Competing with big-box chains and online superstores is one of the biggest issues for small business owners. But recently, the ‘Buy Local’ movement has inspired people to reinvest in their community by supporting local businesses.
Marketing to local audiences is now easier than ever thanks to the various tools and online services available online, as well as traditional marketing tactics.
If you have a newly established business and want to draw in local customers, these 8 tactics should be enough to get you started.
1. Get Listed in Local Directories
What do you do when you’re looking for a specific product or service in your area? You go to Google and type in phrases like ‘animal hospital near me’ or ‘Mexican restaurant near me’, right?
To make it easier for customers to find your contact details in Google and Google Maps, you need to get listed with Google My Business.
The list of online directories also includes Apple Maps, Bing, Yelp, Super Pages, Thumbtack, and Yellow Book.
2. Social Networking
Social media networks like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter can put businesses in direct contact with local customers.
If you operate in certain neighborhoods, look for local Facebook pages and where you will introduce your business. Make sure to offer special offers and discounts to your followers in order to motivate them to repeat using your services.
Many local businesses, especially shops, restaurants, and bars, should also consider listing on Foursquare. This social networking mobile service provides personalized recommendations of attractions and businesses near a user’s current location based on previous check-in and browsing history.
3. Local SEO
If you want to make sure that local customers can easily find you online, you need to improve your ranking in search engine results. The best way to achieve this is by optimizing your website for local searches.
There are several effective local SEO strategies you can use, including creating separate websites for each store location, setting up a Google+ business page, optimizing your content and web pages for local keywords, optimizing your website for mobile, adding relevant backlinks from other local/authoritative sites, etc.
4. Face-to-Face Networking
One-on-one communication can be a very effective way of building a strong local customer base. Experts claim that if someone has met you in person, they’re more likely to want to do business with your company or refer you to other people…
Continue reading the article and learn more about increasing sales on Life Is An Episode website.