Local businesses often face fierce competition when it comes to marketing.

The main objective is to get the word out about your brand and grow a customer base and maintain it. However, we are talking about small businesses that target the local customers. Unlike large organizations, they can’t afford big, splashy campaigns in order to grab the customer’s attention. Local business owners need to adopt the marketing strategies that fit their budget.

In today’s market, there are lots of opportunities for local businesses to revolutionize all the aspects of their marketing strategy. The biggest dilemma faced by small business owners is how, when, and where they should dedicate their marketing efforts and budgets.

When it comes to local internet marketing, these are a few best practices that should always find themselves as top considerations.

Digital Outreach

Though we might be looking at success at a local level, it is important to consider your brand’s digital presence. Your customers are searching for you online (whether or not you are there) so it is a wonder why so many businesses are still hesitant to embrace digital practices like social media, SEO, or paid advertising.

The top reason: many business owners find most forms of digital media complex and time consuming. Businesses think of digital outreach as a complicated process owing to its multiple options and ever-evolving nature. While it can appear burdensome, it is advised to start small. Customers are searching for information pertaining to your products and services. What type of information is going to be helpful to them? Answer that question and begin from that point.

Coupons

This is a tried, tested and true marketing method. A coupon will drive customers into your store. Whether they’re downloaded from Facebook,  sent straight to email inboxes, or even circulated in print, coupons will always remain an enticing way to promote your business. Coupons are easy to create and quite inexpensive to produce. When it comes to tracking ROI, digital coupons and coupon codes are an easy way to do it.

Ask Customers For Reviews

More and more often, customers are referring to online reviews (like Yelp!) to find out more about local businesses. Businesses have admitted that having reviews written by their customers have successfully given them an edge over the competitors.

Encourage your customers to provide online reviews as there is a high demand for these by prospective customers.

Content Marketing

With regards to digital marketing, it has become more important for businesses to come up with compelling content that could educate the targeted buyers before pushing them gently into the conversion funnel.

In order to come up with this compelling copy, you will need to understand the customers in the local market, study their interests and preferences, their main pain-points, and more on their demographics and psychographics.

In short, you will need to create in-depth personas and content for each of these personas in mind to be successful in relating to the needs of the audience.

Business Listing Services

You will also need to make sure that all the information in your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) is perfectly filled out across all local listings websites. If someone else has listed your business somewhere, you will have to claim the listing and provide the necessary proof that it is yours.

Conclusion

Though local business marketing budgets are not always large, there are several options that are available that have proven to drive success. When you’re looking to move into the online marketing space for your local business, consider some of these great strategies!