The rise of the digital era has enabled a worldwide customer base. While this can help grow and scale your business, there’s also immense value in targeting a local micro-audience.
Homegrown businesses market and present their brands within the local area. Our local clients know exactly where their content is coming from.
So how can you utilize local marketing to your advantage?
1. Know your audience.
Define a specific audience to ensure you are targeting the correct market. The more specific you are about your ideal customer’s psychographics and demographics, the better you’ll be able to hit your marketing metrics and objectives.
2. Attend local events.
Physical proximity means you can easily gain face-to-face exposure within your community. Get out in their area and get your business name known.
Attend local trade shows, events, or vendor fairs. Teach a seminar at the community college or local university.
3. Host a local event.
Hosting a local event allows you to bring your community together—raise brand awareness. It can be a small gathering in your storefront or a large event in the local rec center. Come up with a unifying idea or theme.
Promote the event. Create a Facebook event, make flyers, post it on your website. Putting on a great event leads to great results, no matter how big or small.
4. Optimize on search engines.
List your business on Google Business, add pictures, information, websites, reviews, and content The "near me” search trend is exploding, optimizing on this feature not only gets your business seen in local searches, but it also attracts a customer making instantaneous purchasing decisions.
5. Create content.
Blogging is one of the best ways to connect to your local community. For example, you can blog about local events or happenings as a way of linking your brand to the wider community voice.
6. Join industry groups.
Facebook and LinkedIn are great ways to network. You can join groups based on your city or state to reach a local market, or you can find professional groups to connect with others in your industry.
Groups are a great platform to post your blogs and content. This helps you provide value to your community while increasing impressions and brand awareness.
7. Use local businesses.
If you want local clients to use your business, you should also purchase from other local businesses. This shows that you’re willing to give back to the community.
This not only shows that you’re supporting the local community, but it’s also a great way to strengthen your ties to the community.
Learn more about The New Rules of Engagement.
