Elements of Local Marketing

A marketing strategy that targets customers within a businesses geographical area

A successful local marketing campaign needs to follow a few critical elements, from local SEO and landing pages to reputation management and social media. Ideal for small and medium sized businesses looking to boost their visibility in a local marketing, this type of marketing approach will utilize tools such as Google My Business, Google Maps and local business directories.

Check out the essential elements you need if you want to create and sustain a successful local marketing campaign.

Local SEO

Local SEO helps your business become more visible in local search results on Google, and involves finding the keywords your customers are using to find services like yours. You basically want to attract search engine visitors to your website to improve your visibility and reach more customers.

Local search engine marketing is geared specifically toward the little guys and not the big players, so it’s important that you embrace this strategy especially if you are a business that:

• Has a physical location that customers visit (i.e., coffee shop, bar, law office, grocery store)
• Serves a defined geographical area (i.e., restaurants that deliver)
• Travels to their customers (i.e., electricians, plumbers and locksmiths), known as “service area businesses”

Search engines apply a set of local SEO ranking factors that apply to searches containing a specific location (town, city or zip code), the phrase “near me,” or those that are tied to a GPS location from their phone.

Online Reputation Management

Ninety-seven percent of business owners say that online reputation management is important to their company, according to Forbes. A big part of managing your online reputation is regularly reading and responding to online reviews through platforms such as Yelp. While all businesses want to see positive reviews across the board, this isn’t realistic. There will be some negative ones thrown in there and that’s when you need to jump into action.

Always respond to negative reviews, not in defensiveness or anger, but by being graceful, patient and apologetic. Doesn’t matter if the customer is 100 percent wrong. Do what you can to make their experience right and respond with a positive spin on how you will fix the mistake. Letting negative reviews pile up or responding in anger will only serve to dent your online reputation and how you are perceived by potential customers.

Did you know that positive ratings and comments on Google My Business or Google Maps act as ranking factors for your company?

Local Listings

A successful local marketing campaign depends on clean data and accurate listings, which includes NAP, photos, maps and business hours. All information has to be accurate and identical in all listings – a critical factor to being able to be found locally. Even the smallest discrepancies in a company name (“ABC Corp.” vs. “ABC Inc.”) can negatively impact your results.

Claim your local listings and provide accurate information to search engines and online directories. Check those listings often for accuracy.

Landing Pages

If you have several locations, each one should have its own landing page. About 72 percent of consumers who performed a local search visited a store within five miles. Because consumers are looking for you while on the go, you have to be there when they need you. The local 3-pack will ensure you show up in the first few results of a local search.

Your local landing pages should be simple yet comprehensive, with your business name, address, phone number, products you offer, hours, and photos. Each page should be designed with title tags and meta descriptions so search engines can pick them up.

Paid Search/Social

Paid search, display, and social media are central components of a smart digital marketing strategy. Localizing your business’ paid search or social efforts is something you should be embracing, not ignoring. Your consumers want local and relevant results and content, so in order for your brand to connect with your mobile consumers and fuel offline conversions, you need to customize messages for customers within a specific geographic market. This will allow you to apply the correct promotional information and “flash sales” where business is strongest.

Incorporating all five prongs of your local marketing campaign is hard work. It can even be a full time job. Don’t have that kind of time? We do!

Contact Tactical-Moves

If you need help creating a local marketing campaign, contact us today. Located in Boston at 617-858-5802. We know the local SEO and are better positioned to ensure your success through local marketing