It’s not uncommon for local businesses–those whose client base is within a 40 to 50-mile radius–to believe online marketing efforts aren’t necessary, don’t work, or are too hard to pull together.
However, opting out of online marketing can cost any company their customers. Consumers rely on the ability to do business, solve problems, and make purchases now.
A study reported by Invesp found that mobile devices make up 19% of all retail e-commerce decisions in the US, a number that will eventually grow to 1 out of every 4. Another statistic shows 60% of Americans are using their phone and tablet to look for local products or services. And 93% of all Google searches have a local intent.
If your customers cannot find you when they turn on their cell phone, even if they are in the same city, they will turn to someone else that is online.
5 Tools to Make Local Marketing Easy
It’s not as hard as many small businesses think. These tools make the process of local marketing far more efficient, even for busy small business owners with limited time on their hands.
#1: Google My Business
This is the first place to start when it comes to local marketing. Activating Google My Business ensures that anyone looking for your business or one that sells what you sell can find you. It lets you be in control over what they see when they Google your name, too.
#2: Alignable
With Alignable, users have the ability to connect and network with other businesses. In addition to creating new support, business owners can also gain referrals. It’s a free network, but it provides industry answers in seconds and lets local businesses increase the amount of word-of-mouth marketing they receive.
#3: Facebook
Facebook is another hotspot when it comes to small businesses. Consumers today want to work with the small businesses in their community rather than corporate giants. When they need something, they ask their friends and community groups on Facebook for recommendations. Is your company listed on Facebook? Facebook Pages Manager helps to make the process of updating and managing pages much easier. It’s a simple way to reach more people without spending a lot of time doing so.
#4: Yelp
Many small business owners have a love-hate relationship with Yelp because it allows others to share information about their business. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing. When you set up your Yelp page, you ensure people can find you online and locally. You can present photos, reviews, and much more in a single location. It’s an important tool for local online marketing efforts because of how well it ranks in the search engines.
#5: YP for Business
If you are still paying to be listed in the actual phone book, try YP for Business instead. The Yellow Pages of the internet remains an important tool because millions of consumers use it to find addresses and locations for area businesses. The YP app makes it possible for consumers to find you quickly, which is important as they drive around looking for a product you offer.
Local marketing is not an option for most small businesses, but at the same time, it doesn’t have to be a challenge or a time draining activity. These tools, once put in place, streamline and automate the process.
About the author
Sandy B offers in-depth content in numerous subjects including finance, health, insurance, investment planning, legal, healthy living, offline and online marketing and other many other avenues. She also loves researching and doesn’t think any topic is too far out of range.
