Now more than ever, local businesses can cost-effectively reach local customers through online advertising. With a variety of cost-effective internet ad options available to fit nearly any size budget, even small local businesses can have a web advertising strategy.
From free social media sites to local media websites, businesses can strategically target marketing dollars to focus on high performing, low-cost internet ads that will generate localized online traffic to their websites.
Targeting Customers with Local Online Advertising
The power of the internet enables businesses to focus online advertising budgets on only their local customer and prospect base. Reaching the right local targets online is one of the most important strategies when developing an internet advertising plan to generate website traffic.
Local businesses should look for these targeting capabilities when placing online advertising for local markets:
- Geo-targeting. Choose sites that allow you to specify the geographic area to target for optimum relevance when generating website traffic. Examples include internet yellow pages that are limited to local searches or contextual advertising that is only delivered to a certain geographic area.
- Local content sites. Placing ads on websites that are strictly focused on local content (such as city guides or news sites) is a good strategy to ensure you are targeting locally and reaching customers within a local geographic area.
Businesses can localize their online advertising by choosing ad sites that focus on their specific geographic region. As internet technologies and niche marketing sites have become more prevalent, the options for local businesses advertising online have grown. Local internet advertising is also an important low-cost marketing tool for businesses.
Some of the best options for locally targeted online advertising include:
- Local media websites. Placing ads on local web sites such as radio stations, news sites, or local city guides ensures your ad is surrounded by locally relevant content. Because the scope or geographic reach of the website is somewhat limited, banner ads and sponsorships are typically low-cost (as compared to national websites).
- Internet Yellow Pages. Online Yellow Pages is directional advertising for consumers who are ready to buy. Internet Yellow Pages advertising is extremely localized because customers are actively searching for local businesses. Having a good local internet Yellow Pages strategy will generate local website traffic from active buyers.
- Social media advertising. New advertising options on social media websites such as Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn now offer advertisers highly targeted options. Facebook business ads, for example, allows advertisers to target consumers by location, age or interests. A local business page is a good way to build local customer loyalty and retention.
- Search engine advertising. Paid search programs such as Google Adwords, Bing or Yahoo Search offer advertising options by keyword and geography so only customers within your specific region see your ads. This helps keep costs lower and target only local relevant customers.
- Directory listing sites. There are many directory listing sites that allow businesses to update their information for free or upgrade listings with direct web links. Similar to internet advertising, these sites are directional in nature and adding website linking makes it even easier to reach customers and generate website traffic. Update local listing information on top search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN’s Bing so that your local business information can be found through searches for your business category and location.
A good strategy when evaluating which online advertising site or option is best for your local business is to test and measure performance during short trial periods. Updated or new year marketing plans should include new online advertising options that will grow your local business. Choose low-cost web ad options, but invest your marketing budget and marketing plans in areas that drive targeted website traffic from the local customers you are seeking.
Diane Seltzer - Diane is a branding, pr and social media marketer with experience ranging from advertising to corporate marketing and consulting.
