The world has changed irrevocably after the pandemic. Local areas have become extremely important for businesses. When supply chains were disrupted and global connectivity suffered a setback, it was the local markets that helped businesses survive. Local marketing has never been so valuable as it is now, especially for small and mid-sized businesses. With more people engaging with digital platforms and extremely advanced technology to monitor them, small businesses and marketing professionals have an abundance of data and analytic resources at their disposal.
Small and mid-sized businesses are also utilizing these insights to provide hyperlocalized services to their customers precisely. Tactics for local area marketing are unlike typical marketing and require the utilization of distinct techniques and approaches to identify, connect with, involve, and draw in local customers. This article details six top local marketing strategies that can be utilized by small and mid-sized businesses:
Top 6 Local Marketing Strategies
Maximize Your Local Business Listings
A local business listing is an entry of a business’s name, address, business hours, pricing info, website URL, reviews, location info, directions to reach, email, phone number, etc. These entries on Google Business listings, online local directories, review platforms, etc., can help businesses in increasing their local SEO and rank higher on search engines. Search engines are more likely to show local business listings over others.
Up-to-date, complete, and accurate local business listings with appropriate keywords and specified categories make it easier for local customers to find your business.
Local business listings are an effective way of providing contact information, business hours, website, reviews, and other details that local customers can use to reach out to relevant businesses quickly.
Target Local Audiences with Local Google Ads
People often wrongly believe that online search marketing is only beneficial to companies seeking a worldwide audience online. This false idea leads many small, localized businesses to abstain from utilizing pay-per-click marketing. In fact, the most successful pay-per-click (PPC) ads are created with the use of local keywords that target local website visitors. Failing to target regional customers implies that you could be squandering your advertising budget on less relevant audiences.
Over the years, Google has enhanced its ability to target specific demographics. As a result, companies that wish to reach consumers in their area have access to more precise and granular options. If you are a business with a physical outlet such as a shop or restaurant, you can increase your visibility to customers in the vicinity looking for related goods and services.
Focus on Local SEO
In today’s online-dominated world, Local customers have access to precise and tailored information regarding various local brands and companies, and they can make better purchasing decisions when it comes to buying locally. Including local SEO techniques to ensure visibility in search results is critical for small businesses trying to onboard local customers. You can add your business listing with Google Maps, directions and distances to your business, contact information, the physical and virtual appointment processes, forms, etc.
Local SEO is not only cost-effective but also more impactful than traditional SEO.
Engage with a Local Audience on Social media
It is paramount to comprehend and understand the local customer prior to initiating and launching any marketing initiatives. A comprehensive analysis of the target audience’s characteristics and buying behavior, and data including demographics, lifestyle, interests, media intake, community affiliations, and social community database is quintessential for connecting with the audience rightly. Local pages get 66% of overall impressions on Facebook.
Engaging with local audiences on social media channels will help you easily gather the required marketing data and strengthen your brand image and awareness. You can be more precise with your advertising budget by limiting your reach to a restricted area near your business. Rather than aspiring to reach a wide group of people, you can narrow your target audience by focusing on a small geographic area.
Examine the companies you are competing against and identify the social media platforms they are active on.
Run competitions and provide exclusive deals to your social media followers.
Publish content that is of a high standard, informs your customers, and, most importantly, highlights your brand’s character.
Your social media content and posts should reflect local understanding, and topics must cover locally relevant issues and events.
Win Over Local Bloggers and Online Journalists
Local influencers, such as local bloggers, can easily connect you with local customers. Their reviews, recommendations, and articles about local businesses have more impact on local audiences. Local bloggers have an audience who is willing to listen and read what local bloggers and online journalists say.
Local bloggers and online journalists come from the same geographical area as your target audience and have similar interests and outlooks. Their content draws an emotional response from local customers who seek to follow their advice.
Get Reviews and Testimonials
Reviews and Testimonials are great marketing tools for creating an effective, authentic, and convincing local marketing strategy. Social proof works in local marketing, and providing customers with an assessment of your services or products from verified local customers can help build trust for your business in the regional community. 87% of customers read online reviews for local businesses
Make it a priority to proactively seek out reviews on all major channels (Google, Facebook, Local Listing platforms) of your products and services from satisfied customers and respond to both positive and negative reviews. Advertise positive reviews on your online properties (website, social media pages, and other online platforms).
Conclusion:
Online local marketing strategies allow businesses to market and sell their products and services in local markets with various techniques, including:
- Geo-targeted local social media campaigns
- Online content disseminated regionally
- Local SEO strategies
Creating tailored and unique content that helps and engages local audiences is the best strategy to differentiate your business from your competitors. Lastly, optimizing content for local search engine results can make sure that your content is showing up in local searches and is easily found by potential customers. To learn more about local marketing strategies or create smart marketing funnels that help you reach local customers, contact DSM Design. We will provide you with expert guidance to create unbeatable local marketing strategies.