Digital marketing for local service-based businesses, also known as local digital marketing, is very different from marketing for an online retailer, local retailer, restaurant, or venue. Your business provides services to the local area, but customers may come to your place of business, you may go to their place of business, or you may go to their homes. The situation is definitely not one-size-fits-all.
That being said there are some local digital marketing basics that all local service-based businesses MUST do in order to get new customers.
Have a decent looking website
It’s just a must, even if you’re in a trade. It doesn’t have to be stellar, but it has to have enough information to be able to tell people who you are, what you do, and that you’re a legitimate business.
People have to be able to find your business
If you have a website or business listing and no one sees it then it doesn’t exist and you’re much less likely to be able to attract new customers.
Have your business where people are looking
46% of all searches on Google (over 40,000 per second) are conducting searches seeking local information. 88% of consumer local business searches happen on a mobile device, and those people call that business within 24 hours. You have to be online, your business has to be found, your phone number has to be prominently displayed so that people can call and become customers.
Claim and Optimize Your Local Listings
Claim your Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, Google My Business, and Bing Places local listings at a bare minimum. Your website traffic and phone calls will increase overnight (as long as those listings are optimized, accurate, and maintained). 56% of local businesses haven’t claimed their local listings on Google. Your competitors are giving you the opportunity to get more customers by not knowing what to do or how to do it.
Get as Many Reviews as Possible
The more reviews you have, the better (so long as they’re not bad reviews and even those can be overcome). Social proof (reviews and testimonials) are the single greatest source of confidence when it comes to doing business with someone new. If lots of people give a good review to something, you’re more likely to try it and trust it. The same goes for your business.
All of this won’t cost you much (money or time and effort)
All of these local digital marketing strategies might feel overwhelming, especially for small business owners trying to keep things going doing sales and services and finances and keeping employees and customers happy while finishing jobs. People are hiring your company to do something they can’t do, and you should do the same. You wouldn’t trust your plumber to fix your teeth, so you really should turn to local digital marketing experts who can do all of this work for you while showing you exactly how it’s providing new leads and customers to your business.
We track every dollar, every click, every call, and make sure we’re generating far more money than it’s costing you to do this marketing. We prove our value every day, week, and month and make sure you’re not having to manage us. We’re partners… part of your team. If you’re not doing well, then we’re not doing well and we’ll make sure we’ll do whatever it takes to make your local digital marketing successful.
