of Phoenix” awards)
Performance Marketing with Balanced Design and Technical SEO → HireAWiz (Phoenix since 2001, web design and digital marketing, results-first positioning rejecting pure creative posturing, balanced execution)
Local Business Design with Hands-On Founder Involvement → Phoenix Creative Media (Robert Kubaiko founder, multimedia artist background, small-medium company focus, brand image and sales improvement emphasis)
Platinum WooCommerce Expertise with Comprehensive Digital Marketing → eCreations (Phoenix 1997, 25+ years, Arizona’s only Platinum WooCommerce Expert, 98% retention, Google Certified Partner, full digital marketing)
Structured Process with WordPress/Shopify Multi-Platform Capability → Seota Digital Marketing (Phoenix + Frisco TX offices, small agency with big agency process, Photoshop comps then development, marketing automation integration)
WordPress Technical Partnership for Marketing Teams → King Grizzly (WordPress-only development and maintenance, marketing director and agency partnerships, reliable technical execution)
Custom Software and Application Development → SoftCircles (US-registered custom software company, Phoenix presence, web and mobile app development, startup budget management with scalable architecture)
This framework prioritizes partnership model alignment, platform expertise matching business requirements, and vertical market experience over aesthetic portfolio preferences because methodology compatibility and proven domain knowledge determine execution quality more reliably than visual presentation across disparate business contexts and organizational needs.
Conclusion: Strategic Agency Selection Through Model Alignment and Vertical Expertise
Phoenix agency selection determines project outcomes through partnership operational model (brand strategy consultants, performance marketing engines, platform specialists), vertical market expertise (corporate communications, local services, e-commerce retail, B2B professional services), and platform technical specialization (WordPress/WooCommerce for flexibility, custom development for unique requirements). Organizations prioritizing portfolio aesthetics over methodology compatibility, ignoring vertical experience when industry-specific requirements exist, or selecting agencies based solely on cost considerations create execution risk through capability misalignment and expectation gaps.
The Phoenix market provides specific advantages including Southwest business culture with relationship-based partnerships and accessible communication patterns, Mountain Standard time zone enabling West Coast coordination and Pacific market alignment, and local Phoenix metro area expertise understanding competitive dynamics and regional customer patterns. Companies should evaluate whether these factors provide meaningful project value before prioritizing location over capability fit and methodology alignment available through broader market access.
Strategic selection requires systematic mapping of business requirements to agency specialization, organizational maturity to partnership model expectations, and technical platform needs to proven expertise rather than subjective portfolio preferences or cost minimization. Agency selection success depends on partnership model compatibility, vertical expertise alignment, and platform specialization matching internal capabilities rather than portfolio impressions, award recognition, or geographic proximity determining choices.