All of us are bombarded with digital ads from huge, multinational companies daily. Oftentimes, we don’t even know where these businesses are headquartered or where their products are created (much less if they’re produced ethically). Seeing promotions specifically designed for our own city is a welcomed break.
On top of being refreshing for your target audience, local digital marketing is extremely cost-effective.
Benefits of Digital Advertising on the Local Level
“Local marketing” often evokes thoughts of coupon books or flyers stuffed under windshield wipers. However, the vast majority of marketing has shifted online, including the local kind.
If you’re a small business owner, you probably already recognize the value of the local approach. But how often do you produce content with your homebase’s unique traits in mind? Are you building your search engine strategy around city-based questions? Or interacting with local pages on social media platforms?
Here are a few benefits you can expect to see after adopting a truly local digital strategy.
Ranking on Search Engines With Ease
As an example, ranking for “financial advisor” nationally might not be realistic, even with an exceptional marketing team. Appearing for “financial advisor West San Antonio” on search engines, meanwhile, is a lot easier.
On top of the smaller pool of competitors, establishing high-quality backlinks (a link to your content on a different, trustworthy website) is much more feasible. With the proper relationship-building, you can earn mentions in local online directories and blogs. Search engines equate these mentions with your credibility, improving your site’s chances of appearing in your target audience’s results.
Content Marketing That’s Relevant and Relatable
Local content marketing tactics should go hand-in-hand with your search engine strategy. Usefulness and uniqueness define high-quality content. Embodying both characteristics is more straightforward when you stay focused on a particular geographical area. Mentioning your city’s quirks not only improves your ranking for local search terms, but also makes your content more relevant and relatable to target audiences.
Building your initial library of articles and blogs may take a while, but it’s essential to establish a locally recognized brand. If you aren’t sure how to tie your offerings to city-specific topics — or you simply don’t have the time to think about it — consider finding a content marketing strategist.
Greater Visibility on Social Media Platforms
Much like search engines, optimizing for local social media search terms yields more immediate results. Social media platforms simplify the research process; just examine local users’ public posts and trending hashtags. By incorporating the most popular topics into your posts, you’re more likely to organically appear in potential customers’ feeds.
Plus, social ads offer some of the most affordable targeting and analysis tools, especially for small businesses. Practically every social media platform can deliver ads to specific zip codes, neighborhoods, and demographics, meaning nearly all advertising dollars will go toward your precise target audience.
Target Audiences Are More Likely to Act
As a rule of thumb, potential customers make purchase decisions faster if the research process is easier. Once you’ve optimized for local social media and search engine results, your target audience is more likely to commit. In fact, half of consumers who search for a local business online visit a store within the next day.
Ultimately, local digital marketing connects you with the target audience that’s most important: your neighbors.
Marketing Support for Small Businesses in San Antonio
Reading about these possibilities may be equally inspiring and anxiety-inducing, especially if you’ve just started your business. Establishing the digital framework to see these benefits firsthand doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
We’ve helped many organizations, both big and small, connect with their local community in meaningful ways. It all starts with a conversation.
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