If your business relies on your local market, then knowing how to get your brand out there in front of those potential customers makes a whole lot of sense. However, you should avoid using the same marketing principles as you would do online or over a larger area as this is more specific in nature.
So, how do you market to your local audience? Taking advantage of these steps should make a difference.
1. Get Out There and Do Research
First, you need to get out there and make sure that you understand your local market. This may sound obvious, but it’s surprising how little some businesses know about those customers on their doorstep.
Look at the local economy and the demographics. Know the size of your market and who you aim your business at. You should understand the money people earn on average and rough expenditures to get a better idea as to whether or not your business is affordable.
2. Always Use Social Media
Social media is a must, but in your profiles make sure you add in your location. Also, seek to network in groups that are from your local area. This will help to get you noticed, but never sit and throw out a sales pitch as that is the wrong thing to do.
Instead, look at becoming a valuable member of the local community. Take part in discussions, offer advice and be seen as somebody to trust. That builds confidence in you and your business leading to potential customers becoming more likely to turn into real customers.
3. Take Advantage of Local SEO
If part of your business focuses on the local market, then using local SEO methods and techniques is a must. Hire a professional SEO company that understands these processes and allow them to get to work on developing your local profile.
You must remember that people in your area will still search on the likes of Google. Becoming more visible on their results pages will boost your exposure in front of your local market.
4. Use a Local Press Release
Even if you feel that a press release is somehow old-fashioned, it can still have an impact if you use it correctly. Don’t over use this method and keep it for announcing some new service or product. A press release is for anything that is newsworthy.
If you are unsure as to the way in which a press release is written, then there is help available online with companies offering this kind of service. They will take the information that you provide to them and turn it into a professionally written press release that you can then release to the local media.
5. Grab Your Listing on Google
You must grab your listing on Google, and when you consider that it’s completely free then what are you waiting for? With this business listing, you need to enter as much information as possible as this will prove to be a wonderful marketing tool for you.
Also, use some keywords for your business and location as that will help your listing to appear when people carry out a search using terms that match whatever it is that you do., You will need to make sure your brand name is included in all your descriptions. You may also discover that the company conducting your local SEO will have noticed if you have failed to take this listing and can advise you on how best to complete it.
6. Write a Blog
Some people believe that blogging is outdated, but that’s not the case. Instead, blogging will boost SEO results as it means there is fresh content being put on your website. Also, it’s believed that a blog can boost your visitors by as much as 55% and who could afford to turn that increase down?
Your blog needs to make sense and use keywords in the text to help with the indexing of whatever you are saying. For keywords, think of terms people may use in a search, such as “moving house”, to find you and then look at incorporating them as naturally as possible. Once again, if you are unsure about this then there are companies that will be in a position to help you out.
Marketing to a local audience requires work and perseverance on your part and don’t expect results immediately. Focus on SEO and building awareness of your brand by getting out there and involved in your local community whether it be online or offline. The difference it will make to your turnover will mean that it will all be worth your while.
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