If you are a small business owner and wondering how to successfully promote your business in 2023, then this is the right blog post for you. But this text is also for all those who sell their products on the larger market but have forgotten that the basis of everything is the local customers.
Local targeting is a great way to build a loyal customer base. In this way, you build the customer’s relationship of trust with the brand but also encourage them to come back to you again.
However, the strategy for targeting locals is not the same as the one you use to reach an audience located in a larger geographic area. You have to think carefully about how to attract the attention of the locals and how to get them to pay attention to your business.
Fortunately, there are many ways to do this. In this blog post, we share with you 7 current tips on how to promote your business locally in 2023. Based on our practice so far, the following strategies have proven to be the best in attracting the attention of locals.
1. Local SEO
It is very important to optimize your website for local searches. The goal of this optimization is that when someone types: “vet, Bezanija” your site will be the first in the search and offered as the best option for these keywords.
In this way, you reach customers who are looking for products or services in a very narrow area. That is why words that indicate the region in your business is located should be found on your blog and in the content of the website in general.
2. Loyalty program
Loyalty programs are always an excellent way to attract people to your site and increase sales. Here’s an idea: Try tried-and-tested loyalty cards for out-of-town shoppers.
Every time they buy a product, you stamp their card, and after 10 purchases, they can get a certain discount on purchases through the site.
They will receive the code for that purchase by email, so you connect with them in this way as well. This means that in the future you will be able to send them a newsletter with new promotions and products.
3. Local groups on social networks
On social networks, you can find many groups where locals promote themselves. Facebook is a particularly good network for this kind of promotion, but also for connecting.
The goal of your participation in such groups should not only be promotion or sales but also participation in joint activities. Become part of the community, share interesting content, and promote your products or services with it.
4. Tagging on social networks
Geo-tags on social media are a great tool for local business promotion. In particular, Instagram stands out in this regard, since last year it introduced the option of exploring the environment around a certain location.
It is an opportunity to show your business in the best way via photos and videos. This especially applies to coffee shops, hairdressing, and beauty salons. Many people use geo-tags to find businesses in their area. That’s why they are a good opportunity to show off and recommend.
If you also end up in one of the guides recommended by influencers, then the visibility of your business will be at a high level. We also advise you to put the correct address of your business in the profile description on Instagram, so that anyone who happens to be there can immediately know how to reach you.
5. Cooperation with local influencers
When thinking about influencer marketing and the strategy you could apply to your business, be sure to focus on influencers in your area. Let them be the ones who will surely start the community and convince people that your business is the place where they should stop by every day.
One of the ideas for promoting a local brand can be cooperation with influencers who review your products. Additionally, you can send them your products for free and ask them to promote you on social media.
Keep in mind that you should not target influencers who are known to a large number of people. Your strategy should go in the opposite direction to micro-influencers who have a strong local influence and like to drink coffee in a local cafe.
6. Partner with other local businesses
It’s a great way to promote yourself to your local target audience. Look for businesses that have a similar target group to yours and suggest joint activities to them. It can be promoted on social networks or cooperation in the creation of a limited series of joint products.
The key to such cooperation is to find a partner who has similar values as you. If both of you use recycled products in the preparation of your food, e.g. then it is quite logical that the sustainable concept connects you.
An excellent example that comes from the center of Belgrade, is the collaboration between the Burger House and Giovanni’s Pizzeria restaurants. They recently made this collaboration, which, apart from the guaranteed gastronomic pleasure, had another important, humanitarian goal.
Such initiatives warm the soul and attract customers, which is why we mentioned it as a great example of an association at the local level.
7. Use paid advertising targeted at local customers
As part of your digital marketing campaign, it would be a good idea to use paid advertising with local targeting. This is the most effective way of promoting to the local target group.
Facebook is the best place for this type of advertising, as it offers a number of options for detailed targeting. Here you can precisely target your ad to people who live in a certain neighborhood and have interests that match what your business does.
If you want to be successful on Facebook this year, then you should read our blog post with the top 4 recommendations that will make 2023 successful.
A local target group is your loyal customer base
Creating a local customer base and connecting with them is not as difficult to achieve as you may think. We hope that with our tips you will understand it and that you will apply some of them. If there is one thing you should remember from this blog post, let it be this one: you should always start building a loyal customer base locally.
If you want a comprehensive brand strategy, which will follow the growth and progress of your business, then you should certainly contact us. The Titan design team will create a strategy adapted to the needs of your business and be your partner on the way to positioning on the local, regional, and even global markets.
