Content Marketing for Local Businesses: 8 Key Tactics to Get more Customers

The first thing that pops to mind about making a local business work is getting a prime location. While that is definitely a priority, you should never underestimate what content marketing can do for your local business.

Think about it this way: prime real estate can get you tons of foot traffic. You’ll get customers that walk or drive by your location.

The same thing can be said about content marketing for local businesses: when done right, it’s the online prime real estate you need to get even more customers.

One of the keys of business success is to diversify your revenue streams. So, even if the foot traffic you currently attract is satisfactory, would it really hurt to get other types of clients in?

Plus, not all businesses can rely on foot traffic, whatever their location is. Contractors, repairmen, local service providers, lawyers and others, need to be found online.

And this is where content marketing for local businesses comes into play.

First off, let’s take a look at why your local business needs content marketing.

3 Data-Driven Reasons Why You Need Content Marketing for Local Business

If you think that you can beat your local competition with a few flyers and the occasional Facebook ads, think again. Customers expect so much more.

And here’s why you should deliver:

1. Digital influences 64% of the time spent in retail stores, according to Deloitte.

In other words, people will research your business online before setting foot in it. What they find when they search, is up to you. Is it the SEO content YOU want them to find or is it that ONE bad review that ranks high because there’s nothing else about you out there?

2. 76% of people who search for information about local businesses on their mobile will visit that business in 24 hours or less, according to Google.

Furthermore, a quarter of these searches will result in a purchase. Can you imagine how much money you stand to lose if you are nowhere to be found in a local search results page? Furthermore, imagine how damaging it can be to your local business if bad reviews and other people’s content are all that pops up.

3. 97% of customers research local businesses online, according to BIA/Kelsey.

That’s almost everybody. In fact, it’s not uncommon to have someone stand in front of your coffee shop and Google it really quick before they step in. Today more than ever, people are bombarded with choices. So they need to make sure that they make the right one. Google search is the perfect tool for that.

And a bonus reason I’m sure you are going to love: content marketing is cheaper than paid search, according to research conducted by Kapost. So if you were thinking that Google AdWords or Facebook ads are the price-conscious tools to get the word out about your business, think again.

Not only is content marketing cheaper, but its results last longer. When you stop running ads, clients stop coming in. On the other hand, when you publish amazing content that gets shared or found organically, it can help you for years to come.

Want to make the savvy investment in your local business and get started with content marketing? We’ve got the right team to help! Our experts can come up with the perfect strategy for you and implement it quickly and efficiently. Learn more about our services and let’s talk!

If you’re ready to get started with content marketing for local business, take a look at the tactics below. They are what we use for our clients to help them increase their client base.

8 Unbeatable Tactics to Leverage Content Marketing for Local Businesses

If you think that content marketing is complicated, you are right. It’s not exactly a walk in the park. It can take years to master and you still have to stay in touch with recent developments. So you’re a perpetual student.

But don’t despair.

There’s good news for you, the local business owner!

The number one challenge in content marketing is understanding your potential clients and your readers. In other words: understanding user intent. Unlike other types of businesses, local companies are privileged. They get to meet their clients in-person and ask them any questions they need to build campaigns.

Even more, the simple fact that you met with your clients puts you in a vantage point. You literally know them. You get to hear it from them when they are unhappy or satisfied with your services. They don’t hide behind keyboards and carefully-crafted emails to let you know how they feel.

If you haven’t leveraged this yet to build your content marketing strategy for local businesses, don’t worry. You’ve still got time.

But it should be the first thing on your list. Here’s who to do it below.

1. Get to Really Know Your Customers

One of the first Idunn clients we did content marketing for was a local business. At the very beginning of our collaboration, we asked about surveying customers.

They told us they didn’t want to bother them.

“People are busy”, they said.

And I get that. You don’t want to upset your customers. You want to do things for them, take things off their plate, not add more to the pile.

But here’s the thing: people also love to be treated like VIPs. They love to know that their opinion matters.

So, before you dig into your content marketing for local businesses strategies, take some time to get to really know your customers. The best ways to do it include:

• Ask them directly. Yes, it’s that easy. When someone pays the check in your restaurant or takes the first look at their new Wi-Fi network that you installed, ask them if they are happy. Was the food OK? Did you have a nice experience in our location? Are your custom kitchen cabinets exactly what you had hoped for?
• Email them a short survey. Start by telling them how their opinion matters. Tell them you’d like to improve your services or products even more and that they can help do just that by filling in a short survey. But make sure that the survey really is short. And don’t forget to add the most important question: “Do you have any suggestions that could help us improve our services?”
• Listen to them. Aside from what they hired you to do/sell, what other problems are they facing? These problems and their solutions are the topics for your upcoming content.

Bottom line: be genuine and helpful. Don’t hide behind pretentious marketing lingo. Just tell your customers you need their help to do better. Most of them will be happy to oblige.

2. Find Relevant Keywords

I’m going to assume that you’re past the basics and that you already have a Google My Business listing with the correct address and contact info.

So let’s move on to better content marketing for your local business.

This endeavor has to start with finding the right keywords.

I recommend you start with a free, but comprehensive tool, Google Keyword Planner. Yes, this is a tool designed for AdWords, but it uses the same data you need for organic ranking.

Here’s how to use it in four simple steps:

1. Click on Search for new keywords using a phrase, website or category
2. Type in words that are relevant to your industry (plumber, divorce lawyer, Mediterranean restaurant and so on)
3. Under Targeting select your city or region
4. Click on “Get ideas”

You may have noticed that I left out adding your location in the second step. That’s because Google displays results based on the user’s location.

You no longer need to type in “Starbucks Baltimore” to get results for the coffee shops in Baltimore – if you are there when you make that search. Google automatically tracks your device and offers relevant results. They are even ordered according to the distance from your location.

There are, however, people who still add the name of the city or region to their query. In order to get that base covered, you can do the same in your content. Simply add your city name at the end of the keywords suggested by Google Keyword Planner.

If you really want to rock content marketing for local businesses, use an LSI keyword generator tool on top of Google Keywords Planner. I typically use LSI Graph, but there are tens of great options out there.

Start with your main keyword for any blog post or other type of content and the software will automatically generate a comprehensive list of LSI keywords. Sprinkle them throughout your copy for contextual optimization.

How does this translate into great content marketing for local businesses, you ask?

Here’s how:

• Finding the right keywords helps you understand what matters to your local audience.
• You can use the keywords as starting points to create blog titles and content relevant to your community.
• Add your location/city name to your meta description and title to make sure readers know from the very start it’s relevant to them.

Keyword research is the step that can make or break content marketing for local businesses. Don’t aim for keywords that have a high volume. Instead, use those that are really relevant to your local community.

Remember: showing that you understand your clients’ problems is the cornerstone of becoming their go-to local provider.

3. Blog Regularly

Having a strong social media presence is, of course, great. Very few people will consider a local business that doesn’t exist on social media.

However, you have to remember that social media platforms are “rented land”. You’re literally building your house on someone else’s land.

And while Facebook, Twitter or Instagram don’t appear to be closing up shop anytime soon, keep in mind that their rules change quite frequently. Especially in the era when privacy and privacy policies are under scrutiny.

So you may wake up one day to find that your social channels are utterly useless. Or, worse, that you have broken a new Facebook rule that you knew nothing about and your local business page is now shut.

Luckily, when you build your content marketing “house” on your own land, you don’t have that problem. Plus, regular blogging gives you a chance to talk about community issues at length.

At Idunn, we have seen great results for our clients who cater to local audiences and who blog at least twice a week. If that seems like too much, you can always start with once a week and see how that goes.

The only prerequisite here is to do it regularly. No one likes to open a blog to see that the latest post is from two years ago.

Much like SEO, blogging requires on-going work and commitment.

4. Focus on User-Generated Content

84% of local customers trust online reviews just as much as friend recommendations.

As a local business owner, you job is to make sure that your clients use Facebook, Google, Yelp and other similar media to speak about your services.

Angry customers are more likely to leave reviews than happy ones. That is the unfortunate reality. So don’t assume that all the clients who smiled and seemed happy with your services will leave a review.

Remind them to do so. Make it worth their while.

Here are some ideas:

• Offer a discount for next purchases for every review left
• Offer an additional service for those who leave a review
• Simply ask: when your client leaves your location (or when you leave theirs) a simple: “Don’t forget to review us on Yelp/Google/Facebook” is often all it takes
• Add the logos of Yelp/Google/Facebook at the end of your menu/invoice/email

Simply put: remind people to talk about your services and products. You’d be surprised at how many people forget about this even though they use these websites to choose local providers every day.

5. Guest Post on Local Websites

Scoring a guest post on a national or international platform can be an impossible mission. And, to be perfectly honest, it is almost useless when it comes to content marketing for local businesses.

Sure, everyone would love to have their business mentioned in the New York Times.

But will that really get customers in through your door?

Perhaps, but not as many as a prominent feature in a local publication.

Speak to the editors of the local platforms that get the most traction. Agree upon a topic that you could tackle and get to work on it.

However, make sure that it’s not overly promotional.

We are talking about a guest post, not an advertorial.

Choose a topic that your local audience cares about and see how you could tackle it. For instance, an HVAC company could write about recommendations on how to minimize the AC energy consumption in the hot Florida summer.

Similarly, a plumbing company could speak about why clogged pipes are very common in their area and offer advice on how to prevent them.

The key takeaway here is that your guest post should be informative and useful first and foremost. You can add a link to your website in your bio or in the body of the text (depending on the publication’s guidelines), but you shouldn’t focus on promotion.

6. Get Your Audience Engaged

You already know that social media is a two-way street. But the same goes for any type of content you generate.

Ask people to comment on your blog posts. But be genuine. Show that you are truly interested in their opinions.

Create polls on social media or surveys that you can email or post on your website. Invite people to vote on the best product, best measures to help your city and so on.

Get people involved. Content marketing for local businesses is all about building communities. Turn your brand into a local champion by showing that you care about your neighbors and your clients.

7. Create Useful Local Guides

Step outside your industry for a bit. Look around you. Is your area known for great restaurants? Or perhaps breathtaking views?

Turn them into listicle blog posts, the kind of evergreen content that everyone loves.

Top 25 gourmet restaurants in downtown LA

Top 10 fishing spots near Billings, Montana

8 camera-ready views near Toledo

These posts are bound to attract a massive local readership.

Why?

Because people love extra reasons to be proud of their cities. And they love to learn about new spots they can visit or try.

Be their go-to source for relevant, local content and you’ll be their provider soon.

Of course, at the end of every article you can add a CTA about your own products or services.

8. Create Local Seasonal Content

Everyone has an article about Christmas presents – what to get your partners, kids, parents and so on. But how many of your competitors have a local guide on the best Christmas shopping spots in town?

Similarly, you can create content that covers things like what to do in Toledo in Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter. The best pools in town to refresh on a summer day. The best cafés in town to get a hot chocolate in a cold winter day.

You get the point.

When it comes to creating local content, the sky is the limit. You only need two things to get started: a deep understanding of what your audience is interested in and good penmanship.

Conclusion

Content marketing for local businesses gives you a wealth of opportunities to explore. While you should stay away from sensitive topics like politics and sex, the rest is fair game.

If you’re looking for help with content that draws in local audiences, you have come to the right place! We can help you with both SEO- and conversion-oriented content.

Let’s talk!