What is Local Search Marketing?
Local search marketing refers to the methods and strategies used to promote a business to a local audience. It includes both online and offline marketing methods used to generate online and foot traffic for the business.
While often used interchangeably with local SEO, local search marketing is actually a combination of local SEO and other marketing and advertising methods. This includes paid advertising campaigns like pay-per-click and social media ads, traditional marketing methods like flyers, and other local advertising techniques like event sponsorship.
Importance of Local Search Marketing
Local search marketing is a crucial source of traffic for businesses looking to attract customers within an area. Customers are likely searching for your product. However, they probably do not know your business exists, where it is located, or whether it even has the product or service that they seek.
Local search marketing is intended to use advertising and marketing techniques to connect you with your target customer.Â
11 Local Search Marketing Techniques
Local marketing is just like marketing, except that it is optimized for an audience within a specific geographical location. The goal is to improve your online and offline presence and get more customers to your door or site. While there is no definite list of local marketing techniques, some common ones are listed below.
1 Optimize for Local SEO
Local SEO involves optimizing your site, Profilo dell'attività su Google, and any other online presence so that you rank higher on local search result pages. This includes techniques like including local keywords in your content, setting up your Google Business Profile, and ensuring your local citation is consistent across the web.
While optimizing for local SEO, you should also pay attention to your on-page, off-page, e technical SEO, as these are ranking factors that can affect your position in local search results.
2 Optimize Your Google Business Profile
A Google Business Profile is necessary for businesses looking to get into the local pack. So, set up your Google Business Profile and optimize it for conversion. Be sure to fill out all relevant information, include high-quality photos, and respond to reviews.
You should also pay attention to the business category you select, as it affects your local rankings. You can refer to this guide on creating your Google Business Profile.
3 Perform Local Keyword Research
Local keyword research focuses on finding keywords that local customers are searching for and including them in the content you publish on your site and Google Business Profile. You will want to pay attention to the words and phrases often used by your target audience, along with the names of cities, regions, and neighborhoods they include in their search queries.
4 Get More Online Reviews
Online reviews are a ranking factor. They also help to build trust and credibility with potential customers. So, be sure to encourage satisfied customers to leave a review on your site, Google Business Profile, and other third-party review sites. You should monitor your reviews across platforms and respond to them even when they are negative.Â
5 Create Local Content
Create content that is relevant to the local audience. This content could cover news, events, and topics your target audience is familiar with. The exact type of content you publish would differ depending on your business, but you should ensure that it is something they can resonate with.Â
6 Build Local Links
Backlink are an SEO ranking factor. However, in the case of local SEO, you should also focus on getting backlinks from local businesses, organizations, and directories. This helps improve your local SEO as it signals to search engines that your site is relevant to the local area.
7 Get on Social Media
Social media platforms are a great way to stay in touch with your target customers and other people in your community. You should include local content on your social media handles and post and post content people within your community would be familiar with.
8 Create Local Adverts
Most pay-per-click and social media ads allow you to select the regions or areas you want your ads to be displayed. In this case, you will want to set up the ads so that they are only shown to people within your target location. You should also ensure that these ads are relevant to people within that location.
9 Get on Local Business Directories
Listing your business in local directories helps to improve online visibility and local SEO. So, you should get your business on as many high-quality directories as possible. Popular third-party review sites and directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, Foursquare, and Trustpilot are a great start. Avoid spammy directories at all costs, as they could result in a manual action penalty.
10 Send Emails With Local Content
Email marketing is a great way to get more eyes on your business. It is even a great source of traffic since the target customer willingly gave you their email and allowed you to email them in the first place. To get the most out of your email marketing, make sure your emails are relevant to the target customer and avoid being too pushy.Â
11 Participate in Local Events
Participating in local events is a great way to build awareness of your business, product, and services. The exact way you go about this will differ from business to business but can include sponsoring local events, hosting workshops, and participating in community fairs and markets.