What are the Best Strategies to Get Local Business?

By now, I’m sure you’ve noticed that Google has recently changed the way it lays out its search results. In many searches, it’s not surprising to see a rectangular map that shows up at the top right corner filled with red dots, as well as the corresponding local listings that show up alphabetically from A to G. “Local” is the new buzzword, and we at Intact Info have compiled the top 10 strategies to help get local business in your area.

Strategies to Help Get Business in Your Area:

1. Yelp

Yelp is a great social media review platform that allows users to search for local businesses by category or name. If you’re thinking of having Thai food for dinner, Yelp can list all of the Thai restaurants in your local area, along with important business information and reviews. For businesses, it is crucial to have a Yelp business listing, but even more important to have good reviews.

2. Citations

A local citation simply describes the general information of the business (i.e. name of the business, address, phone number, and email). This is a BIG piece of the puzzle that must be accurate and legitimate in order for your business to rank locally on Google. Make sure that your business information is consistent every time it is cited on a different website.

3. Verify Google+ Page

It is important to verify your Google+ page. Google likes to make sure that the business is the correct and actual business that is being talked about. Therefore, once it is verified, Google gives you a higher possibility of having your business’s website show up when particular keywords that relate to your business are entered through Google search. You cannot be found on Google locally unless your Google+ page is verified.

4. Email Marketing

Email marketing is a great method of promoting your business locally with current customers by regularly sending valuable content, promotions, and news about your business. You can also target potential customers by executing campaigns to build new lists. These campaigns usually offer your target audience valuable information in exchange for their email addresses. Email marketing opens up an avenue that not only reengages your audience, but it is a great tactic to stay top of mind with your customers. In addition, it will help develop their trust in you as a local professional who keeps their customers up-to-date with products, services and savings.

5. Referral Program

If you are a company that has superior customer service and great success in demonstrating the quality of your products or services, then it makes sense to have a referral program to help give back to those loyal customers who have helped you build your credibility. Referral programs can be as simple as offering a special coupon or small gift to your customers for promoting your business. It can be a HUGE asset in increasing brand awareness throughout your community.

6. Celebritization/Video

Putting a face to a name is all there really is to become a celebrity these days. By developing a popular slideshow, YouTube Video, or promotional commercial, business owners (and doctor’s in particular) can become celebrities in their communities. This is a great way to promote yourself as well as your business to the people in your local area.

7. Virtual Tour/Photos

Anyone looking for your restaurant, practice, or store is interested in knowing what your business is like. By showing the ambiance of your business through photos or a virtual tour and posting them on your website, potential clients or customers will feel at ease knowing what to expect when they walk through your doors.

8. Specials/Promotions

This is one of the most basic forms of marketing for any form of business. These days, your company should offer some kind of special or promotion to drive your business and separate you from your competition. With the prevalence of deals found online, you can’t ignore this simple, yet effective business strategy.

9. Yelp Ads

We already discussed how important it is to be listed on Yelp. Why not go one step further and advertise on this popular social platform? By paying for advertising on Yelp, your business will be featured prominently above normal business listings in order to generate more traffic to your Yelp business page. In addition, Yelp can feature your business inside the local listings of your competitors.

10. Local Facebook Ads

Within Facebook Ads, there are options to use geo-targeting systems to reach out to audiences in your area. It is cheaper to have Facebook Ads than it is to advertise on Google Adwords, and it should be taken advantage of by local businesses.

If you are serious about building your business locally, you will need to implement a variety of strategies to help bring you more customers. For more in-depth information about these top 10 strategies, please go to our Part 2

If you want to grow your business and need help, contact us and learn how we get local businesses off on the right foot!