If you manage a store in a physical location or offer goods and services through that outlet, you must not overlook what is referred to as “local marketing.”
Marketing to people who are nearby geographically is what is known as local marketing. This may include people in the same neighborhood, city, or town.
Focusing on a particular region will aid in increasing your products and services’ visibility in the local market. This creates a consistent flow of people that are likely to become frequent shoppers of your business and brings in fresh customers through the power of recommendations.
Putting effort into local advertising can be a simple plan to use for your company. It can be the most difficult to correctly do.
In this article, we discuss the specifics of local marketing, which sort of business it would be most beneficial for, and the different tactics involved in local marketing. We conclude by providing six examples to serve as motivation for you to use in your local marketing tactics.
What is local marketing?
Targeting consumers and customers close by the physical place of a business is what local marketing is all about. Marketing that focuses on a specific geographic area is often referred to as local marketing, neighborhood marketing, or local store marketing.
If you own a physical store (regardless of whether it is an independent shop or a chain), it would be beneficial to include local marketing as part of your marketing plan. Events and promotions targeted to a specific geographic location can be beneficial for companies that have an actual physical location, especially if their primary business dealings occur in that same region instead of virtually.
By focusing on local marketing, you are able to target a specific crowd who will be most likely to interact with and purchase from your online and physical ads.
Forming an understanding of the target audience is vital to achieving success in local marketing. This method assists you in comprehending the demographics and psychology of your desired audience, along with their geographic area. This information on the location is how you can determine the best spot in the region to target with your local advertising efforts.
Write down these strategies if you wish to apply local marketing to your company. You may be able to bring in new local clientele by using these tactics for your business. Occasionally, smaller local businesses can have the most impactful viral marketing strategies.
How does local marketing work?
To understand how local marketing works, let’s look at some critical statistics related to purchasing behaviors:
- 93.2% of consumers typically travel 20 minutes or less to make their everyday purchases according to a survey by Access Development
- Almost one-third of online consumers in the U.S. use the internet to search for local businesses on a daily basis, and an additional 16% do so multiple times per week, based on a Statista report
- 83% of Americans say a word-of-mouth recommendation from a friend or family member makes them more likely to purchase that product or service, according to the Chatter Matters 2018 Word of Mouth Report
It is clear that customers prefer to shop locally in physical stores. It’s close, it’s convenient, and it supports local businesses.
People in small neighborhoods and local communities tend to spread news quickly. In order to create good public discussion and receive suggestions, it is vital to recognize and pay attention to your most loyal customers.
In conclusion, local marketing takes advantage of people’s desire to connect with each other. We enjoy being included and feeling like a valued part of something bigger. This is especially relevant in our environments that are close to us, like where we live or the workplace.
Who should use local marketing?
Marketing that links with a particular geographic area is perfect for any organization which has a physical interaction with customers, regardless of whether it’s a core store or a chain.
It is not necessary to be a large corporation in order to take advantage of it. Entrepreneurs and small business owners can make use of local marketing tactics to achieve excellent results.
Retail outlets such as eateries, barber shops, booksellers, and stores that stock groceries can take advantage of marketing approaches that target local customers. It can be employed as a specific plan or to increase the performance of your entire advertising activities and form robust ties with your regional crowd.
Local Marketing Strategies
These are nine methods of marketing you can use to generate business from your immediate vicinity and the areas surrounding it. Do not be afraid to mix and match these tactics to maximize the effectiveness of your local advertising.
1. Confirm your website is mobile-friendly.
It is likely not unexpected that more than half of internet use around the world comes from mobile gadgets.
It is interesting to note that the majority of people using mobile search are actively seeking to contact a local business if they can find a website that is optimized for mobile use. Having a website that is compatible with mobile devices is absolutely essential in order to draw in new customers, particularly those in the local area.
Websites which are designed for use on a mobile device will load effortlessly when accessed on a phone or tablet. They usually display larger fonts, input areas, dropdown menus, and clicks, making it simpler to explore website details while mobile.
Before beginning with any of these local marketing methods, make sure your website is able to be used on a mobile device. Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool can be utilized if one is in doubt about the mobile viability of their website.
2. Localize your website.
Making your web content targeted to people in your local area and customer base is what localizing your website is all about. First, add location-based terms to your website. Instead of simply calling it a “vegan bakery,” your homepage could say “the top vegan bakery in Wrigleyville.”
Incorporate language specific to the geographic area you are targeting in your web content where appropriate, and be sure to utilize the same language across your website, social media platforms, and online ads.
Secondly, add location pages to your website. It is especially crucial if you have more than a single physical store. These pages show your business’s name, location, contact number, and other useful details; they also help raise your position on local search engine results pages.
3. Claim your local listings on third-party websites and directories.
Plenty of external websites, listings, and rating platforms provide information on local companies and guide customers on where to buy products. As a local enterprise, you don’t want to pass up the opportunity to take advantage of this influx of digital and in-person customers.
These directories are significant for search engine optimization and to understand the aim of a search; for instance, having similar details regarding your name, address, and telephone number (generally known as NAP) is especially critical, and these sites assist you to build that online.
It is essential to claim your Google My Business listing. This will guarantee that your corporation details appear accurately when people search your name, business, items, or all of the above.
This process will also give customers the ability to begin writing reviews for you – another essential factor in building up regional business. View Yelp, Yellow Pages, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and Foursquare to secure and generate these listings. Moz Local makes it easier to accomplish this task without having to do it yourself.
Depending on the type of business you are in, there may be industry-specific websites that you can be listed on, like Niche.com or GreatSchools.org.
Putting these entries together will validate your company’s web presence and boost its search engine standing. Primarily, these websites have been found to be very effective in boosting word-of-mouth advertising, which is the most successful marketing approach available currently.
4. Invest in local SEO.
Around half of those who use a mobile device to search end up at an actual store within a day. But this wouldn’t be possible without local SEO. Making modifications to your website to make it easier to find in searches related to the local area. Google Trends can be a beneficial resource for finding which terms are commonly searched for in your region and for the type of business you are in.
In addition to localizing your website, create local content. Encourage regional gatherings, community activities, and job opportunities from your region. The use of this material assists in tailoring your webpage to the local area and establishes you as an expert in the locale.
5. Optimize your online presence.
Even if you have a store that customers can visit in person, you still need to improve and enhance your presence on the internet. Ensure that you are noticed when a prospective customer looks up your business or merchandise on the web via website and social media optimization. Here are some of the key steps to optimize your online presence:
- Make sure your website is mobile-friendly: Use tools like Google’s Mobile Friendly Test and Page Speed Insights to find out how you score and get detailed recommendations to improve your search rankings. Another key step to take is to localize your site so your target audience can find you. For example, use “plumbing services in Newark” instead of just “plumbing services” across your website pages. People usually search by location, especially when looking for in-person services.
- Update your social media pages: Your social media pages should have all the necessary information a consumer might be looking for, as well as give search engines the necessary signals to confirm your credibility. Along with your business name, add your location with an embedded map, your hours of service, contact information, services, and a link to your ecommerce site.
- Leverage local SEO: To take things up a notch, why not incorporate more location-specific content in your posts? Share local events and happenings, use location hashtags, and reference the location when publishing any relevant content.
- Get listed on online directories: Adding your business to online business directories increases the chances of more people finding you when searching for something within the specific area. Create business listings and profiles on Google My Business, Yelp, and YellowPages.
- Take out paid ads: While paid ads are not always the best long-term strategy, they can give your business a strong starting boost. It’s best to use paid ads only after you’ve optimized your website, social media pages, and any specific landing pages .
6. Get involved in the community.
One of the best methods to make sure your business is prominently seen by your clientele and acquire greater exposure is to take part in existing community activities. Here are some ideas to consider:
- Sponsor local events: Look for events within your community and reach out to see if they offer any sponsorship opportunities. Having your brand associated with such events can be a great way to advertise and develop a positive brand recognition in your target audience. If sponsorships aren’t available, you can also get a booth space or area to make the most of the event’s foot traffic and interact directly with your target market.
- Get involved with non-profit activities: Actively participating in local non-profit initiatives is a great opportunity to increase positive brand exposure, while giving back to the community and forming lasting relationships.
- Partner with local celebrities and influencers: Connect with significant members of the local community and leverage their popularity to establish credibility and brand awareness .
- Leverage local media resources: Book airtime on a local radio station to plug your latest special offers or buy space in local media publications. If you have a great story about how your business got started, consider sharing that too.
- Share your marketing collateral: Whether it’s discount coupons, campaign flyers , or business cards, always have marketing material your local customers can take with them. Oftentimes, neighborhood shops support one another by displaying materials from other local businesses on their window or counter.
- Amplify word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing: Word-of-mouth marketing is a key growth driver, especially within tight-knit communities and audiences. (Read more about how other businesses use WOM marketing .)
7. Leverage the power of content marketing.
Seize any chance to get email addresses from the people in your area. Many firms will offer a reduced price or a free gift for a customer’s email address.
Sending emails to your subscribers regularly is a good approach to distributing relevant content and offers. Think about giving advice on the optimal way to utilize your product, details of recent occurrences and activities near you, interviews with a committed consumer, or announcements about your company.
Once you initiate email marketing, make sure that your messages are regularly sent out and kept cohesive with the items on your website and social media pages. As your database continues to expand and your email calendar is updated regularly, your brand will remain at the forefront of people’s attention.
In conclusion
Promoting your business in the local area can be a great asset to your company. This approach merges marketing initiatives with the forming of connections in the local area. Local marketing done correctly can not only enhance your brand’s recognition and commitment, but it can also cultivate strong ties with your local consumers.
