5 Best Online Marketing Strategies for Local Businesses

Embracing online marketing strategies is the only way for local businesses to adapt to the post-pandemic new normal.

For local business owners, online marketing strategies provide a timely solution to the new demands placed on enterprises by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a report by Euromonitor International, Top 10 Global Consumer Trends 2021, resilience and adaptability represent the two core drivers of consumer behavior. Therefore, delivering positive experiences on online channels offers an avenue for influencing purchasing decisions and brand loyalty.

In this article, I outline the 5 best online marketing strategies you can employ to generate new leads for your local business.

How Is COVID-19 Shaping Consumer Behavior in 2021?

For local businesses, the pandemic has changed consumer behavior forever. Looking at 2021 in particular, most business owners find themselves at a kind of crossroads. There is hope on the horizon, but the ‘new normal’ is not yet in full gear. The main traits that define consumers in 2021, and possibly beyond, are:

a). Increased Need for Convenience: If anything, 2020 can be summarized as the year when the whole world experienced the reality of the phrase, “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.” In 2021, consumers are craving anything that resembles what they were used to before the pandemic. This is because consumers will return to some pre-pandemic behaviors such as in-store visits. But, the frequency of such activities will be heavily influenced by new post-pandemic habits, specifically, online shopping. With digital channels saving the day so far, seamless, streamlined omnichannel buying experiences are central to any local marketing strategy you will adopt.

b). Having a Recessionary Mindset: Due to continued economic instability, consumers are more careful with their spending habits. While some are buying affordable luxuries to achieve more comfort, the majority are focused on value for money. And by value for money, I do not mean price. Instead, it is all about the benefits they get from the products or services they consume. Incorporating value-for-money marketing strategies such as buy-now-pay-later options can provide a foundation for business continuity.

c). Growing Need for both Physical and Virtual Experiences: There is no doubt the use of digital solutions when social distancing guidelines came into force went up. Consumers in all age demographics have all experienced the virtual world and experienced the benefits first hand. What this means is consumers are now open to integrated marketing experiences. They can be either virtual activations in physical spaces or virtually supported home experiences. The challenge for local business owners is to recreate the unique aspects of the in-person experience in the online shopping experience.

What are the Best Online Marketing Strategies for Local Businesses?

1. Content Marketing

Content is the foundation for any digital marketing campaign. The value of content as an online marketing strategy for local businesses is its capacity to;

Build loyal audiences for your brand
Increase users engagement with your company through consumer interactions with your marketing assets
Create lead generation funnels that boost your sales pipeline

For effective local marketing using content, you need to ensure that you create high-quality assets that address your target users’ pain points that need solutions. Your content marketing assets could be in the form of;

Blog articles
Videos
Infographics
Print Magazines
Apps
Interactive print media such as brochures and flyers

5 Best Online Marketing Strategies for Local Businesses — Content Marketing

Content marketing benefits your local business by positioning you as a thought leader in your niche. But, it does not end there. These assets can help you generate backlinks and shares that can help boost your domain authority and search engine rankings. All without paying for a single ad.

2. SEO Using of Geo-terms

For local businesses, the use of location-specific terms is vital to getting clients walking through your front door. Your website, landing pages, and content should be optimized with targeted hyper-local keywords unique to the interests of users in your city, neighborhood, or street name. This search engine optimization strategy allows you to engage with a specific category of potential customers in real-time, right where your business is located.

For example, with push notifications, you can target moviegoers at a local theater, amusement park visitors, or even restaurant patrons. The long-term approach is through organic SEO which can be very beneficial as search engines such as Google are shifting towards delivering more relevant search results to consumers when people look for beauty stores, restaurants, or local attractions.

3. Mobile Marketing

Over 1.2 billion people globally access the internet from their smartphones. In 2019 alone, 69% of retail sales on Shopify came from mobile users. In 2021, Mobile commerce is expected to grow by 12.2%. There is no question about the fact that consumer experiences are increasingly driven through mobile devices. Be it looking for a product or service, comparing price offers, or simply making a purchase, there is a growing number of users relying on their mobile devices.

As a business owner, adding mobile to your local online marketing strategy means you can make your company more accessible to users on search engines such as Google or Bing. With the need for convenience one of the core drivers of consumer behavior in 2021, what’s a better way to allow users to buy from you on the go? Furthermore, since 3 out of every 4 mobile searches often result in follow-up actions such as in-store calls, purchases, or word-of-mouth sharing, having a mobile-friendly website is imperative.

Nonetheless, mobile marketing is not limited to search. Instead, you can give your users timely and personalized offers based on their location, such as sending a potential customer a discount code when they walk into your store.

4. Social Media Marketing

For local businesses, social media is one of the online marketing strategies that are non-negotiable. Why? Firstly, 67% of customers prefer social media for customer support. This means if you are not on social media, consumers will choose your competitors who are active on their favorite platforms. But, it is not about being active on social media. It is about knowing where your consumers are and how they like to be engaged.

The impact of social media on your local marketing strategy includes;

Ability to sell directly to users with better margins
Running ads to promote your business at a reduced cost
Receiving direct feedback from your users to help improve your product or service offerings
Build engaged communities eg through Facebook groups
Increase your brand reach through word-of-mouth sharing
Ability to hold live activation events online.

However, one thing to keep in mind is that a short-term approach will not let you make the most of these social media benefits. Taking a long-term view is vital because social media requires intensive, consistent work.

5. Google My Business

A Google My Business listing is one of the most powerful local online marketing strategies you can adopt for your company. As I have already mentioned, Google is focused on delivering personalized experiences to users by providing relevant search results based on factors such as Geolocation.

For example, if someone sends a search query; “pizza restaurant near me,” this is the search result;

5 Best Online Marketing Strategies — Google My Business Listing

The biggest advantage of a Google My Business listing is the fact it ranks higher than even the standard organic search results. A top 3 ranking on this listing gives you massive numbers of foot traffic as well as online orders a day without even spending a penny on ads.

Final Thoughts

Well, you have the scoop on the top 5 sustainable online marketing strategies for local businesses. All or one of these local marketing strategies can be a great fit for your business and give you that much-needed boost to your bottom line. Simply evaluate;

The demographics of your client base
The online platforms your customers use the most
How they find products in your niche
Who influences their purchasing decisions

Once you have answers to this, dedicate the right investment both human and capital towards execution.

Looking for a content marketing strategist to help you grow your local business with practical solutions customized to your unique business needs? Drop me a message and let’s get to it.