Table of Contents
- Optimize For Local SEO
- Create An Online Presence Through Reviews
- Use Local Signage
- Final Thoughts…
About the Author:
When you’re running a local business, it can be a challenge to stay ahead of the crowd. In the digital age, a two-pronged approach is necessary – companies need to invest in both traditional marketing and the latest online strategies.
Potential customers in your local area need to be aware that your business exists and that you can offer them the products and services they’re looking for.
And while local businesses are making a comeback (with more and more people choosing to shop where they are), many now find the most relevant stores through a web search.
What this means is that your marketing strategy needs to reach people both online and offline. You need a physical presence, as well as a virtual one.
Here are four marketing hacks for local businesses that will help point more customers straight to your door.
Optimize For Local SEO
When people search for goods and services online, they generally do it through their mobile phone. As long as their location settings are on, the search results will point them towards local stores.
When people are provided with a local suggestion, they will visit within 24 hours and 18% of those visits result in sales. So, it really does pay to make sure your business is one of those that are mentioned in search results.
But how can you make sure you appear near the top of the pile? There are a few things you can do:
- Make sure you have a Google My Business account and enter as much information as you possibly can. You should always include your business’s opening hours, a link to your website, photos of your premises and a detailed description of what you do.
- Do the same for Bing Local and Yahoo Local.
- Show Google that you are relevant to the searcher’s inquiry by optimizing your description for the search terms (keywords) they might use to find you.
- Go one step further with optimizing for keywords and set up a Google Places account. You can enter all of your relevant keywords here and they should be optimized for your location. For example, use ‘tire fitters Bradford’, rather than plain old ‘tire fitters’.
Ideally, you will only use high-resolution images and make sure the information you have on Google My Business, Bing Local and Yahoo Local is the same as on your website. You can add some keyword tools to your website builders, or use free web applications like Google Search Console and Suggestion Keyword Finder.
