The power of local marketing

Local marketing

During our holidays we had a chance to catch up on some very interesting reading, and one story in particular grabbed our attention. The future of local marketing – a topic we’re very passionate about – and it focuses on the amazing opportunities available to local companies.

Local marketing must be flexible

This article highlights a very important aspect of online marketing and that is users’ interaction with your brand online. It is important to understand that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to digital marketing, as every customer, every purchase happens in a different way.  We can of course break down each path into 3 essential components: search, discovery and consideration, but the order in which the 3 take place can be very random.

What does this mean to local companies looking to utilize online as their go-to marketing channel? It means the opportunities to target potential customers are now more exciting and more specific than ever before. And it all starts with search.

In its latest research piece, Google proves that local searches take place all the time, on various devices. Customers are moving away from magazines, reviews or rankings, and rely more on search engines, where all information is available in one place. This research also showed that customers seeking local information are more likely to convert, as they are further down the purchase funnel.

Local-Marketing-Search-NZDMI

What makes a successful local search strategy?

Relevancy is the key to success with local marketing. Customers expect to see customized ads, taking into the account their location, time of search and the device used for research. Particularly when using mobile devices, there’s an expectation that directions and contact details will be available immediately, prompting even faster reaction.

Your local marketing strategy for search should take into account:

  1. Location optimization, with either specific messages and calls to action, or bid adjustments for some areas, towns and cities;
  2. Various ad extensions, allowing users to find what they need faster. Click-to-call buttons, locations and special offers are only some of the recommended options;
  3. Your actual location, if you have a physical business. Target people searching for your products and services nearby your shop with special messages, discounts and offers, to drive in-store traffic from your digital channels.

The winter is coming, which means there are more and more tourists on the streets of Queenstown and Wanaka searching for local products and services. Make sure your business is prepared for this great possibility or talk to us about putting your local marketing strategy in place.