As the owner or director of a local, brick-and-mortar business, you may be wondering why you would even want to advertise on the internet. After all, you don’t sell anything online, and your customer base is foot traffic. Having said that, do you know just how many people actually know who you are and what you sell? Even in smallish communities there is always room for growth, and you would be surprised at just how many people don’t know you exist. Unless they have need of what you are selling or the services you offer, they may never know until they’ve gone to a competitor. Perhaps it’s time to explore just why you might want to invest a bit in local online marketing.
1. It’s How You Are Found!
Going back to 2015, Google updated their search algorithms to what has been coined “Mobilegeddon.” The search giant found that today’s consumer finds new businesses through mobile searches and most often that is how they find local businesses – from their mobile devices! Even word of mouth pales in comparison to mobile searches like Google Local, so if you really want to grow your business, understand that this is how you will be found. That would be through local SEO online marketing strategies.
2. The Mindset of Today’s Consumer
Market research and data analysis have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that today’s consumer wants to build relationships with brands they do business with. Whereas previous generations focused more on competitive pricing, today’s market wants to know the brands they are dealing with and what they stand for. This can have a profound effect on reaching your local market. Consider working with a web development and marketing company – a local company such as Birmingham based ALT Agency will understand the mindset. Local marketing online attracts an audience seeking engagement with brands, and what better than local brands they can really get to know?
3. Instant Gratification
As silly as that may sound, online local marketing offers instant gratification to someone searching for products or services you have available in the here and now. Many consumers only order some things online because they aren’t aware of the fact that local businesses also have those very same things. By advertising online for your local business, you have a chance at capturing that portion of your market. Most consumers aren’t willing to wait days, or even more than a week in some cases, to take delivery of something they could have brought home today. We truly are an impatient lot in the 21st century.
Bear in mind that online searches are the number one way in which new businesses are found. Few people ever look anywhere else, and even the Sunday paper is read online now. Those coupons you’ve placed in this week’s Sunday edition may go unnoticed unless you make your presence known in a big way. That would be a full-out local marketing campaign to tell your local audience who you are and what you can do for them. Everyone may be local, but you will probably only be found in cyberspace.