While it’s a given that all brands should be online in some way, shape, or form at this point, there may be missed opportunities when it comes to where their focus should be.
So, let's state the obvious. Your brand needs to be online. However, the question remains, where should your brand be online? Maintaining your brand’s national or regional presence is vital, but are you considering how your brand performs in local markets compared to your local competition?
Let’s start with defining what localized marketing actually is. Localized marketing is a strategy that you execute within local markets to target consumers that make up the community you serve.
As you’ll see when you continue reading, our services are tailored to strategies that support localized marketing.
Local Search
Sure, organic SEO efforts are still valuable, but you may be missing the local traffic that your locations need!
Are your locations efficiently using their Google My Business listings? If your plan is to be more present within Google Maps and local searches, it's extremely crucial to continue to optimize your Google My Business listing.
This can be done by simply maintaining your brand’s messaging through Google Posts, continuing to respond to reviews and ensuring you have all correct information pertaining to your brand and/or locations.
Review Marketing
Your brand’s reviews can make or break a sale, so it's a big mistake if your brand locations are taking a passive approach to review marketing.
Don't leave your brand's online reputation to be represented by only the loudest voices in the room! If you provide a great product or service, your customers are now free and valuable marketing assets by leaving reviews.
Studies have found that 76 percent of consumers would leave an online review if asked. So, why aren't more companies asking for them?
Paid Advertising
The benefits of implementing paid advertising strategies at the local level can be almost endless.
With the ability to geofence and target specific territories and customer demographics, paid ad campaigns have a proven ability to get in front of your local customers immediately.
National campaigns can create general brand awareness, but when your ads can show content that is specific to local communities, it will resonate better with local consumers.
Take this quote from RevLocal’s National Sales Manager, Diana Park Alford, for reference:
“Localized digital marketing means adapting aspects of your brand practice and strategy for local preferences and expectations. It’s a complex process, especially when you have multiple locations to manage. It’s more than just tweaking campaign copy, you have to consider market research, persona development, directory management, SEO and social. If done successfully, localizing your approach makes sure your products/services are contextually represented and understood by the people in your target market.”
Social Media
As we know by now, 71 percent of consumers are more likely to make purchases based on social media posts they see.
We often see a lot of effort being put into brands across all social channels, but not enough when it comes to location-specific content!
Have you ever searched Facebook or Instagram for information on a national brand that's set to open in your community, only to find their page with generalized, non-localized content? No grand opening date. No menu. No listed products or services. No job listings. It's a missed opportunity to build anticipation, connect with the community and ultimately, it contributes to a lackluster marketing strategy.
Even just a simple photo of the store or staff at your locations can provide a sense of familiarity and create a stronger connection with your customers. This is especially true when there is a consistent brand voice being spread across the brand parent down to the locations.
Take this post for example:
Offline Marketing
When we look beyond the online world, being present in local events like festivals, fundraisers and other community organizations can only aid in increasing your brand awareness. You may even see increases in your search views after these events.
We’ve all been witness to the resurrection of QR codes with the implementation of virtual, hands-free menus at restaurants. Putting a QR code on your printed material and leading consumers back to a landing page can also be a valuable strategy in tracking your offline efforts!
Whatever your brand decides to do offline, finding ways to create consistent messaging in your online efforts will only strengthen the trust your customers have with your brand.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to establishing your brand’s presence online (and offline), localized marketing is a must! There are so many missed opportunities when a multi-location brand does not set its sights on implementing a locally focused marketing strategy, and we hope we made that clear in this blog!
There is a reason local is in our name. If you are looking to utilize more localized marketing strategies with your multi-location brand or franchise, send us a message! We would be happy to talk through what may be best for your brand!
Also, make sure to stay up to date with our blog to learn even more about multi-location marketing strategies, tips and trending topics.