With all the online marketing options available today, it’s easy to overlook one of the most effective and inexpensive methods of getting more customers: local marketing. Local marketing is a strategy that targets customers within a certain radius of the physical location(s) of a business. Investing in local marketing strategies can help bring new customers to your doors today.

Source: Google Consumer Insights - 2022 Retail Marketing Guide

How customers search and find local businesses in 2022

It's no secret that customers use the web to find local businesses. In fact, it's estimated that 99% of all customers use the web to find local businesses (and Google gets the biggest share of searchers with 89%). 

This is because customers want to read about a company, see the reviews and decide whether or not they want to visit the business before they will physically visit the local business.

This said, 78% of local searches on mobile result in an offline purchase. Even if a local business is recommended by a friend, today’s customer will still check out the business online before they contact them.

So not investing in your online visibility is no longer an option for any businesses looking to grow their revenue.

Google works hard to make sure it always shows businesses that are best for local search, and it’s getting better all of the time. 

If your Google Business Profile is fully optimized, you have a better chance for your business to show up in the top search results for customers searching on your products or services on Google. Customers also rely on sites like Yelp and Facebook, who want people sharing positive experiences about local businesses. 

In short, you will get found by more customers when you invest in Local Marketing for your business.

Since local search is evolving so quickly, you’ll want to track what customers are searching for today and make sure your local marketing strategy is built around keywords they use. This will help ensure you’re ranking high on Google and that you’re growing revenue over time. 

Why is Local Marketing so important to your business in 2022 and beyond

The most important sentence I read in the past year is this one: 

In 2022, people are ready to purchase, but they don’t want to be sold to.

Let’s break down this sentence into two parts: 

People are ready to purchase

When we look at the various touch points, we can see exactly how today’s customer is in far more control than they used to be. Several trends are shaping consumer habits post-pandemic, but the main one that keeps coming out in various research is that consumers want convenience. 

When we talk about convenience, we mean more digital and mobile communications options, as well as contact-free transactions and payment options. Essentially, the ease of doing business with a company.

In the last few years, we’ve seen a shift in the path to purchase, with shoppers combining online and in-store shopping experiences to meet their changing needs. Knowing when and where to show up is essential for connecting with current and potential customers.

According to Google Consumer Insights research: to buy products online and see what stores have in stock, shoppers: 

1. Explore Maps to see what local stores they have in the area. Google Maps searches for “shopping near me” have grown globally by over 100% year over year.
2. Check Business Profiles on Google Maps to see if a local store is open and has a product available for pickup. Thirty-one percent of consumers in surveyed countries say they are researching online more before purchasing to avoid stock, inventory, and shipping challenges.
3. Find products and compare prices in the Shopping tab. Almost half (49%) of consumers in surveyed countries expect to be able to buy from any store online.

People don’t want to be sold to

The old approach for local businesses would be to invest in traditional advertising like prin, out of home and telemarketing, but these mediums no longer work for them, or yield very small results (without talking about the problem of waste created by the direct mail industry). 

People looking for a local business today will simply Google what they’re looking for when they want it - when it’s most convenient for them, not anyone else.

The truth is customers today have access to more information than ever before. All of this is good for the customer as it makes their life far easier: most people these days don’t want a pushy salesperson. They want to do their own research online to learn as much as they can, then they’ll buy it when they’re ready and fully educated.

Today, once a customer has reached out to you, they’re far further down the sales funnel then they would have been 15 years ago. Not only that, but if a business has a great online reputation then customers will be far easier to sell to and they’ll happily spend more with you.

If you’re not fully leveraging the power of Google, you’re NOT reaching consumers as they are looking for your products and services, and you’re most likely leaving a lot of money on the table, or sending your customers to local competitors who are leveraging Google. 

_____________________________

LocalClix can help you future proof your local business by improving the positioning and visibility of your business in local search with our local marketing solutions.

Contact us today for a consultation on how to generate more calls, walks in and sales for your business!