The Web is Global, but If Your Customers are Local, Use these 6 Methods to Connect with Them through Social Media
Social media has the ability to touch people around the world, but a small business's best customers often may be right around the corner. Knowing how to tap into the local side of social media is key to its usefulness as a promotional tool. Plus, small businesses have a size advantage; they don't have to deal with as many customers as a large one. This gives them the opportunity to make personal connections with customers, which fits in very nicely with social media. Try some of the following ideas to take advantage of social media to more effectively reach your local customers. Choose Local Social Sites There's a lot of hype around what I call the social media royalty, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, and now Instagram, Google+ and Pinterest. Up and comers? Snapchat and who knows what's next. However, they don't always focus on a local audience. You can change that up by joining geographically targeted groups on those sites or create one of your own. Be aware though that targeting by location may work better in some areas than others. There are also niche sites designed for local audiences. They may not be strictly social, but they often have social tools, like discussion boards, Q&A's and blogs where you can participate. Look for local online magazines, government sites and Chambers of Commerce. Think Neighborhoods Many websites are designed for a broad audience; yet there are those that allow the visitor to select by city or neighborhood, like the review site Yelp. Online newspapers and magazines offer reports by neighborhoods, like Columbia City, Green Lake and Ballard. There are also hyperlocal sites like Nextdoor. Remember, neighborhoods have distinct personalities, so make a real connection with the people there by talking about their concerns and interests. Online Yellow Pages Even Yellow Pages are getting into the act, combining a directory with shared advice, discounts and reviews. There's also Localndex with a mobile version. The beauty of Yellow Pages, and other locally targeted niche sites, is that they attract an audience looking for something in particular, which means they have the mindset of a buyer rather than a browser. Localize Keywords When writing about your business for directories or commenting on social sites, use geographically and culturally relevant words. Use the actual city and neighborhood names and the more familiar terms and nicknames, as well. These will help people locate products and services in their area. It will also help to distinguish you from other regional or national companies. When you can't build these words in, add them as tags. Add your zip code as a tag, too. Social Tells a Story Data at the micro-level isn't always easy to come by without custom research, but reading posts and comments on local social sites may yield valuable insights about customers. People will also say things on social sites they may not feel comfortable saying to your face; that honesty can be especially useful for improving or coming up with new products and services. Go the Distance When it comes to using social media for local marketing, it's up to you to be where they're looking. Always take into account how people find information. Residents and commuters will read local blogs or the newspaper, or simply notice a sign on the street. Destination seekers may research a new restaurant at a review site. For personal services, like a haircut, people may ask for advice from their online social network. Visitors from out of town will discover the new and unusual in a travel guide like TripAdvisor. A lot of small businesses are jumping on the Facebook page bandwagon, but are having difficulty getting people to respond to what they're saying. One of the problems is that they're focusing too much on posting promotional updates. That is, they're talking about themselves too much with posts about events, new products for sale, awards they've received, etc. That kind of communication is very one-way. It's like asking a yes or no question -- there's only one answer. It doesn't generate an emotional response from the reader, and therefore doesn't give them anything to say in return.
Remember, much of social media is about creating connections with people. Try sprinkling in your own thoughts, feelings and opinions that are relevant to your audience and see if you can get people talking. Updated: 11/4/19 After you're done reading this, be sure to check out Dempsee for help doing market research for your startup or small business. Get a list of what makes up a customer profile, including demographics and psychographics, and other helpful marketing tip sheets If you're putting together a business plan, trying to market locally, or just want to see how geography is your destiny, check out Esri's Tapestry for psychographics by zip code. It includes U.S. market segmentation data that you can drill down by zip code to discover demographics and psychographics. "MyBestSegments encompasses a variety of categories about consumer markets, including travel, eating out, shopping, auto purchases and much more!" It's just another way you can get inside your customers' heads to market more effectively, whether you're developing products and services, creating a marketing campaign or choosing media. Related article:
How to Use Mind Over Matter to Acquire More Customers |
Robbin BlockSharing what I know and love about marketing small to medium businesses. About me Categories
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