Digital Marketing 2022: 5 Tips For Better Visibility Of Local Companies
Today, many customers gather information on the Internet before directly contacting a company for the first time. While large companies have long relied on digitalmarketing, many smaller local companies address their target group primarily with print ads.There are various options for well-planned digital marketing, especially for locally oriented companies.
The financial effort to achieve maximum visibility among the regional target group is apparent.For 94 per cent of Germans today, the Internet is simply part of everyday life.
Whether looking for a new hairdresser, a restaurant for a party or a shop for a last-minute gift, most consumers start their research online.
So before a customer comes into contact with a company for the first time, he has already informed himself on the web. Larger companies have long since reacted to this development and increasingly rely on online marketing.
However, many smaller local businesses continue to address their target audience primarily with print flyers or ads.
Tip 1: The cornerstone of online marketing is a professional website
With a professional website, you lay the foundation for all your marketing activities. Because this is the figurehead of every entrepreneur and an essential requirement for being found on the net, having your website with error-free, meaningful texts and high-quality images should be a matter for smaller companies.
It is also important that all essential information about your services is easy to find. You should also navigate your customers intuitively through the subpages. Also, don’t forget to optimize your website for mobile devices.
Tip 2: Let yourself be found online
The first stop when looking for a local service provider, shop or restaurant is Google search. The findability in the Google search results is, therefore, a decisive factor for the success of your online marketing.
It is, therefore, a good idea for local companies to include the city name of their location in the URL of their website. This allows them to achieve a better Google ranking.
An artisan from Mumbai, for example, should secure a domain that includes the location and job title. Because for smaller cities, this is often enough to get ahead of others in the Google search results. SEO can be that simple sometimes.
Another building block for greater visibility on the web is the entry in Google MyBusiness. Here companies can advertise their location free of charge and, in addition to the address, also store opening times and contact options.
Furthermore, an entry in local business directories should also be a must for every entrepreneur.
Tip 3: Use local search engine marketing
For companies with a regionally definable target group, local search engine marketing in the form of Google Ads is ideal to be visible online and avoid waste.
People use their smartphones to look for a restaurant, the nearest pharmacy or a supermarket when they are out and about. By placing regional Google Ads, the company becomes visible to all those looking for the right keyword and who are also in the immediate vicinity.
Addressing a regional target group can hardly be more targeted.Smaller companies should primarily rely on local search engine marketing.
Tip 4: Use of social networks supports digital marketing
Operating a social media account always involves a time investment that should not be underestimated. However, this commitment is often worthwhile, especially at the local level. On the one hand, local companies already know their target group very well.
On the other hand, a regionally structured community is usually much more loyal and accessible to attractive offers and services from the region. So position yourself as an expert in your subject area. And connect with other accounts relevant to your business or customers.
This is how you gradually build your brand on the social web. If you don’t want to build your community, you can get involved in public local social media groups, for example, on Facebook.
Tip 5: Link your local offline and digital marketing
Even if the importance of online marketing will continue to increase in 2022, you should not completely ignore your offline marketing.
A balanced mix and the interaction of your local online and offline marketing will bring tremendous success in the long term, and there are numerous ways to combine both.
Companies can, for example, inform their customers online via their website or social media channels about local discount campaigns and thus create additional incentives for a personal visit.
Or you can ask your local customers to leave you a positive rating on Google MyBusiness or other rating platforms and then thank them with a voucher for their next purchase.