It’s somewhat ironic that the World Wide Web – the greatest tool in the history of all mankind for helping people to form global business connections – has now become the primary resource for local marketing, as well.
That’s the way progress works, though. Modern search engines and review sites give buyers more information than they ever could have gotten from old print directories. Google and Yelp are simply more valuable to customers than the Yellow Pages ever were.
For business owners, though, local marketing has become a little more complicated. Rather than writing a check and placing an ad, you have to make sure you’re visible to buyers in your neighborhood that could be arriving from all over the internet. Here are a few tips to help you get started…
Show Customers (and Search Engines) Where You Are
The first step toward being found by local buyers is making sure they understand where you’re at in the real world. Luckily, there is a very simple way to do this: add street addresses, city names, ZIP Codes, and other geographic markers to your website.
By putting this kind of data in prominent places, you make it easy for real-world buyers to find your various locations. You also give Google’s search spiders the information they need to match you up with customers in the area.
Be Easy to Find in the Real World
It’s one thing to draw in searchers over the internet and have them find your address or phone number – it’s another thing to bring them to your actual store, restaurant, or office.
In order to maximize your chances of turning a website visitor into a real-life customer, you should make the follow-up process as simple as possible. Have easy-to-find webpages with maps, driving directions, and hours of business. Let everyone know how they can get to you and when the best times to do so will be. It’s a small step, but one that can pay big dividends.
Have a Strong Social and Review Presence
When engaging in local marketing on the internet, your website is just the first piece of the puzzle. You should also maintain a strong social media presence and put up profiles on all the major review sites (like Yelp and TripAdvisor).
By being visible on Facebook and other social media portals, you encourage happy customers to share their experiences and send referrals your way. The profiles you create within review sites, on the other hand, can lead directly to sales since many buyers will look to them for recommendations. Additionally, having lots of positive reviews will make it easy for interested buyers to give you a try.
Now that local marketing has gone digital, some businesses are getting more customers, clients, and walk-in visitors than ever before. Meanwhile, competitors who have gotten stuck behind the times are wondering where all of their business went.
If you have found yourself on the wrong side of this trend, or simply want to maximize your opportunities for online local marketing, call the Philadelphia-based team at Biondo Creative today to set up a free consultation and website review!