Most marketers and business owners today know the importance of using web marketing, but many small and local businesses are restricted by budget concerns and ROI. Digital marketing tactics should not only drive awareness for small businesses, but they should be highly targeted and powerful enough to generate business. With that in mind, below are the top 10 digital marketing tactics for small and local businesses to get the most out of their limited resources.
- Facebook ads: Advertising on facebook can be targeted down to the zip code and include targeting toward demographics, interests, education, life stage and more. Ads also run on a cost per click model and new ad formats include promoted posts, offers, event ads, and other creative messaging as well as traditional ad content. Facebook ads can drive to a number of locations either on your website/page or Facebook page, including page “likes”. These ads are the most cost efficient and can build Facebook page fans that can be targeted with timely messaging, promotions, events, new services/products and more.
- Mobile Search: Mobile searching is extremely important today, especially for local businesses. Someone searching on a mobile device will likely use a local qualifier which gives your local business the edge in PPC results. Google’s recent change to “enhanced ads” give you more control over what messaging appears on mobile devices vs. others. Mobile search ads can be targeted down to zip codes and can drive timely messaging, promotions and content that could result in a distinct advantage over other businesses.
- Paid search: Tried and true, paid search ads are among the most cost efficient method of presenting targeted messages to interested online users. Local and small businesses want to be sure to refine geo-targets to their immediate areas and use tightly knit, detailed keywords in order to avoid waste.
- Local SEO: SEO should be considered for all sites in some way, but many local or small businesses can’t compete with larger companies on broad terms. Local businesses should focus on optimizing their websites for their specific locations using geography terms and other local qualifiers. It is also important to optimize for location services such as Google Maps, Yelp, and others in order to show up in as many places as possible for local search results. Some paid services such as Yext will post your business to multiple local sites for a fee.
- Promotions/offers: It’s not a surprise that online users, like everyone else, love promotions, coupons, offers or deals. Coming up with a couple of promotions will give your small business fodder for messaging in various ad formats including mobile, Facebook and search.
- Location-Based Networking: Location platforms such as Foursquare and Yelp can be used to your advantage by encouraging visitors to “check-in” or “review” your business there. Incorporate these sites into your business offerings, reciepts, signage, menus and social platforms to give your business additional strengh online.
- Twitter: Many businesses see Twitter as an inefficient waste of time, but if used properly it can be the most powerful form of marketing you have. Integrate twitter posting and conversation into everything you do, from new products to customers to events, “behind-the-scenes” footage, employees, etc. Over time you will build a solid portfolio of tweets and content which can be used to drive your product messaging in personal ways.
- Display Banners: Banner ads have the potential to be quite inefficient, but if used properly can be excellent awareness and results drivers. Using a targeted network like Google Display Network allows for geo-targeted ads while choosing specific placements such as local news sites will build additional local awareness. Using promotions, events and specific calls to action will drive higher CTR and more activity.
- Location Extensions: Google paid search ads now allow for extra location lines in sponsored ads, which means your local business can take up much more real estate in results, giving you an additional advantage over the competition.
- Social Strategy: I’ve already stated the importance of Twitter, but an overall social marketing strategy ties together Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Linkedin, Tumblr, Instagram, Vine, Foursquare, and more. There are many ways to connect these platforms together so that when something happens in one place, it echos through the others, building a halo effect around your business and keeping the conversation, and branding, going around your brand.
Implementing some or all of the tactics above will lead to more results at lower costs for your small or local business. Don’t wait to get started.
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