There has never been a time in history where people are exposed to so much information than now. From the important to the irrelevant facts, everything is searchable on the World Wide Web by anyone, even by a five-year-old.

Advertisers and marketers have used this to their advantage that it led to a billion dollar industry. The question, however, is if all these marketing efforts are worth all the money being spent on it. Sadly, even Google admits that only very few people click those ads. In fact, 56 percent of those ads were never opened. In other words, nobody really cares so if you are a small business, what are you going to do against all big competitions?

There’s only one answer: hyperlocal marketing.

 

Hyper… What?

Hyperlocal marketing is the new buzzword in marketing. However, it is more than that because it accomplishes more than what an ordinary marketing campaign can do.

With the world becoming more mobile than before, consumers don’t just search for businesses, products, or services in general. Not only have they become more specific about what they want, but they want those results to be as accessible as possible. In other words, they want those results within arms reach.

For example, if you want to have lunch with a friend, go to a gym, or find a new bestselling book, what do you search for? Basically, you type “restaurants near me,” or “gyms near me,” or bookstores near me that have this or that book.” By doing that, you have already conducted a hyperlocal search.

More so, users now expect that Google will take their location in consideration every time they conduct a search, even when they do not put location qualifiers, such as “near me” phrase, zip codes, or addresses. Google revealed that these types of searches have increased by 150 percent.

With those numbers and statistics, it makes sense that businesses should focus more on hyperlocal marketing. But how can you take advantage of it? Here are some practical tips to boost your hyperlocal marketing campaign:

 

#1 Categorize your business as local

Categorizing your business as local makes sense if you want to capitalize on hyperlocal marketing. But how do you do it? Schema markup, a code you place on your website that helps search engines conk out more informative results for users.

Some of the information that is included in the schema markup is the address, business days and hours, and event schedule page. Thus, when people search for your business, they won’t just see the business name but other useful information about your business as well.

Related: 7 Reasons Why Social Media Marketing is Necessary for Small Businesses

 

#2 Build a Google My Business page

A comprehensive Google My Business (GMB) listing is another important element in boosting your hyperlocal marketing efforts. It displays your business in Map results along with your business hours and opening days as well as the busiest time or day of your business. It also tells users whether you offer other special services.

Here are some important elements you should place in your GMB listing to fully utilize it:

• A unique description that contains links and your primary keyword. Your keyword should be placed within the first 100 words of the description.
• A high-resolution cover photo and profile image
• A local contact number
• Your business address. Make sure that it is consistent with the address on your website and other social profiles.
• Your open hours and business days
• The correct category for your business

Related: How to Use SEO To Influence B2B Buyers On Social Media

 

#3 Optimize your website for mobile

More and more local searches have been conducted on mobile. A mobile optimized website has higher chances of appearing in local searches. Thus, you have to make sure that your website is responsive to make the user experience as pleasant as possible no matter what device they are using. It is also advisable to create a mobile app where you can engage your customers directly.

Related: 10 Undeniable Ways Mobile is Reshaping B2B Marketing [INFOGRAPHIC]

 

#4 Get reviews

Word-of-mouth marketing has been one of the powerful tools any business has. Think about the last time you were looking for a good place to have dinner with your friends. What were you looking for aside from the location? Customer reviews, right? If you did that, what makes you think that your customers aren’t doing the same thing?

A 2017 report from Moz revealed that

Related: How to Turn Customers into Brand Ambassadors

 

#5 Use geolocation tools

Geolocation tools work two ways – you allow your customers to find you easily and, at the same time, helps you reach out to the local audience. With these tools, people can see how far you are from their present location and how they can get to where your business is. On the other hand, these tools allow you to engage local social media influencers that can help you connect with the community better.

 

Conclusion

Start implementing these tips/strategies to your hyperlocal marketing campaign and take your business to the next level as you find new customers and prospects.

 

 

What do you think of hyperlocal marketing?

Let us know in the comments! 🙂