Need a cost-effective solution to drive more foot traffic to your local business?
Then you need to connect with your customers online and leverage digital marketing strategies.
Your potential customers are searching for you online. According to Google, local search is on the rise year over year. Three quarters of people who search for something nearby on their smartphone visit a related local business within a day, and 28% of those searches result in a purchase.
That’s why it’s crucial to use smart digital marketing tactics to make sure you’re discoverable online. Here are four proven tactics to get you started.
Advertise your business locally with AdWords
Did you know that one out of every three mobile searches now have local intent?
It's time for brands to start thinking about how to connect with the local consumer to stay ahead of the curve.
The easy way to find new customers is by advertising to people who are near you.
Local search ads can:
- Bring more customers to visit your store.
- Create customer awareness locally and help them learn more about your business.
- Generate phone calls from interested customers, so you can talk to them one-on-one.
The main benefit of this type of advertising is you only need to pay when someone clicks on the ad.
Encourage social media engagement
Encouraging your existing customers to promote your business on social media is a great way to attract new customers to your store. Over half of consumers say they’re influenced to think more highly of a business after seeing positive comments or praise online.
You don’t have to be a huge company to create a successful social media presence. The only thing you need to do is to consistently connect with your customers on social networks and encourage them to spread the word.
Customers who follow you on social media are likely to be brand advocates who spread the word about your business to their friends and family.
Instead of trying to be everywhere at once and spreading your resources too thin, focus on just one or two social media platforms at first. Post consistently and be sure to have a balance of promotional and engaging content to keep your audience’s interest.
If you have a Facebook page, be sure to post all your in-store events there. This is a great way to generate buzz and interest around your store.
Submit your business to local directory listings
Another smart tactic to attract foot traffic is by listing your business on local directory listing sites. There are thousands of websites that allow business owners to create free business listings including Google+ Local, Yelp, Internet Yellow Pages, etc.
Not only will directory listings help to create local audience awareness, but the listings can also boost your local search rankings and increase the chances of your website being found by customers at the moment they’re searching for it.
If your business is relatively new, you can start by creating a profile and claiming your business listing. Make sure to have a fully featured profile that provides all the info your customers need. Otherwise it could be subject to others adding inaccurate information, resulting in losing your potential customers and lowering your search engine rankings.
Most listing sites allow you to feature photos of your business. This is a great opportunity to stand out from your competition because most businesses don’t have photos posted. Featuring photos of the outside and inside of your business will make potential customers more likely to want to visit your store in person.
Offer coupon codes
Coupon codes are a great way to attract more foot traffic to your physical store while also helping your customers get a deal.
Offering a limited time discount only for a specific day or week will create a sense of urgency and entice customers to visit to take advantage of the deal.
You can offer your exclusive coupon in exchange for a visitor’s email address using a lead generation tool like OptinMonster. With OptinMonster’s Exit Intent technology along with its geo-targeting feature, you can display your offer only to local customers at the precise moment they’re about to leave your site.
By building an email list of visitors interested in your business, you can keep in touch with them and stay top of mind until they’re ready to visit in person.
By using these tactics to reach your customers online, you can build a stronger relationship with them, leading them to become not just customers but loyal brand advocates.
Liked this article? Check out my other article on Top 12 Mistakes Business Owners Make When Starting a Website (And How to Avoid Them), How to Start a Blog and Make Money within 6 months, and Why Your Email Marketing Doesn’t Work (and How to Fix it)