5 Tips for Effective Local Digital Marketing

Marketing a local business is a whole different ballgame than an online company. The people who live and work near you are your potential customers and they must be reached effectively for your business to succeed.  Remember that your local digital marketing strategy must target – and appeal to — prospective customers in the geographic area where your business is located.

In order to best reach your local customers, consider these 4 local digital marketing tips.

Have a Mobile Friendly Website.

If you don’t have one yet, make this a priority. Customers who turn to their phones to search for a business like yours won’t find you if your site is not mobile optimized. They may not even be able to find your site, let alone interact with it — which means they won’t be giving you any business. Mobile optimization for local businesses is a MUST so make sure yours is ready.

Include Your Location, Hours of Operation, and Contact Methods.

This seems really simple but not having this information in a clear, concise spot will cost your business. Customers frequently go to the website of local businesses to find its address and hours. You should also offer multiple contact methods, such as a phone number, email address, and a social media account so people always have a way to reach you. Make it easy to reach you by pushing a few simple buttons.

Have an Obvious Call to Action.

Your website has a main goal: to bring in business and service existing customers. You need to make it clear to prospects how they can do business with you. Do they call your store to set up appointment? Do they drop by during your business hours? Specify a call to action so your customers know the course of action they need to take to utilize your products and services.

Monitor Online Reviews.

Online business reviews are vital for all businesses, and local ones especially. Make it a point to monitor websites like Yelp and see if you need to respond to any reviews. If people leave negative reviews about your business, make sure to respond – a sincere apology from you can go a very long way. If you notice multiple people making similar complaints, use it as a clue on ways to improve your business. Online reviews can be a great feedback tool if you monitor and use them correctly.

Engage with Local Influencers

Brands of all sizes are seeing the power of partnering with influencers to amplify their marketing message. Large brands are sponsoring brand ambassadors to effectively use their industry influence and massive social media following to reach a targeted audience as scale. Local businesses can take advantage of this same strategy by finding well connected and authoritative figures in their area to partner with. For example, a local restaurant can partner with a well-known chef from a different restaurant for a one night special collaboration. Both restaurants can create a marketing campaign to share via social media bringing awareness to both restaurants from targeted audiences.

Your local business revolves around your neighborhood economy. When people can incorporate your business with what they are already doing at home, you stand a better chance of landing customers. Your best and most profitable prospects are literally just down the road, so make sure you harness the power of the Internet to bring in customers from your own backyard.