Effective local marketing strategies are key to building brand authority and attracting customers. With 83% of US shoppers using online search before visiting a store, digital and social media marketing are crucial. Tactics include optimizing for local search, using Google Business Profile (GBP), and local link-building strategies. GBP is free and can feature businesses within a searcher’s vicinity, including on Google Maps. Once a GBP profile is verified, businesses can add images, bios, blogs, offers, messages, customer reviews, and see analytics. Regularly adding fresh content or blog posts to GBP can help drive traffic and engagement.
Another strategy is encouraging local reviews from customers. Positive reviews on GBP listings can build trust with local customers and help move them through the sales funnel towards conversion or purchase. Negative reviews can also be beneficial, providing insights on how to improve products or customer experience. Responding to negative reviews and addressing the issues raised can potentially turn a negative review into a positive one.
Optimizing a website for organic search is another important step. This involves keyword optimization, focusing on long-tail, geo-specific keywords. These are ideal as they usually indicate that the searcher knows what they want and where they want to do business. Creating location-based, niche-oriented pages with long-tail keywords can help improve search engine results page (SERP) rankings.
Creating localized content is also important. Content marketing, a part of inbound marketing, can attract a targeted audience. The more valuable, relevant, and consistent the content, the more engagement from the target audience. This content should solve customer’s pain points and be evergreen.
Key Takeaways:
- Local marketing strategies, both online and offline, are essential for building brand authority and attracting customers, regardless of the size or age of the business.
- Optimizing for local search using tools like Google Business Profile and maintaining a regular posting schedule can increase visibility and engagement with a local audience.
- Optimizing a website for SEO through keyword optimization, creating localized content, and encouraging local customer reviews can further enhance a business’s local marketing efforts.
“Digital and social media marketing are the most crucial parts of marketing a local business since, according to Google, “83% of U.S. shoppers who visited a store in the last week say they used online search before going into a store.””
More details: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/local-marketing-strategies/461540/
