Local markets represent an invaluable source of potential customers for businesses that provide high-quality experiences at reasonable prices. By optimizing for local search, using social media and email marketing campaigns and forging partnerships locally, businesses can take full advantage of this market potential.
Employ email marketing to share promotions and updates with local customers, helping build brand loyalty while forging stronger connections with them.
Google Business Profile
Google My Business (previously known as Google Business Profile) is a free listing that enhances local search results. It includes crucial details about your business such as name, address, phone number and operating hours as well as photographs and a link back to its website. Maintaining an up-to-date Google Business Profile increases your odds of being featured in local pack results.
GMB listings rank higher in search results than organic results and can increase your likelihood of being featured on Google Maps. In addition, these GMB listings often appear alongside paid ads in both the search and maps results - meaning your Google Business Profile could provide a significant boost for local search traffic and lead generation.
Once you've claimed your Business Profile, it's easy to start adding all the relevant details about it. From services, operating hours, messaging enabled messages and business descriptions to uploading photos allowing customers to see exactly what your company looks like, you can add everything necessary for customers to take an informed decision when selecting your services or goods.
Monitor Your Reviews as Part of Your Business ProfileYou should keep an eye on reviews as an integral component of your Business Profile. Positive reviews can bolster trust among potential customers and encourage them to choose your company; conversely, negative ones could damage its image unless addressed quickly and professionally by your team.
Once your Google Business Profile is ready, you can promote it using multiple channels such as local SEO and email marketing. To enhance your profile further, add photos that represent your storefront, logo, contact info and an easy link back to your website - this way customers will easily be able to locate you!
An optimized GMB profile will help your business rank higher in local searches and map packs, drawing customers in and increasing sales. In some cases, it even outperforms organic search results due to Google's focus on hyperlocal results - plus it's much cheaper than trying to implement broad SEO strategies that may be hard to measure!
Reviews on Google
Reviews on Google are one of the key components in local search rankings, as well as an efficient low-cost digital marketing strategy. Yet many local businesses struggle to gain enough positive reviews despite this low cost digital strategy. There are ways you can increase review volume and boost overall rating scores.
Your Google Business Profile (formerly My Business) makes it possible for customers to leave reviews about your business when searching in Search or Maps, helping customers make informed decisions and having a tremendously positive effect on your reputation.
A 2022 BrightLocal survey discovered that 34% of consumers always read online reviews prior to making any purchases or hiring services, and while having high star ratings may not guarantee customer interest in your business, they certainly help build trust - 54% won't consider using companies with ratings of less than four stars!
When new customers search for your business online, they'll see a star rating appear next to its name in search results. A higher star rating increases your odds of ranking in Google 3-pack searches and receive more clicks for local searches - as well as driving more traffic directly to your website and increasing conversion rates.
Potential customers can also read a brief summary of your company and its history, up to 100 characters long. Use concise yet descriptive language that resonates with your target market for maximum impact.
Google takes reviews seriously, and may remove listings if too many fake reviews or too many negative or neutral ones appear. To protect yourself and avoid removal, be sure to follow Google's guidelines when reviewing businesses on its platform.
To leave a Google review, simply log into your Google account and search for the business in question. When you're finished searching, click "write a review," select your number of stars for that company and write up a summary of your experience before clicking "post."
Email Marketing
Local advertising can be an excellent way to bring more customers in contact with your brand, increase engagement and repeat business. When planning any local business marketing strategies it is essential that growth objectives be established first; whether this involves introducing a new product, expanding services into new markets or both will dictate its scope and success.
Local business marketing relies heavily on an effective online presence. This should include having a website, optimized social media profiles and local listings to support local search. The more locations where your business appears on search engines, the higher its chances of ranking highly for local searches. Furthermore, creating a Google Business Profile will allow customers to see your address, phone number and hours directly in SERP results.
Email marketing is an efficient local business marketing tool that can be used to promote specials, sales, events and customer loyalty while simultaneously building customer insight. In order to use email marketing effectively, however, a list of opt-in subscribers must first be established; this can be accomplished using signup sheets in physical locations or booths and events or using form building tools provided by many ESPs that make this simple.
Partnering with other businesses in your locality can be an effective local marketing strategy, expanding reach in the community and establishing your company as an authority in its field. In turn, long-term relationships may develop between them that bring mutual benefits for all parties involved.
Localized Facebook ads can help promote your products or services more effectively. These targeted advertisements can reach local customers more precisely and be tailored according to age, gender, and zip code - helping ensure your ad reaches those most likely interested. Furthermore, localized campaigns tend to be less costly than national ones.
Social Media
Social media can be an excellent way for local businesses to drive local sales. By taking advantage of e-commerce shopping features on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to sell directly to their followers - whether B2B sales or even replacing cold calling - local business owners can increase sales locally with social media. Furthermore, this form of communication allows local business owners to build close-knit relationships with their target audiences that may convince them to visit their store or office; not forgetting its many paid advertising options that target specific local audiences - an effective way of increasing foot traffic!
Customers today desire a sense of community, and brands can use social media to foster this desire by posting engaging content that builds it. Furthermore, according to a 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer poll conducted among over 10,000 customers globally, social media users trust brands more than any other channel.
Social media marketing is free and offers access to local audiences by way of ads. However, remember that being present only on social media won't boost your local business; so invest in other channels as well. Hurrdat Marketing can assist with local business marketing through services including social media management and SEO services.