Anyone providing a service knows that engaging with the community can be challenging at times – but connecting locally is essential to promote a business. It creates lasting relationships and a circle of trust, helping your business stand out against competition for nearby clientele.
This post will walk through 7 tips for elevating local visibility and bringing in more new business. Whether you’re just starting or want to enhance your current approach, it’s helpful to be savvy with local promotions.
Why Promote Locally?
For a few good reasons, local promotion is powerful for building up business in your neck of the woods. The main ones are:
To Build Connections
Engaging with your local community is more than just marketing—it’s forming lasting relationships. Local promotion fosters trust and loyalty, encouraging word-of-mouth referrals and creating a network of customers who prefer to shop locally.
To Stand Out Online
Standing out can be tough in an age where everyone’s online. Local promotion gives you an edge by tailoring your marketing to your immediate area. That makes your business more relatable, which is preferred by nearby customers over larger, impersonal options online.
To Heighten Local SEO
Optimizing for local search is crucial because, with a focus on local SEO, it’s easier for nearby users to find you. In fact, 88% of consumers who do a local search on their smartphone visit or call a store within a day, highlighting the immediate impact of local SEO.
Doing it effectively involves appearing in local search results, being listed in local directories, and maintaining consistent information across all platforms. Complete and effective local SEO drives more traffic to your website and your location, leading to more growth.
1) Maximize Your Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile is a tool that allows you to manage how your business will appear in Google search results and Maps. So, the first and easiest way to promote your business locally, and it’s free. An optimized profile is independently impactful – it ensures that your business stands out to local customers and is easy to reach for those who need you.
If you’re doing it for the first time, start here:
1) Sign into the Google Business Profile website using your Google account.
2) Add your business name. If it appears in the drop-down menu, select it. If not, choose “Add your business to Google.”
3) Verify your business with Google. They’ll send a verification code to your business address and you’ll enter it on the site to confirm you and your business are real.
Profile Tips
- Fill out all the details completely, including business name, address, phone number, website, and hours of operation. Make sure the info is accurate and consistent with any other profiles or listings.
- Add high-quality photos of your business, team, services, products, etc. Those will make your profile more engaging and give potential customers a better sense of what to expect.
- Write an honest and compelling description of your business. Use a clear, concise, and engaging manner to highlight what makes your business unique and why to choose you.
- Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on your profile. Then, respond to reviews promptly and professionally, showing potential customers that you value feedback and customer service.
- Use posts and updates to regularly refresh your profile with any promotions, events, or news related to your business. This way, your profile remains active and engaging.
2) Localize Your Content and SEO
Use local keywords throughout your website and service pages. Incorporate city or neighborhood names in titles, meta descriptions, headers, and body text to make sure search engines know your business is relevant to those local searches.
For example, a plumbing business in Austin might use phrases like “Best plumber in Austin” or “Austin plumbing experts” to attract local customers. Similarly, write blog posts that address relevant, local interests and concerns. The Austin plumbing business could write about common plumbing issues in the area or highlight local regulations.
To help with this, you can use tools like Google Trends to research popular local search terms. Include the keywords naturally throughout your website, including blog content, to improve your chances of ranking in local searches.
Beyond what’s on your site, here’s what else is involved when working to elevate your local SEO:
- Local Citations – Ensure your business is listed in local directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and local Chamber of Commerce sites. Consistency is key—make sure your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) are identical across all listings.
- Backlinks – Build quality backlinks from relevant local businesses and organizations. This can be guest blogging on local websites, or getting mentioned in local news articles. Quality backlinks are among the top ranking factors for local SEO, contributing to 26% of the localized organic ranking factors.
- Community Highlights – Share stories and photos from local happenings you’ve participated in or sponsored. That helps you build a connection with your audience and shows that you’re invested in the community. For instance, if you sponsor a local charity event, write a blog post about the event, including pictures and testimonials.
3) Make Ads Hyper-Local
Targeting ads for a more precise service area or neighborhood can make a significant difference in performance.
Use platforms like Facebook and Instagram to create ads for specific geographic areas. They’ll allow you to select your audience location so your ads are seen by people in that immediate vicinity. Once you’ve made sure your ads will target the right area, focus on engaging the users who will see them.
- Personalize ad content so it resonates with the local audience. Consider any events, landmarks, or community interests. If there’s a popular parade coming up locally, your business can promote with an ad that ties into the event – like an inside joke.
- Promote deals or special offers for local customers. Highlight them in your ads to catch the eye of nearby customers who are looking for savings on a service you offer. Local deals create a sense of exclusivity, which can drive even more traffic your way.
4) Join Local Groups on Social Media
- Engage – Identify local groups on platforms like Facebook and Nextdoor. They often have community members interested in local events, businesses, and news. Join relevant groups and actively participate in discussions, answer questions, and provide helpful advice related to your business.
- Share – Post content that is relevant and valuable to the group members. This be posts like helpful tips, local news, events, and promotions (depending on the group’s posting policies).
- Build Rapport – Engage with group members genuinely. Avoid overly promotional posts and instead, focus on forging relationships and establishing your business as a trusted local resource.
A promotional social media post, shared and re-shared by local businesses involved in the event
5) Collab with Another Local Business
Partnering with other local businesses can be a great way to expand your reach and build a stronger presence in the community. Look for businesses that complement yours rather than compete.
For example, a home inspector could partner with an insurance agent – finding the right partnership helps ensure that both businesses can benefit from:
- Joint Promotions – This could include offering bundled discounts or running cross-promotional campaigns. A home improvement service and a landscaping business might promote a bundled discount on relevant products and landscaping services purchased locally.
- Cross-Marketing – Sharing each other’s social media posts, featuring partner businesses in your email newsletters, or displaying promotional materials for each other in high-traffic areas.
- Community Events – Participate in or sponsor local community events together. This not only boosts your visibility but also shows that your businesses are invested in the local community. For instance, co-sponsoring a charity run could create positive publicity and attract new customers.
6) Use Print Media
Digital marketing is essential – but local print media can also be a valuable tool for reaching your community! Here are a few ways to get the most from it:
- Place ads in local newspapers and magazines that are widely read in your community. Print ads can help you reach an audience that might not be as active online. Make sure your ads are eye-catching and include a clear call to action, such as a special offer or event invitation.
- Write and distribute press releases to local media outlets to announce newsworthy events, new products or services, or significant milestones. A well-crafted press release can attract media coverage and increase your visibility.
- Many communities have newsletters that are distributed to residents. Consider placing ads or submitting articles for these. It’s a great way to reach local readers with relevant information about your business.
- Design and distribute flyers or posters in strategic locations around your community, such as local bulletin boards, coffee shops, and community centers. Make sure your materials are visually appealing and provide clear, accurate information.
7) Discounts or Loyalty Programs
Some local service businesses create exclusive discounts and deals for brand evangelists. This could include seasonal promotions, holiday sales, or special discounts for first-time customers. Highlight them in your marketing materials and social media to draw attention!
You can also choose to develop a loyalty program that rewards repeat customers. Often this is a points-based system where customers earn points for each purchase or service that can be redeemed for discounts or free products/services.
A business in the home service industry might offer a discount on a different service or future service after a certain number of repeats.
Bonus Tip: Observe and Improve
To get the most from your efforts next time you promote locally, you have to know what works and what doesn’t for your business. When you monitor user responses to a promotion, you can make smarter decisions and drive better results. These are the key points to focus on:
- KPIs
- Tools
- Feedback
- Data
- Adaptability
Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your goals. Common metrics include foot traffic, website visits, social media engagement, and sales growth.
If your goal is to increase website traffic, track the number of customers visiting your site during promotional periods. Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor the primary metric and other user behavior. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram also offer insights into social metrics like shares and comments.
Equally important, gather feedback directly from your customers whenever possible. Use surveys, comment cards, or online reviews to understand what your customers think about your promotions. Then, you have a better idea of what’s working and what needs improvement.
Analyze your sales data to see the impact of your promotions. Look for trends in sales volume, average transaction value, and customer retention rates. This information can help you determine which promotions are driving the most revenue.
Finally, based on the data you collect, make informed adjustments to the strategies you’re using to promote locally. If a particular type of promotion is not doing well, try a new approach.
Conclusion
Making a real impact when you promote your business locally means gaining genuine connections and building community trust. With these strategies, you’ll not only boost visibility but also create a loyal customer base as you go.
From enhancing your Google Business Profile to collaborating with fellow local businesses, each step helps you stand out in a new way. At WolfPack Advising, there’s a dedicated team of experts ready to spring into strategized action for your business – just schedule an online consultation today.
