For any local business aiming to succeed, engaging with the local community and attracting local customers is essential. Whether you’re a small business owner running a restaurant, retail store, gym, or service-based business, establishing a strong local presence ensures that your target audience knows where to find you.
At PassKit, we provide a powerful suite of digital marketing tools designed to help you promote your business locally. From attracting new customers with mobile coupons, increase revenue through gift cards, or build lasting customer loyalty with a digital loyalty program, we have the solutions to ensure your success in the local market.
Top 10 Strategies to Effectively Promote Your Business Locally
Looking for effective ways on how to promote your business locally? Building a strong local presence helps you reach customers in your community and grow your business. Here are the top 10 strategies to connect with your local audience and drive results.
1. Google Business Profile
A Google Business Profile is a digital listing that allows your business locally to appear in search results when users look for services or businesses near their location. often using terms like “near me” or including specific geographic details.
In fact, “near me” searches have surged by over 200% in recent years and continue to grow. For instance, someone might type “coffee shops near me” or “plumber in [city],” and Google will show businesses in the immediate local area, as demonstrated in the image below.
Having a Google Business Profile is so important, 76% of people who search for a local business on their smartphone visit within 24 hours. That’s real, immediate opportunity knocking on your door, and with 28% of those searches leading to a purchase, your profile isn’t just a listing; it’s a powerful tool to turn local searches into loyal customers.
If you haven’t already, signing up for a Google Business Profile is essential for improving your local search visibility. It’s free, easy to set up, and allows your business to appear in Google’s local search results and Maps.
Lets take a look at how local businesses can optimize their local listings on google search:
Business Name and Categories
Choosing the right business name and categories for your Google Business Profile is crucial, as both have a significant impact on your visibility in Google Maps and local search results.
When selecting categories, choose the primary category that best represents your main service. For instance, a coffee shop should select “Coffee Shop” as the primary category, while additional categories like “Cafe” or “Bakery” can provide more specific information about your offerings.
Tips for Optimizing Business Name and Categories:
- Avoid Keyword Stuffing: Use your actual business name rather than stuffing it with keywords, as Google may penalize this practice. You wont likely be penalized if youre a coffee shop for example and you add “Coffee” at the end of your name
- Choose Relevant Categories: Pick categories that most closely match your products or services to ensure you appear in the right search results.
- Review Competitors: Look at the categories chosen by top competitors in your area to get ideas for your primary and additional relevant categories.
Services and Business Description
To optimize the Services section of your Google Business Profile, select services that are most relevant to what your business offers. Use Google’s suggested options when they align with your offerings, as these can improve local search relevance.
You will choose a primary service category, list services within it, and add additional categories to cover more of what your business offers. Here’s how to optimize it:
- Choose Accurate Services: Select options that closely match what you offer for improved relevance in searches. Google will change services if they do not match or relate to your business.
- Ensure Consistency: Match services with those listed on your website and other platforms to build credibility as google will crawl your website.
- Avoid Keyword Stuffing: Use clear, concise service names to keep your profile professional and trustworthy.
- Keep Services Updated: Regularly review and update your services to reflect any new offerings or changes.
Additionally, analyze what top competitors in your area list under their services. This can help you identify industry-standard terms and ensure you’re covering any commonly searched services in your niche.
The Google Business description helps Google understand more about your business, adding context. If the description is clear and includes naturally relevant terms, it can reinforce the type of searches your business should appear in, especially for nuanced or niche services.
Here’s a breakdown of best practices for optimizing the Business Description on Google Business Profile based on insights from the four articles:
- Use Relevant Keywords Naturally: Incorporate primary keywords related to your business and services in a way that feels organic. This helps Google better understand your business and increases the likelihood of appearing in relevant searches.
- Be Clear and Concise: Keep your description straightforward, avoiding unnecessary jargon. Make sure it’s easy for customers to understand what your business does at a glance.
- Highlight Key Differentiators: Mention what makes your business unique, such as specialized services, years of experience, or local involvement. Emphasizing your unique selling points helps attract potential customers.
- Align with Customer Needs: Write with the customer in mind. Address common questions or needs directly in the description to show that your business is the right choice for their specific requirements.
- Keep the Description Updated: Regularly review and refresh your business description to reflect any changes, such as new services or achievements. An up-to-date description signals to Google that your business is active and relevant.
Photos and Reviews
High-quality photos and positive reviews are essential for engaging users on your Google Business Profile. Include a range of photos such as storefront, interior, team, and product shots, to make a strong first impression and build business’s credibility. Regularly updating photos also indicates to Google that you’re active and engaged, which can improve your profile’s visibility by encouraging more user interactions.
Positive reviews play a similar role; they not only build credibility but also boost engagement. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews, and respond professionally to both positive and negative feedback to show you value customer input.
- Encourage Customer Reviews: Prompt satisfied customers to leave reviews via in-person requests, follow-up emails, or reminders on your website. More reviews boost credibility and improve local rankings.
- Respond to All Reviews: Show you value feedback by responding to both positive and negative reviews. Thank customers for positive feedback and professionally address any concerns in negative reviews.
- Use Keywords in Responses: Where natural, include relevant keywords in your responses to subtly enhance SEO and reinforce relevance.
- Consistency and Frequency: Regularly gather new reviews and respond promptly. Active engagement signals credibility and can improve search ranking.
High review counts and consistent responses are proven to be high ranking factors to google
Landing Page and Opening Hours
Link your Google Business Profile directly to your homepage to maximize relevance and help Google understand your business offerings. Ensure that your business page is optimized for local SEO, with accurate business information that aligns with your profile.
Keep your business hours accurate and consistently updated, including holiday hours. This prevents customer frustration and signals reliability to Google, helping your profile appear in searches filtered by “open now.”.
2. Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Search Engine Optimization complements your Google Business Profile by providing Google with relevant keywords, location-specific pages, and consistent NAP details as it crawls your business online.
Before we go into the optimization of Local SEO use a free tool like Localo to check your rankings for specific keywords around your area to better understand how your currently ranking. This will give you a clearer picture of how your business is currently performing in local searches.
You can also enable free keyword monitoring to receive weekly updates on your ranking positions within your local area.
NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) Consistency
Maintaining a consistent NAP across all online listings is foundational for local SEO. This means ensuring that your business’s name, address, and phone number are exactly the same everywhere your business appears online, from your website to third-party directories and social media profiles.
Inconsistent information can confuse Google’s algorithms, as well as potential customers, potentially harming your ranking. Use the same spelling, format, and abbreviations across platforms. A consistent NAP reinforces your business’s credibility, establishes trust with Google, and helps avoid potential conflicts in search engine data, making it easier for customers to find accurate information.
Citations
Citations are online mentions of your business’s NAP on trusted local directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific sites. Building citations not only improves your local visibility in search results but also signals to Google that your business is legitimate and anchored in a specific location.
Use free tools like Moz Local Listing Score to check how well your business is performing with citations.
Aim to create listings on high-quality directories relevant to your industry and location. Remember to keep each citation consistent with your primary NAP format. Periodically review and update your citations to ensure accuracy.
Location and Service Pages
Creating dedicated location pages on areas around your location on your website is essential. Each page should feature unique content specific to that location and if you have more than one service, aim to write unique content for each of them.
Including local keywords, such as the city or neighborhood name, can help each page rank for searches in that specific area. Avoid using duplicate content across pages; instead, provide unique details for each location.
Adding a Google Maps embed on each location page can further reinforce your business’s physical presence.
Using local business schema markup on your website helps Google understand specific details about your business, such as your address, phone number, operating hours, and services. This structured data gives search engines clear signals about your business’s relevance to local searches, making it easier for Google to display accurate information in search results.
Write Localized Blog Content
Producing localized content helps establish relevance for your target area and attracts more local traffic. Blog posts, guides, and resource pages about topics of interest to your community are effective ways to create this type of content.
For example, a restaurant might post about “seasonal dishes in [city]” or “events near [city] to enjoy with dinner.” Creating content that reflects local interests and events signals to Google that your business is connected to the community, improving your chances of appearing in local searches.
Regularly updating your site with fresh, locally-relevant content also shows Google that your site is active, which can positively impact ranking. Internally linking this content to your main pages helps Google crawl and understand your site structure better, reinforcing the relevance of key pages in local searches.
You could also attempt to contact local businesses to write guest posts to further improve your local SEO marketing efforts.
4. Google Ads and Google Local Services Ads
Google Ads and Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) are powerful tools for reaching local customers and driving targeted traffic. While Google Ads allows you to display search and display ads based on keywords, location targeting, and user intent, LSAs are specifically designed for service-based businesses and show up at the top of local search results.
Google Ads
Google Ads enables businesses to create location-specific campaigns, targeting keywords relevant to their services in the local area. This can boost visibility for searches where your Google Business Profile might not appear, ensuring your business is seen by potential customers actively searching for your services.
For businesses that prioritize direct phone contact, Call-Only Ads within Google Ads are an excellent option. These ads are optimized to encourage users to call your business directly, displaying a clickable phone number instead of a website link and you only pay if someone calls.
According to Nimbata, with regular Google Ads, you pay per click, and typical conversion rates are around 2-3%. In contrast, Call-Only Ads can achieve conversion rates of 25-40%, as you only pay when a customer actually calls. This results in significantly higher sales conversions, with Call-Only Ads potentially generating 10 to 15 times more sales for every 100 interactions.
Google Local Services Ads (LSAs)
Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) or Google Guarantee is ideal for service-based businesses, such as plumbers, locksmiths, and electricians. LSAs appear at the very top of Google search results and show a “Google Guaranteed” badge, which builds trust.
With LSAs, you only pay for qualified leads (calls or messages) rather than clicks, making it a cost-effective way to reach local customers. Additionally, LSAs allow users to view ratings and reviews directly, which can increase credibility and encourage more conversions.
Incorporating Google Ads and LSAs into your local marketing strategy helps you stay competitive in local searches and target potential customers who are ready to take action.
5. Social Media Marketing
Social media platforms are powerful tools for building local awareness, engaging with customers, and driving traffic to your business. Using social media platforms as digital marketing tactics to engage local (or even national) customers can be one of the most effective strategies, if done right.
By creating location-specific social media posts and using geo-tags, you can reach a local audience and improve your business’s visibility in your area. Having Social media accounts on Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter allow you to share updates, promotions, and events that appeal directly to nearby customers.
Regularly posting content relevant to your local community, such as partnerships with local businesses, participation in community events, or special offers, can help establish your brand as a trusted part of the area. Engaging with followers by responding to comments and messages also fosters a sense of connection and loyalty.
Utilizing features like Facebook Events or Instagram Stories can promote upcoming sales, in-store events, or seasonal offers. Additionally, paid social media ads with location targeting let you reach prospective customers within a specific radius, making it an effective way to attract a local audience ready to engage with your business.
Combining organic posts with targeted ads enables your business to maintain an active online presence, stay top-of-mind with local customers, and drive more in-person visits.
6. Use Customer Loyalty Program
A well-structured loyalty program can keep customers coming back and strengthen their connection to your business. Tracking customer purchases and engagement allows you to offer personalized rewards and promotions that encourage repeat visits. Digital loyalty cards make it easy to update offers, points, or rewards instantly, ensuring customers always have access to the latest benefits.
Sign up for a 45-day free trial with Passkit to explore our Loyalty Program, Coupons, and Gift Cards.
Here are some key benefits of using PassKit for managing loyalty programs:
- Instant Updates: Easily update offers, points, or rewards on digital loyalty cards, so customers always have access to the latest benefits without needing a physical visit.
- Digital Convenience: Customers can access their loyalty cards and rewards right from their smartphones, making it easy for them to redeem points or benefits anytime.
- Reduced Costs: By using digital cards instead of physical ones, you save on printing and distribution costs while reducing environmental impact.
- Increased Engagement: Digital loyalty cards can send push notifications for reminders, special offers, or point updates, encouraging regular visits and boosting customer loyalty.
- Data Insights: Track usage patterns and understand which offers or rewards resonate most, helping you refine your program over time to meet customer preferences.
- Flexibility Across Programs: Whether you’re offering coupons, gift cards, or a points-based loyalty system, PassKit supports various program types, allowing you to manage all customer incentives in one place.
Promoting your loyalty program across platforms, such as your Google Business Profile, social media, and in-store signage, can help boost sign-ups and increase participation.
7. Engage with the Local Community
Building a strong local presence goes beyond digital efforts; connecting directly with your community can significantly boost brand loyalty and visibility. Here are some effective strategies to foster local engagement:
Participate in Local Events
Sponsoring or participating in community events, like fairs, charity runs, or local sports games, puts your business directly in front of local residents and potential customers. It’s also an opportunity to network with other small businesses, local groups and community members. Partnering with a local sports team or other small businesses at these events can enhance your visibility and strengthen your community connections.
Find Podcasts
Listening to local podcasts or participating in community-focused interviews can be a valuable way to stay connected with your market and promote your business. Seek out podcasts that feature local businesses, community events, or industry-specific topics relevant to your audience.
Collaborate with Local Influencers
Partnering with local influencers, whether through sponsored social media posts or direct engagements, is an effective way to spread the word about your business. Local influencers have already established trust within the community, providing you with access to an audience that’s likely to engage with your business. Working with them allows your message to reach a pre-engaged local audience.
Advertise in Local Media
Using local newspapers, magazines, and local news outlets to share your story or promote special offers is a powerful way to connect with a geographically relevant audience. Running targeted online ads or sending direct mail promotions with local discounts can reach potential customers in your area who are more likely to engage with a locally based business.
8. Attend Networking Events
Attending local networking events is a strategic way to connect with potential customers, other small business owners, and community influencers, all while increasing your business’s visibility. Events like local chamber of commerce meetings, local business mixers, industry-specific gatherings, and community workshops are excellent opportunities to build relationships and promote your services directly.
To make the most of these events:
- Have a Clear Elevator Pitch: Be prepared to introduce your business in a memorable, concise way, focusing on what sets you apart.
- Bring Business Cards or QR Codes: Share contact information easily with digital business cards or QR codes linking directly to your website and social media profiles or contact information
- Network Actively: Don’t just stick to familiar faces; make an effort to engage with new people, including other small business owners, community leaders, and potential partners.
- Sponsor or Host: If possible, consider hosting or sponsor local events. This improves brand credibility and positions your business as a community leader.
- Form Local Partnerships: Collaborate with complementary businesses in your area to cross-promote each other’s services. For instance, a coffee shop could partner with a nearby bookstore or a gym with a health food store.
Lastly, be sure to follow up after each event. A quick email or message thanking someone for their time can help solidify connections and keep your business top-of-mind for future opportunities.
9. Email Marketing
Email marketing is a powerful tool for connecting with your local customers. When used effectively, it can encourage repeat visits, introduce new products or services, and foster customer loyalty. Here’s how to make email marketing work for your local business:
Build a Local Email List
Encourage sign-ups at checkout, on your website, or during events. Offer incentives like discounts or reward points on their next purchase. This way, you attract subscribers who are genuinely interested in your business.
Segment Your Audience
Divide your email list based on factors such as purchase history, location, or preferences. This allows you to send targeted content that resonates with each group, improving engagement.
Share Local Updates and Events
Highlight upcoming events, special promotions, or partnerships within the community. By focusing on local content, you keep your emails relevant and create a stronger local connection.
Feature Customer Stories or Local Highlights
Showcase testimonials, customer spotlights, or stories about local events. This adds a personal touch to your emails and strengthens your bond with the community.
Include a Clear Call to Action
Each email should have a clear goal. Whether it’s encouraging a store visit, signing up for an event, or redeeming a discount, ensure the call to action is noticeable and easy to follow.
With a well-planned strategy, email marketing becomes a cost-effective way to engage your local audience and maintain a strong connection with your community.
10. Referral Promotion
A referral program is one of the most effective ways to leverage word-of-mouth marketing and encourage your satisfied existing customers to bring new business to you. Local referral promotions tap into your existing customer base to generate organic, trust-based growth within your community.
Key Steps to Launching a Successful Local Referral Program:
- Create an Attractive Incentive: Offer a compelling reward for both the referrer and the new customer. This could be a discount, a free product or service, or a loyalty points boost. For example, “Refer a friend and both of you get 10% off your next purchase.”
- Promote Locally and Digitally: Advertise your referral program on social media, through email marketing, and within your store. You can also consider putting up signs or including reminders on receipts. Target local social media groups or local influencer accounts to boost visibility within the community.
- Use Localized Messaging: Customize your referral marketing messages to make them resonate with the local community. Reference popular local events, neighborhood names, or community-focused language to enhance the local appeal of your campaign.
- Recognize Top Referrers: Reward customers who bring in the most referrals with special perks, such as exclusive discounts, bonus points, or even a public acknowledgment on your social media channels. This not only incentivizes more referrals but also fosters brand loyalty among your most engaged customers.
- Leverage Digital Tools: Use referral tracking software to manage and monitor referral activity. Many tools integrate with your website or point-of-sale system, allowing you to track successful referrals and reward customers automatically. This keeps the program organized and builds credibility by ensuring everyone receives their rewards.
Why Local Referrals Work Well: People are more likely to trust recommendations from friends and family, especially when it’s about a local business that they can easily visit. A well-implemented referral program can increase foot traffic, boost customer retention, and grow your local customer base through genuine, trust-based referrals.
Conclusion
Promoting your business locally is crucial for establishing a loyal customer base and driving sustainable growth. If local business owners combine strategies like Google Business Profile optimization, local SEO, social media engagement, and community involvement, you can strengthen your presence in the local market and attract more customers.
