Digital marketing has allowed small businesses to connect with customers all across the globe. But what if your business doesn’t have a global reach? What if you’re a small local business that appeals to local customers? Can you still benefit from digital marketing?
Yes, you can! Because of technologies such as geo-tagging and the rise of portable devices, it’s become easier to target consumers locally on the internet. It doesn’t matter whether they’re residents or visitors to the area. It could be an effective extra way of targeting local customers. Below are just a few different digital marketing strategies that you can use to target local consumers.
Invest in local SEO
You may be able to attract local customers by getting them to visit your website through search engines. Google and Bing can offer search results based on a person’s location. For instance, if you type ‘restaurants near me’ or ‘restaurants’ into Google, it will come up with websites for restaurants in your area. This could be an additional way to attract local customers who may be searching the web for your service.
SEO (search engine optimization) is a marketing strategy you can use to improve your rankings whenever someone enters a certain keyword. Having high rankings increases the likeliness of someone clicking on your site and purchasing your products or services. Targeting local keywords, such as restaurants near me, can potentially increase your rankings for local searchers.
There are companies and agencies like https://unravelseo.com/seo/local-seo/ that specialize in local SEO. It could be worth investing in these companies to improve your local search results. On top of helping you target local keywords, a local SEO company could help you to display important information such as opening times and directions. They can also help you display contact information in the search listings so customers don’t even have to visit your site.
Optimize your location on Google Maps
When looking for local services, some consumers may look on Google Maps to see what options are in their area. This is particularly popular among smartphone users.
To appear on Google Maps, you need to create a Google My Business account. From there, you can add your address and get your business on Google Maps. Using SEO tactics, you can boost your exposure on Google Maps as you would on Google. If you own a hair salon, this means, when someone type in ‘hairdresser’ in Google Maps, you can make sure a pointer appears on the map directing people to your store.
Try local social media marketing.
It’s also possible to reach out to local customers via social media. There are several ways in which you can do this that are outlined below.
The first tactic is to use boosted posts and ads. These are paid adverts that run for a certain amount of time. The likes of Facebook allow you to set certain parameters when targeting an ad, such as age, interests, and location. Targeting location could allow you to focus on customers within a certain radius.
Another tactic for attracting local customers through social media is to use hashtags and location markers on posts. Hashtags are particularly effective on Instagram and Twitter and can help the searcher to stumble upon you. For example, using the hashtag #NewYork might help you get found by a social media user searching for posts about New York. Location markers can be used on most social media platforms and can be used to show people exactly where you are on a map.
Another way to attract local customers through Facebook specifically is to sign up to local community Facebook groups. Some towns and areas have their own Facebook groups. People sometimes ask questions in these groups about recommendations for local services. Being involved in these groups could allow you to promote yourself and potentially gain an extra customer.
Get featured in local online publications and local blogs
There could be local online publications and local blogs you can get your business featured in. This local publicity could help you to attract some extra business and could be something extra to spice up your company’s search results.
Most towns and areas have a local newspaper, which will likely have its own website. You may have more chance of getting featured online than in the physical paper as there are no limits for articles. Of course, you’ll need a newsworthy angle – a business launch or an event could be the perfect angle.
There could also be blogs dedicated to local news you can try to get featured in. Some of these blogs could have just as much influence as newspapers. Try searching on Google or Bing for local blogs and see what comes up.
To get featured in an online publication or on an online blog, you’ll need to send a press release along with a pitch. Securing coverage can be difficult as publications and blogs likely get press releases all the time. Hiring a local PR company could help you to secure coverage.
Encourage customers to sign up to your online mailing list
You may be able to get local customers to sign up for your email mailing list. A mailing list could be a great way of promoting future deals and new products and is cheaper and easier to manage than a physical newsletter mailing list. They can be a particularly great way of encouraging loyal return customers.
Keep in mind, you must have the customer’s consent to sign them up. If you own a brick-and-mortar store, you may be able to do this in the store when customers make a purchase. Try to give your emails a local spin and keep them personal in tone. You can find local email marketing tips here at https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/local-email-marketing.
Your local business can still benefit from digital marketing, and these strategies are a great place to start. If you find yourself needing assistance, reach out, and I can connect you with someone who can help. Here’s to YOUR success!
Carolyn R. Owens has over 25 years of proven experience and serves as a Career Strategist, Leadership, and Life Coach. She is the Chairwoman and CEO of Infinity Coaching, Inc., where they help you up-level your skills so you can up-level your income. Infinity Coaching, Inc. provides one-on-one and group coaching, organizational training, and personality assessments. Carolyn is certified to give both The Energy Leadership Index Assessment and Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Assessment. You can find out more about both assessments and other products and services athttps://infinitycoaching.net.
