TOP 5 DIGITAL MARKETING CHANNELS FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES

Having a strong online presence is vital for any business in the current scenario. Online marketing is more effective and can reach unexpected target audience; unlike traditional marketing.
Digital marketing channels are the doors to step in to create your online presence. However, every digital marketing channel cannot be equally fruitful for your business.
Depending upon your business type, industry, and the competition; you have to be wise enough while selecting the right mix of digital channels for your business.
Here we have come up with an idea about the best paying digital marketing channels for a local business.
Local SEO
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) will never lose its charm until the online marketing concept survives. In fact, it is the foundation of all upgraded versions of online marketing such as digital marketing, affiliate marketing, content marketing, and the list goes on.
If you scrutinize the SEO concept; you would get to know about “Local SEO” that emphasis on working on your website/landing pages for your geographical region.
For example; adding your business in google places and google maps will make it easy for people to visit your shop/showroom.
This might not be as useful to your overseas or out of the region customers until they decide to visit you. But for your local customers, it will serve as a navigation system.
Your customers will get to know your address, business services, phone number your working hours, and all the information they might be interested in knowing.
Emphasis on local SEO doesn’t call off your efforts for global reach, but if you want to target local customers on the first hand; do not ignore the Local SEO.
Review Platforms
Good or bad reviews play a vital role in deciding the future of your business. Many digital marketing platforms primarily highlight the review section. Some of these are:
• Amazon
• BBB (Better Business Bureau)
• Google Places
• Local Business Listings
• Yelp
• Yellow Pages
You should also choose for industry-specific business review platforms like if your business belongs to “Tour n travel,” you should add your business in TripAdvisor and Airbnb kind of platforms.
People are so much influenced with your start ratings and what other people say about their experience with your product and services.
Reading reviews make people feel getting a closer insight into your business. However, your endeavor doesn’t end with adding your business on this review site.
You need to attend and reply to every review you get. A 5-star rating & review should get a thank you message from you.whereas bad review needs your, and you should ask your customer about how could you mend or compensate for their bad experience.
Social Media Marketing
Social media is the most extraordinary thing happening in the digital arena. SMO/SMM is something that business owners can leverage to generate more business and create brand awareness.
Be it a free social media channels or you decide to go for paid social media marketing platforms; social media benefits every business in different ways.
There are hell lots of social media platforms nowadays, the most popular are:
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• youtube
You need to select as per your target audience. Facebook page, listings on google maps, Instagram all these will help you to get more local targeted audience to visit you.
Display Advertising
The display advertising on various digital marketing will do the same ( in the online world) as what billboards placed outside your shop or placed at different locations in your city do for you.
According to your budget and the platform which attracts your potential customers most; you should choose for promoting your business locally.
You can go for facebook Display Ads, Google Banner Ads, or any other affiliate display ads option. The visual effect leaves a long impression in comparison to text ads.
People love to read blogs, forums, and other discussion websites to gain knowledge. To promote your local business, you should target these potential customers by placing relevant display ads on all such third-party platforms.
Display advertising includes banner ads, box ads, video ads, overlays, and other alike display options that are associated with your landing/business page.
Influencer Marketing
If you find any influence from your region; grab him immediately. Influencer marketing contributes unexpected in increasing business sales.
Promoting your business through any local, regional influencer will work as his stamping/approval for the genuineness of your business. It will make more believe in your product and services.
In other words, influencer marketing tends to get more business inquiries to pour in.
For example; you run a bookshop and specialize in selling law books. There is any senior/famous advocate who runs his Facebook page/group or youtube channel. Putting your ads on his channel or group can authenticate your business.
Final Words
It is obvious; you can’t rely on o the best single digital marketing channel while designing your digital marketing strategy. You need to create an appropriate mix to generate all the results you dream off. While all the available digital marketing channels possess their strengths, they do have their weaker side as well. So the best way is to combine these digital marketing channels as per your needs to get the maximum benefit out of these.