If you run your own small business with a local presence, you need to make sure people know about it. Local businesses often neglect their online presence in favor of more local advertising that might not be as effective.
Just having a website isn’t enough anymore! Your top competitors could win valuable customers just because they have a higher SEO ranking, and that means you need to take steps to get your local business noticed. Keep reading for tips for getting your local business noticed online by the right customers.
Invest time in an SEO strategy.
As a local business owner, you might think SEO is only for big websites with a national audience. This isn’t true! SEO is for every business that wants to actually be seen by the right audience! This means optimizing your website to perform well with local search results. It means actively building your high-quality links from other reputable sources. Ultimately, it means when people search for your industry, you’re the top result. Internet marketing is all about making your business easy to reach, and that’s why you need to take SEO seriously. Not sure where to start? Lead to Conversion’s local SEO services do the heavy lifting for you so you can focus on other things that matter to your business.
Use social media wisely.
All business owners know the importance of social media, yet so few actually use it well. Being active on social media is a lot more than taking pictures of your business or highlighting sales. It’s about interacting with your community and building relationships with your followers! Be mindful with your social media presence. It shouldn’t be all your content 100% of the time! A lot of internet marketers suggest the 80/20 rule, meaning you should promote 80% of other people’s content and only 20% of the rest of your posts should be your own. That doesn’t mean you have to post about your competitors products or sales, but it does mean highlighting local events and doing more than just talking about your own business 100% of the time.
Take advantage of influencer marketing.
Influencer marketing is quickly becoming a powerful tool for local businesses. You might have seen the rise of influencers in your own area no matter where your business is located. Local influencer might include bloggers, journalists, or even photographers. Discover the best influencers in your area and see if they offer any services for local businesses! Often influencers partner with businesses to promote it to their own audience on social media or the web. Not only does this build your SEO, but it’s great exposure!
Create valuable digital content!
Content marketing isn’t just for bloggers and large businesses. Local businesses can and should use content marketing to build their customer base and create a mailing list. Content marketing for local businesses depends on the type of business, but you should have a blog on your website no matter what. Do you own a restaurant? Share a favorite recipe or local guide. Do you sell local handmade goods? Highlight how to style your products or showcase your favorites. Content marketing creates actual value for your customers!
Find the right customers!
When it comes to getting your business noticed online, you have a lot on your plate. Don’t feel like you have to try everything on this list all at once to be successful. Instead, focus on one or two things at a time and find what works best for your business. It’s hard to be a small local business nowadays! You need to boost your online presence to compete in this difficult market!
