Guest post by Dsquared Media
In the world of today, with the help of the internet, an increase in technological advancements and numerous print options, people are starting to find the services they need differently. While many service-based businesses have thrived off of word-of-mouth and referrals for years, they’re starting to realize that these efforts aren’t enough to keep profits rising. So, they’re switching to alternative local marketing efforts that target audiences of individuals looking for industry services. And they’re reaping the rewards of doing so!
What is Local Marketing?
Essentially, local marketing is utilizing advertising efforts within a targeted location surrounding the business itself. Local marketing efforts can be both off- and online. While larger firms and corporations may utilize local marketing, it’s also beneficial for small service-based business to take advantage of this strategy as well. That way, businesses can benefit from the specific advantages of connecting with the neighborhood that surrounds them.
Types of Local Marketing Services to Consider as a Service-Based Business Owner
Local SEO
Search engine optimization is what helps webpages get listed via internet searches on engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. It works partly by placing globally searched keywords related to your available services into website content. Local SEO is choosing to place locally searched keywords and phrases into content so that more searches materialize for potential customers in your area. Eventually, service-based businesses will find that more local people are finding their websites when searching for industry-related terms on the internet by utilizing local SEO services. According to Danny Donovan, founder and owner of Dsquared Media, a quality SEO service will, “assess your competition and see what they are doing right and wrong. Then, determine a plan of attack. This plan needs to include efforts to better user experience so Google’s on your side.”
Promotional Backlinks
Being promoted by other businesses that local people already know and trust is a huge benefit. One way to get other businesses to promote you is by backlinking efforts. Backlinking is when a website will reference another website by linking to the page somewhere on their site. Promotional backlinks are beneficial to service-based businesses because they can help the overall SEO score of their website, so that more internet users can find the services they need.
Rebranding
When most people think of rebranding, they think of a project with a huge investment budget and a lengthy timeline. But, rebranding doesn’t have to mean overhauling your entire marketing strategy. It can be something as simple as modernizing your logo or business cards. Updating branding can help local service businesses to establish newer, younger customer connections.
Testimonials
With word of mouth or referrals, a future customer only gets to consider one review of your company services. But, when you utilize local marketing services online, you have the option to showcase many reviews and testimonials of your services to potential customers. Being transparent with your local customer base is a must as it leads to the development of trusting business-customer relationships. So, show your community what your previous customers have been saying about you!
Landing Pages
Do you want to make sure people in areas around your location know you serve their city? Local landing pages are a great way to target a specific area of potential consumers. Essentially, they’re single-page websites which include industry and search related keywords and phrases so that they’re easily found by the customer base you’re aiming to market towards.
The Benefits of a Local Marketing Campaign for Service-Based Businesses
Now that you’re aware of some of the local marketing strategies which provide advantages for service-based businesses, you may be wondering what local marketing campaigns can really do for your business. Well, some benefits of investing in local marketing services may include:
- Reaching more customers in your local area who may not have known of your services
- Building useful relationships with other local businesses for future promotions
- Establishing effective branding which allows more people to recognize your business
- Driving more local potential buyers to your website, which converts into more leads
If you’re looking to grow business and reach more people in your community so that more locals know about the services you provide, local marketing services are a great place to start!
