Local Marketing - What Does It Mean?

Discover which channels and trends are helping many local businesses succeed in local marketing.

In local marketing, businesses use online marketing strategies to reach new and potential customers in their local area, and engage them with the goal of turning them into diehard fans by promoting their products or services within a specified radius. Businesses in their community that have a storefront, such as restaurants, bars, spas, doctors, and chiropractors, typically use local marketing.

You could opt for many different kinds of marketing if you want to grow your business, but why should local marketing matter? Simply put, without local marketing and local marketing methods it is next to impossible to win over customers that will sustain your business.

Marketers need to be aware of these three trends

You need to know the current trends driving local marketing in order to focus on the strategies that work. When done correctly, local marketing can be a gold mine for your business. However, you must be knowledgeable about those trends in order to choose the right strategies.

The local marketing landscape is currently changing drastically due to three trends.

1. Recommendations

In fact, 95% of customers read online reviews before making a purchase. They are very motivated by customer reviews, and seek them out even before they spend a dollar. People are extremely motivated by customer reviews. A dedicated system for getting your customers to leave reviews for your business is a surefire way to supercharge your local marketing results. 81% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses.

2. On the go

A mobile device is used for more than half (61%) of all Google searches. No doubt, this is true for your local customers as well.

What can you do with this information to inform your local marketing strategy? For instance, you can ensure that your company's website is mobile friendly and fully functional. In order to increase conversion rates, you should make sure that your website is responsive to a variety of screen sizes and browsers, and that your phone numbers are clickable for easy contacting. These simple changes can have a huge impact on your local marketing campaigns.

3. Expectations of customers

The expectation of speed and convenience is higher than ever, and a fast-loading website and an easy checkout can go a long way toward fulfilling those expectations. Customers today expect speed and convenience more than ever before. As a local business owner, you should emphasize the speed and convenience of your business in your area.

The 3 most important channels for local marketing

The promotion of your business in your local community can be greatly improved if you implement three different local marketing channels.

1. National Action Plan

A NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone Number. A local marketing channel that emphasizes consistency across the web - from Google to your Chamber of Commerce website to local online business directories - is premised on the idea that your business name, address, and phone number should be the same everywhere.

To rise in the local search engines, make sure these key pieces of information are consistent every time your business is mentioned. Search engines like Google value consistency when legitimizing businesses.

2. Internet marketing

You can use SEO to rank on Google for specific search queries and target people in your area through the use of keywords.

There are approximately one-third of U.S. consumers who search online for local businesses every day, while 16% do so several times a week. You can grab the attention of some of these searches by adding keywords that feature local flavor. For instance, if you are a dentist in Raleigh, include “dentist in Raleigh” in your content.

3. The sponsorship industry

Your business' local marketing efforts can be further boosted by local sponsorships that enhance visibility.

One option is to sponsor a local conference in your industry, purchase a booth at a local trade show or fair, or sponsor one hour on a local radio station.

Strategy for pricing local marketing

It describes how a business sets a price for a product or service using local marketing pricing strategies. In order to meet your customers' expectations, stay competitive with other businesses, and stay on budget and financially on track, it is important to get this number right.

Pricing strategies that work include:

Skimming of prices
Pricing penetrations
Cost-effectiveness
Prices are higher for premium services
Price reductions based on loss leaders
Pricing based on psychology
Pricing that is value-based

Take a look at these pricing strategies to learn more!

Geotargeting: What Is It?

Businesses can use geotargeting to reach relevant shoppers through digital marketing campaigns, such as local pay-per-click campaigns. Using “near me” queries, geotargeting provides the best service possible to their target audience.

In order to geotarget effectively, you should:

Local keyword research is important.
Locations should be prioritized.
Event and venue targets.
Ensure that your campaigns do not compete with each other.

"Near Me" Search Ranking Tips

People search for clothing boutiques near me by typing the phrase "clothing boutique near me" into their search bar. Relevance, distance, and prominence all play a part in ranking for "near me" searches.

The following tips will help you rank high:

Make sure your content contains local keywords.
Make sure your content includes relevant local links.
Publicize your work locally.
Mobile-friendly websites are important.

Discover how "near me" searches can help you stand out!

Brick-and-mortar businesses: Setting up a successful online presence

The internet can be a powerful tool for boosting the business of your brick-and-mortar store.

If you want to move your shoppers forward in their purchasing journey now and in the future, you must follow these five communication strategies:

Utilize social media to reach out to your customers and engage them.
Your response times should be prioritized with your customers to demonstrate your commitment to them.
Establish a loyal relationship with your customers through social media and digital marketing to drive them to your store.
Provide a convenient and personalized experience to your customers, whether in person or virtually.
Gratitude and a discount for future purchases should follow up every shopping trip.

Improve your customer's satisfaction with communication strategies!

Cross-selling: What Is It?

Adding related items to customers' original selections is a proven technique that enhances sales.

You can learn how to cross-sell by reviewing these four examples:

Offer an optional item to solve a problem (like a screen protector).
Boost the perceived value of your product by bundling (or packaging) related items together.
Maintain relevance and personalize each suggestion you make.
Study your buyer's wants and needs via surveys to gain a better understanding of what will motivate them to purchase your product.

Get the most out of every customer with a successful cross-selling strategy!

Marketing Through Omnichannel Channels: What Is It?

It is a comprehensive user experience that incorporates user experience, product knowledge, and a consistent core message to ensure a seamless user experience from beginning to end.

Omnichannel marketing strategies can be built by:

Data collection and analysis for customers.
The optimized message should be communicated to your team.
Your approach should be personalized and optimized to reflect the behaviors of your consumers.

Getting modern consumers' attention through omnichannel marketing is easier than ever! Got questions? Visit us @ www.sirkle.com and we’re happy to help.