(Getty Images)
There are many methods for growing your business, but local marketing is an excellent way to get your foot in the door. Whether you've just started building your marketing strategy or you’re looking to build your local presence in a big way, this strategy may be a way to increase your sales and grow your clientele.
What is local marketing?
Local marketing targets an audience in a specific geographical location. Usually, this strategy is popular among brands with a physical brick-and-mortar location, such as retail stores. And with approximately 93.2% of consumers shopping at local merchants within 20 minutes of their homes, according to Access, local marketing is a smart strategy.
However, local marketing is becoming increasingly relevant and necessary for brands without a physical storefront as well. That’s because approximately 92% of online shoppers pick a business that appears on the first page of local search results to shop from, which means local marketing is more important than ever to boost your business in the search engines and help you sell more.
7 ways to implement local marketing into your sales strategy
Whether you're a small brick-and-mortar shop or a large enterprise looking to target a specific audience, local marketing can be extremely beneficial to your overall business strategy.
Not sure how to get started? Here are seven tactical ways to use local marketing to boost sales:
1. Change your language
How you speak to your audience is crucial. This means that you need to address them directly, using terms and language native to their location. For example, instead of using generic phrases such as “everyone loves this product,” make your language more regionally targeted by saying "people from Seattle love this product."
By altering your language, you can target particular demographics and know that your message will resonate.
2. Focus on local SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engines, such as Google and Bing, through the use of keywords, phrases and other techniques. Local SEO involves optimizing your business specifically for local search results.
This strategy is extremely important, because nearly 30% of all mobile searches are related to location, according to Google. Consumers are increasingly using terms such as "near me" or "in (location)" when searching for businesses online. That means you need to optimize your online content to get in front of these shoppers.
3. Prioritize local engagement
Today, more and more people are interacting with brands online. For this reason, it’s important to make sure your business is visible in local communities. One of the most effective ways to do this is by staying active on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc.) and participating in local events (meetups, festivals, etc.).
It’s also a good idea to actively participate in the community, such as through the local chamber of commerce and local school districts. This will help build your reputation and visibility in your community.
4. Consider incorporating user-generated content into your marketing strategy
User-generated content is created by your customers and can include anything from photos, videos and written reviews of your product or service. You can use these assets to add value to your content strategy and strengthen your brand.
When it comes to local marketing in particular, user-generated content can be an excellent way to boost your business through word-of-mouth.
With 84% of consumers saying they trust peer comments and recommendations, according to Nielsen in 2013, more than other advertising sources, including user-generated content in your marketing campaigns is an excellent way to boost your credibility in the local community.
5. Use geo-targeting when creating online ads
Geotargeting allows you to specify where you want your ad to show up, making it one of the most effective ways to reach a specific audience.
By targeting local audiences, you can more effectively reach specific demographics that might not have otherwise been exposed to your brand. This is an excellent way to generate more leads and sales.
6. Geotag your content
Geotagging is the process of including location information with an image or video file. This makes it easy for customers to find you and is another excellent option for strengthening your local marketing efforts.
You can also include location information in the file's metadata, which will help your business appear in the search engines when customers are looking for local businesses.
7. Take advantage of online directories
One of the best ways to boost your local marketing and increase your sales is to utilize online directories, such as Google My Business and Yelp.
These listings are usually free to claim and allow you to list your physical location on Google Maps. If you're practicing proper SEO on your website, you should also have these details listed there.
By taking advantage of online directories, Google can verify that you are who you say you are, and local searchers can easily find you.
Grow your local market with the help of the BBB
Here at the BBB, we are committed to helping you grow your local presence by connecting you with local consumers. With a BBB seal, you can give consumers confidence that your company is legitimate and trustworthy.
Need additional marketing tips and tricks? Then check out the BBB business news feed for more!
BBB of Southern Piedmont and Western N.C. contributed this article.