The main benefit of owning a website is having the ability to improve your reach. Your site allows you to communicate to a wider range of people. This is very good if you are a multinational company aiming to reach beyond your geographic location. Nevertheless, in order for you to strengthen your site’s online presence, building a strong local digital marketing reputation is essential.

Below are some strategies that can help you develop your local digital marketing reputation:

‍Study your competitors

‍Competition is a good thing. It allows you to learn from others and provides you clear insight on what is working and what isn’t. Make it a point to bookmark your competitor’s websites and social media accounts.  Find out how they use their SEO to gain followers. Study their communication strategies and messages.

Fully understanding your competitors will allow to draw some insight on what you can do to improve your website as well as your products and services. Always make sure to ask, “What ideas am I missing?” and “What else can I do to improve?”

Remember that in SEO, you don’t need to beat everyone; you just need to rank higher than the one listed above you.

‍Keep your site’s Info clean and consistent

‍Sometimes, the simplest things have the biggest impact. Don’t let your site go live without having a consistent Name, Address, and Phone number posted on it. If people need to visit your shop for your goods and services, make sure that you are listed in local maps. Apps like Zomato and Yelp will also help you get the word out on your services. Make sure that your business name, address and phone number is listed consistently in these platforms.

Find out more information from a previous post here: Locals Only: Digital Marketing Tips for Local Businesses

‍Incorporate Offline with Online Marketing

‍Online marketing should not just be confined to the online sphere. In fact,  online marketing is most effective in real world “offline” situations. Sharing or advertising that you have a new site or social media account in your shop, in your calling cards, and brochures will help create venues to improve your online presence.  Take part of local community events, be a sponsor or guest in a local radio show. Make sure that you utilise offline marketing to help improve your online presence.

‍Keep it Real

‍People want to put a face to a website. This is most especially important if you own a local business. People want to care about your business. The best way to achieve this is to make sure that your website posts and on social media sites contain meaningful content that is ‘real’. It will allow people to connect with your business on a personal level. And, in any business this is what is worth pursuing.

Stray from the prescribed: Mix it up

‍There are no clear cut step to online success. As with any business, it is the combination of the situation, your strategy and implementation that will determine your progress. Don’t just stick to the prescribe tips. Fuel your site’s growth by combining different strategies and, taking stock of new insights.