Digital marketing is an essential tool for local businesses to attract more clients. Many local businesses mistakenly believe that online advertisements and other forms of online marketing are only relevant for businesses with a wider reach beyond their immediate community.
Business consultants at Max Funding emphasize that modern online ad capabilities have made it easier than ever to target customers in your local area and raise awareness about your business. However, it’s crucial to identify the digital marketing strategies that should be included in your local business marketing strategy while avoiding ineffective approaches.
Here are six effective ways to use digital marketing to grow your business locally:
1. Facebook Ads
Utilize Facebook Ads, as it allows easy creation of a target audience based on location. However, it’s important to ensure that your sales funnel attached to the ads is optimized for maximum conversions. Facebook Ads can amplify existing results, but they cannot fix a poor offer or funnel. Test smaller audiences and different funnels, make relevant adjustments, and optimize your marketing budget accordingly.
2. YouTube Ads
YouTube Ads are highly effective for capturing your target audience. They leverage the user’s search engine history with Google AI. This makes them preferable over Google AdWords as the AI tailors the message to engage the audience at a fraction of the cost. This translates to a higher return on investment (ROI) for your business.
3. Instagram
Develop an actionable Instagram strategy for business-to-business (B2B) interactions. Instagram is an excellent platform for connecting with local customers by using features such as location-specific hashtags and tags. Message potential customers with significant followings and offer them a free service or product in exchange for an Instagram story or post. Additionally, engage and support other local businesses on Instagram to foster an authentic community.
4. SEO
Engaging on social media with the aforementioned ad types positively impacts your SEO. Further enhance your online presence by optimizing your website. Regularly post on your Google My Business page and ensure that the information section is complete. Implement a Google review strategy, as these actions combined help boost your business to the first page of Google search results. Higher ranking increases the likelihood of local customers discovering your business.
5. Content Marketing
Implement content marketing to improve your SEO ranking. Create blog posts on your company’s website to enhance visibility. Customize your content to address local customers’ needs. For example, if you’re a skincare brand based in London, create content that focuses on protecting skin during warm summer months. This approach will rank you higher for keywords related to London and skincare. Develop blog topics that provide specific answers to your target customers’ questions and problems. Creating content without understanding your brand audience’s preferences and interests is a waste of time and resources.
6. Email Marketing
Email marketing is an effective way to retain existing customers. There are various creative options to build an email list. For physical businesses, provide a tablet for customers to enter their emails instead of using a signup sheet to overcome handwriting issues. You can also add the emails of event attendees to your mailing list or ask customers if they prefer email receipts instead of printed ones.
By focusing your marketing efforts on these six areas, you will attract more customers to your website or physical location in a shorter period of time.