Local advertising is a successful method for increasing brand recognition and drawing customers within a specific geographic area.
With the ability to target prospects based on the audience of the medium employed, such as newspapers or radio stations, or utilize ad targeting tools, you can place your advertisements directly in front of your desired customers. Bearing this in mind, we have compiled 27 local advertising ideas that can aid in the expansion of your small business.
1. Claim google advertising credits
Google Ads is capable of assisting you in reaching your intended audience either through display ads on various websites or by appearing in search results.
You have the option to narrow down your target audience to people residing within a 10-mile radius of your store or individuals searching for the products you offer. However, the obstacle lies in the financial aspect. Although paid advertisements generally yield a satisfactory return on investment (ROI), it is often unaffordable for small businesses as they require a substantial upfront payment.
Google provides free ad credits to new users of Google Ads. Currently, they are providing $500 in free ad credits upon spending $500. Additionally, numerous hosting companies give out several hundred dollars in free Google Ads credits. These credits can be utilized to experiment with advertising strategies and determine if the return on investment is favorable for your business.
Instead of starting your Google Ads strategy from scratch, consider examining successful brands’ strategies and borrowing ideas from them.
2. Claim and optimize your google my business account
By optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) account, you can manage the way your business is displayed in Google Search results without any cost. This means that you can achieve the same outcome as a paid Google Search ad targeted towards your local area, specifically for “Indian food,” at no expense.
The basics of GMB encompass a wide range of actions that can be undertaken.
Complete all fields with the provided information, including the address, name, phone number, business category, and website, while maintaining the same meaning. Do not introduce new details or eliminate any existing ones.
Below is a step-by-step guide that will help you rephrase the given text while keeping the meaning intact. It is important to remember not to introduce any new information or omit any existing information. Additionally, incorporating key terms that people are likely to search for will improve the rephrased description’s visibility.
To ensure a systematic approach, rephrase the text below while keeping the meaning intact. Do not introduce new information or remove any details. Additionally, include visual elements such as images and videos showcasing both the interior and exterior of your establishment. ———————————————- To showcase the facilities, incorporate visuals like images and videos capturing the inside and outside areas of your business.
Responding to customer reviews in a logical and systematic manner is important. It is crucial to ensure that the meaning remains unchanged while reframing the text. It is essential to maintain professionalism when dealing with customer feedback.
Here are additional suggestions for optimizing your Google My Business account.
3. Use micro-audiences to stretch your Instagram ad budget
Although spending money on social media ads can expand your audience, it is unnecessary to allocate large sums for every campaign. Instagram provides highly precise choices to target micro-audiences effectively.
Below are a few suggestions for focusing on smaller audiences:
To create custom audiences, you can upload your email list and exclusively target those users. This is a suitable approach for promoting new products or providing discounts to customers who have not engaged recently.
When considering your main competitors, think about the people who are interested in them. For instance, if you are a cake decorator, you may want to focus on individuals who are fans of Cake Boss or Dairy Queen.
If your target audience is either older or younger, ensure that you exclusively focus on those users to maintain a narrow age range.
If your business is a local one, aim to reach people who are located just a few miles away from your store. If your business operates online, think about running an advertising campaign aimed at individuals in a particular location, allowing you to continue utilizing geographic targeting.
Maintain the same meaning while rephrasing the text step by step, without adding or removing information. Additionally, utilize the Exclude option to exclude specific audiences, interests, or locations, and utilize the Campaign Budget Optimization option to enhance the budget effectiveness of your campaigns.
By narrowing down your audience to a highly specific niche, you will reduce the amount of money spent on advertising and effectively target the most relevant users. Begin with a modest budget of $10 per day and gradually increase it as you progress.
4. Apply for business awards
Even if you decide to place an advertisement in a newspaper, you will need to spend at least a few hundred dollars. However, it is highly likely that your city or industry offers a “best of” awards program. These awards are given to deserving individuals or companies, so why not aim to win one yourself?
To search for “Best of [your city]” or “[your industry] awards” online is usually cost-free or requires only a small fee, and it provides valuable online and print exposure for your brand. If you win in local markets, you may also have the opportunity to give live demonstrations on local news channels, which can significantly boost your publicity at a low cost.
If you’re not a local business, it might be easy to dismiss this, but there are awards available for all types of businesses, whether they are local or not. These awards cover a range of sectors, including AC contractors, business tech, and ed tech. Additionally, there are awards that encompass various industries, such as the Webbys, which honor outstanding online achievements, and the US Search Awards, which acknowledge the most impressive marketing campaigns.
Instead of applying to every available award, it is advisable to be selective and consider the ones that will provide exposure to your target audience. This will help prevent excessive expenditures.
5. Get free local advertising in online business directories
Including your business in online business directories is an essential aspect of your local marketing strategy. It provides an additional avenue for local customers to find your business (within the directory itself) and aids in enhancing your website’s search engine optimization (SEO), thereby boosting your site’s rankings in local search outcomes.
To ensure a comprehensive local advertising strategy, it is essential to incorporate the following listings at the very least:
- Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)
- Facebook (business profile)
- Bing for Business
- Yelp for Business
- Angi (formerly Angie’s List) for service-based businesses
By starting with this, you can effectively enhance your brand’s online presence and establish a strong basis for advertising locally on the internet. Following that, you should include your business listings on suitable online directories. Subsequently, utilize a platform such as BrightLocal to monitor the accuracy of your brand’s listings and reputation throughout the internet.
When constructing your local profiles, be mindful of the categories you choose for your Google Business Profile. You have the option to choose a maximum of nine categories, however, according to research conducted by BrightLocal, the majority of businesses typically only use up to five categories.
If your primary category is general contractors, you could also have four additional categories such as home improvement, remodeling, home repair, and insurance restoration if you’re working as a general contractor.
6. Turn customers into advocates with a referral program
Referral rewards programs have the potential to generate a significant return on investment (ROI) as they motivate customers to promote your business, which is greatly appreciated by individuals who hold a fondness for local companies. These programs offer discounts, freebies, or other small rewards, which are highly appealing to everyone.
Additionally, the inclusion of loyalty and rewards software simplifies the process of establishing and overseeing your program, ultimately creating a mutually beneficial situation for both you and your supporters. To explore further options, refer to our compilation of loyalty program concepts and instances.
7. Increase retention and revenue with loyalty rewards
Over the long term, small businesses can use customer loyalty programs to retain current clients and convert new buyers into repeat customers.
Using software makes it easy to manage rewards programs, which in turn encourages customer retention and drives sales. Therefore, customers who feel valued are more likely to purchase more frequently. Take a look at our compilation of top customer loyalty program software that can be utilized to incentivize customer retention and boost sales.
8. Get brand exposure with local press coverage
Receiving local press coverage can greatly benefit a small business, regardless of whether your story is featured in a newspaper or showcased on a local TV news segment. When your press release is noteworthy, the media attention it generates can rapidly spread awareness about your business among local audiences.
9. Increase local visibility with billboard ads
If you have often dreamed of seeing your small business advertised on a billboard above a street or freeway with a lot of traffic, it is not unusual. However, if you have never considered using billboards for advertising your local business due to the belief that they are too expensive, you should reconsider. Take the time to research the cost of billboards in different cities, including both physical and digital options.
When you opt for digital billboards through a platform like Blip Billboards, billboard advertising becomes surprisingly affordable, even for budgets as low as $10 per day. If you’re prepared to begin, explore our list of must-see billboard designs for some local advertising ideas.
10. Set your website up for local advertising success
In order to maximize the benefits of the other local advertising strategies you are using, it is essential to have an attractive website that offers a positive user experience (UX) at its core. Ensure that your landing pages closely align with the advertisements and keywords utilized in your social media and email campaigns.
To maintain the same meaning, rephrase the text without adding or removing any information, while using the same keywords. Ensure the content remains relevant and provides a cohesive experience to visitors on your website. For more insights on creating optimal UX, explore our collection of top landing page examples.
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