Your Local Customer Is Next Door
Did you know that one in every five people own a smartphone? That’s over one billion people who could be viewing social media content right now! How can your brand reach these potential customers when they’re only one touch of a screen away?
How can small businesses peak their attention? Gone are the days of daily coupons, newspaper advertisements, and yellow page listings. Now the best plan of action is a local search. With local search, a business can guide its customers right to their doorstep, in addition to sharing product listings, photos of the business, and even promotions.
What does this have to do with your business? Imagine walking downtown with friends as a college student. You are all getting hungry, but want a restaurant that serves craft beers. You pull out your smartphone and google restaurants nearby that serve exactly what you want. This is where local search comes in. Local search lists show all the stores that carry the specific good a customer is looking for in order to make their shopping experience more enjoyable. If a restaurant has a digital presence, its menu will also be shared on local search.
A couple facts. In a 2014 study, 50% of consumers visited a store within a day of local search on their smartphones. When a customer searches for something local, like a pound cake, the newest movie, or a store that carries white shirts five miles from their location, they will normally purchase that item within a day. Local web traffic becomes foot traffic, so if a business wants to expand its reach, local search is the best way for them to do it.
Any business can and should take advantage of local search engine optimization. Whether the business is a national company or a mom-and-pop store, its website should be local-friendly, visible, and up to date, in order to attract new customers.
Socially Bold is a digital marketing firm located in Jacksonville, Florida providing marketing services to small to mid-sized local businesses. Specializing in social media and content marketing, Socially Bold focuses on aligning with clients, the ‘Socially Bold Community’, to deliver innovative ideas and translate those into refreshing results. For more information about Socially Bold, visit sociallybold.com. Join the #SociallyBold conversation on Twitter @sociallyboldjax, Facebook @sociallybold, Instagram @sociallybold, Pinterest @sociallybold or Google+ @sociallybold.