How to Advertise a Local Business on the Internet

With the help of the internet, you can do business and close deals with practically everyone on the planet, but there is also a captive market in your neighborhood waiting to place an order. A marketing plan that targets consumers nearby your shop or within your service region is necessary to reach these potential clients. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources and tried-and-true techniques that can raise the visibility of your company in the community. You can start by using these five local advertising pointers. 

Five methods for promoting your company locally 

The following pillars include some successful local marketing specialty tactics; however, they by no means serve as a comprehensive list: 

Make a Google My Business page first

The first tactic on this list serves as the basis for all effective local web marketing techniques. Request a postcard to confirm that you have permission to build a Google My Business listing before filling out every field on your page with the necessary data. It's that easy! For local businesses, Google My Business (GMB) listings are especially crucial because more than 90% of online searches are made on Google. By prominently featuring your material on the most popular search engine in the world, you can be sure that it is well-organized and simple to find. 

Make sure to keep all of the information on your listing current, including any information regarding holiday closings. A complete GMB listing includes your company's address, phone number, website link, operating hours, and images associated with your enterprise, good, or service. Depending on the business, more details can be included; for instance, restaurant listings will automatically include online review site ratings and an opportunity to place an online order. Google My Business included a "health and safety" component to listings during the COVID-19 pandemic that detailed the policies for clients and staff at the company, such as mask requirements. Additionally, GMB listings link with Google Maps, making it easier for local consumers to find your business. 

Put local SEO first 

Did you know that more than 75% of all clicks on an internet search result page go to the top three items? Consider this figure to be justification for prioritizing having your business rank well in local search results. Similar to other search engine optimization techniques, local SEO also works by focusing on rankings within a specific city, county, or other specialized areas. As a result, there is a higher likelihood that the consumer will find the results useful. 

This is especially true for companies that provide repair services, which may only travel within a specified radius and do not want leads from outside of their service region. Notably, when searcher intent is taken into consideration, emphasizing local SEO makes the biggest difference. When it comes to local SEO, this frequently indicates that a user is assiduously trying to find a local business to buy from or a local expert to hire. An excellent example is the term "Chicago electrician": Likely, anyone looking for one is actively trying to find one in Chicago. Comparing location to the search word indicates a readiness to buy, making it significantly more focused than a more general query like "do I need an electrician?" or "how much does an electrician cost?" You can make your move here! 

Become a community leader

Local business owners have a special obligation to their communities. Since they live there, they have a special perspective on local events and are aware of the effects their actions have on the surrounding areas. In certain circumstances, those who conduct business in their local communities build their reputations through the leadership responsibilities they take on. 

This frequently results in leadership roles within the community. Depending on the needs of the business and community, that may take numerous forms: Some people might join their neighborhood chamber of commerce, provide goods and services to a nearby charity event, or do something that causes a stir in the neighborhood. Taking initiative and acting spontaneously lends itself to local business promotion as it aids in building brand awareness about your firm in your area. A Philadelphia-based chain of vegan restaurants serves as an illustration of this strategy. The owner of the company briefly made national news in April 2021 by increasing all employee pay to $15 per hour. The group's owner gained significant exposure to her eateries by partnering with a cause that was significant to her community. 

Tell your story

People enjoy reading and watching stories across all media. Every day, people connect through stories about their prior encounters, shared interests, and motivational victories over adversity. Because your story can significantly affect the "why" behind your company, this easily gels with your brand identity. Business owners like you can take advantage of this for their local marketing needs, frequently in ways that don't even remotely resemble marketing. 

Consider Cafe con Libros in Brooklyn, New York. Many people in Crown Heights and surrounding Brooklyn neighborhoods published Instagram stories promoting the cafe for a brief period in the late 2010s. That's because the proprietor of Cafe con Libros told tales of her establishment's triple function as a cafe, an intersectional feminist bookstore, and a sanctuary for those who identify as female. While remaining faithful to the brand's objective and vision, this combination attracted a wide variety of customers without ever being ad-like or fake. 

Host a social media contest

Your neighbors are inevitably engaged with your brand when you run a social media contest with the goal of attracting locals to your store. Who doesn't enjoy a gift, after all? The vegan protein bar company No Cow's most recent social media giveaway is a perfect illustration of how to apply this tactic. 

No Cow's Spring Forward promotion handed out free goods to individuals who entered the giveaway in various ways, including much-desired Yeti coolers (and provided the company with customer contact information in the process). If you want to create something similar, make the contest entry process as simple as possible while also providing persuasive and appealing freebies that will encourage your clients to participate.