This is not a secret anymore that our global and local community has been struck hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools and offices closed, social distancing became a new norm, and for local small businesses to stay afloat, they must adjust and remain relevant throughout this challenging time, or bear the consequences of closure or even lose business.
Life finds a way. As one door closed, the second opened, and local businesses started shifting online. It was a hard way for many businesses but they learned that 46% of Google searches are local, as many as 50% of searches are for local stores, services, or physical locations, and almost 70% of local searchers will go to local stores or shop online due to pandemic if they find local stores, or services when their search intent is local businesses.
Now if we go into the nitty-gritty of these percentages, we will have to take maths classes because Google processes 3.5 billion searches each day, and it is a really complex calculation. Do remember that it is just a single-day figure, by the way, bravo Google for so much processing!
Now, if you want to stay on top of your local search intentions and need to grow your business, sales, and profits online, you will have to hit the nail right at the top as well. The simple yet smart solution to do that is local marketing. Local marketing is way more crucial now than ever and if you have a local store, shop, or small business, or provide any services to your community, local marketing is a must for you. This article will tell some of the great and out-of-the-box local marketing ideas for small businesses plus tactics that will take your local business to new heights of profits and sales. Partnering with a digital marketing company can make this journey even more successful.
What Is Meant By Local Marketing?
First, you need to understand local marketing. Local marketing targets an audience that is based in the same area, city, or region as your business. It is aimed at people within a certain radius or near your proximity or physical location, usually within a reasonable driving and walking distance, who could purchase your product or service at any time. In simple terms, it is a marketing type that specifically targets the local community.
Make Social Media Your Best Friend In This Desperate Time
Small businesses have lots of challenges but at the same time, they have some freakish advantages with digital marketing. You are small, which means you also do not have an enormous budget, but because you are small and an underdog, you can speak directly to your audience and find your best customer that allows you to continue to build your business. This is where social media takes its place. It is time to connect with your customers on social media during pandemic and offer what you have. This is a time when people need things and services right at their doorsteps and it is a great opportunity for your brand to stand out during a tough time.
Maybe your local community needs the products or services that you offer. People need support, assistance, education, resources, services, products, etc, now more than ever and social media can provide just that and can be a remarkably powerful tool if it is used correctly. If you have accounts on social media platforms like, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc, utilize them properly, and if you don’t have these accounts then what are you waiting for? Create your accounts now and start interacting with your local community now.
Optimize Your Website According To Your Location
Website optimization is essential for driving traffic, but is your website optimized for local users? Not only do you need to follow search engine optimization (SEO) best practices, such as using keyword research to inform your website content, but you also need to make sure that your website offers a best-in-class mobile experience. The Internet is visual. Having great-looking images on your website can also help your customers feel more comfortable and convert better.
Create Local Landing Pages For Your Multiple Locations
It is one of the best local digital marketing ideas. If your business has multiple locations, you should create an individual landing page for each location on your website to further optimize your localization efforts. Often there will be businesses with many different locations, but they do not include pages with information about these different locations on their website. These pages should include each location, instructions on how to get there and store hours, etc. It will also help you with local SEO. You can also use authoritative online directories such as Manta, Localibs Listings, Yelp, etc for better local optimization. HighFive Listings is already working on it for their clients, I would recommend consulting them.
Attract The Local Community (Different Ways Discussed)
Attracting the local community is crucial for local marketing. The good news is that the local community participation costs are very low. For instance, this strategy includes participating in community festivals, games, and seasonal events. You can also partner with a local supplier or other relevant business to host events, and seminars, buy free online advertising, or create freebies to help spread your brand among locals. You can also consider sponsoring or hosting a local event whenever possible to enhance brand visibility in your local neighbourhood.
Organize A Customer Satisfaction Survey
Customers will like that you asked for their opinion/point of view and will feel interested in the survey results, which will translate to better loyalty over time. You can learn a thing or two about how your business could improve along the way.
Sponsor Local Influencers
Sponsor the local influencer to advertise your business or service on their social media platforms. It’s important to do your due diligence to make sure you’re pairing up with the right kind of influencer.
Create A Blog Post, Newsletter, Or Local Press Release
Local SEO-focused content marketing offers more opportunities to find it online. Creating a blog, article, newsletter, or press release is a way to create content and share your experience with prospects and customers. Small, local businesses that have blog posts, press releases, or newsletters drive more website traffic, attract more leads, and have more social media followers than local businesses that don’t. not, thus creating more opportunities to attract local customers and increase sales and profits.
