10 Awesome Tips to Dominate Local Search Marketing

Are you ready to take your local marketing to the next level? It’s not enough to just pick a few keywords and create a Facebook page. Nowadays, you need to be smarter and more strategic to stand out from the competition and attract local customers.

I recently had a chat with David Rev Ciancio, a brilliant expert in digital knowledge and reputation management at Yext. He shared some incredible insights that can help small businesses like yours level up their local marketing game. Get ready for these 10 game-changing tips!

Explore Beyond Google My Business

Did you know that it’s not just Google where you need to make sure your business info is listed and accurate? There are tons of other places online that you should pay attention to. Some are general sites like Yelp, Facebook, and YP.com, while others are specific to certain industries, like TripAdvisor for hotels and restaurants, or YaSabe for Latino businesses.

I’ve learned that ignoring these business listings is the biggest mistake local businesses make when it comes to promoting themselves online. Luckily, there’s a solution called Yext that can help you control and update all of your business info across different platforms. But even if you don’t want to use a paid service, it’s super important to keep an eye on these listings and make sure they’re accurate.

Check Online Directories Regularly

It’s important to keep your digital knowledge up to date, and it’s not just a one-time thing. You should regularly check all the online places where your customers can find information about your brand. This is especially crucial if you’ve made any recent changes, such as updating your holiday hours or adding a new service.

If you’re using Yext, updating your digital knowledge will be a breeze and take just a few minutes. But if you’re managing it manually, it’ll take much longer since you’ll need to update each intelligent service separately.

Let me tell you something interesting. See, a lot of small businesses have this funny way of doing things. They focus on the wrong stuff when it comes to marketing. You won’t believe this, but did you know that a Facebook post only stays relevant for about five and a half hours? Yup, that’s right! If I shared something on Facebook five and a half hours ago, chances are no one will ever see it again. Imagine that!

Now, here’s where things get tricky for small business owners. They spend hours and hours carefully crafting and watching over their social media posts, making sure to catch the attention of customers and potential clients. But you know what they forget? They forget to make sure their online presence is accurate and up-to-date. I mean, what’s the point of sharing a fantastic post on Facebook if people can’t even find your business in search?

Here’s the deal, my friend. If your business is invisible online, no one will ever lay eyes on that amazing Facebook post, no matter how pretty it is. So, it’s essential to take the time to go through these online networks and make sure your information is correct and current. Trust me, it’s worth it!

Using the Right Words

Keywords are a super important part of any SEO marketing plan. But when you’re choosing which keywords to focus on for your local business, you need to think beyond just your industry and location.

Here’s the deal: if you have a pizza shop, it’s obvious that you want to use keywords like pizza and restaurant because those words accurately describe what you do. But what if your pizza restaurant is also great for kids? You have high chairs, booster seats, coloring books, a kids menu, changing tables in the bathrooms, and even a clown that visits once a week. Well, in that case, you should definitely add kid-friendly or other keywords that set your restaurant apart.

Include Customer Reviews on Your Website

Reviews are a really important part of local SEO. Websites like Google My Business and Facebook make it easy for customers to share their opinions about your business. But how can you get more feedback? One option is to add a section for reviews on your own website.

Rev says, You can also have reviews on your own website, but you need to follow the rules. You can’t pick and choose which reviews to show. You can use a third-party software to help you with these rules.

Make sure to respond to every single review

When customers leave reviews, whether it’s on your website or on another platform, it’s important to respond. This gives you a chance to address any negative experiences, explain your business’s position, or simply say thank you and sorry.

I totally get it. As a business owner, I know how important it is to acknowledge and appreciate my customers, even for the smallest things. And you know what? A simple ‘thank you’ can make a huge difference in showing your customers that you truly value their feedback.

Show Gratitude to Customers For Their Reviews

Hey, here’s another idea to respond to your customers’ reviews. Why not give them a shout-out on your social media platforms? It’s a fantastic way to publicly show your appreciation for their feedback. Just take a moment to post a positive review on your Facebook page and thank the person who shared it. It might seem like a small gesture, but trust me, it can work wonders. Not only can it bring more exposure to your business, but it could also give someone that little nudge to finally share their own thoughts with the world.

Consider Using Paid Ads in Strategic Situations

When it comes to local search, I want my business to be at the top of the results page. I mean, who doesn’t? It’s like the ultimate goal, you know? Sometimes, the quickest way to get there is by paying for advertising space on Google or other platforms that matter.

Here’s what Rev says, and I think it makes sense: If one or two of those top listings are sponsored posts, then maybe I should consider doing it for my own business too.

Answering Customer Questions on Your Website

Hey, guess what? Even though customers can find a lot of information on search engines and business listings, my website is still super important. That’s right! When I’m building my website, my goal should be to answer any questions that customers might have. You know, the kind of stuff that helps them decide whether they want to give my business a shot or not.

I can do this by having a section with frequently asked questions or by including enough information on my homepage. It’s all about being helpful and making sure I provide the answers people are looking for.

Customize Your Website for a Better User Experience

When creating content for your website, it’s important to consider how your customers will navigate and interact with it.

Here’s what I’ve learned: if I’m a plumber and I’m writing the text for my website, I have to think about the different reasons people might visit. Sometimes, they need immediate help because something broke. Other times, they’re looking for long-term service. If most people are looking for urgent assistance, my website should clearly say, Need a plumber right now? Click here to call.

Get Ready for Voice Search

These tips will definitely help with your local marketing. But in the future, there’s another big change you need to be aware of.

Listen up: by 2020, half of all search traffic will come from voice searches. Instead of seeing a list of options, you’ll get just one answer. So if you’re a small business, you need to start thinking about what will happen when someone asks their digital assistant, Hey Siri, find me a nearby dry cleaner. If you don’t plan for this, you’re going to miss out on potential customers.