3 Marketing Skills That Pay the Bills for Local Businesses

Optimising your Local SEO and managing your Google Business Profile (GBP) is one of the most effective ways to increase your business’s visibility. Start by creating and verifying your profile to ensure it appears in local search results. Providing comprehensive details about your business, such as your address, phone number, business hours, and services, helps customers find and trust you. Regularly posting updates, special offers, events, and news keeps your audience informed and engaged. Responding to customer reviews and using the messaging feature for direct communication further enhances customer interaction.

Benefits of Local SEO and GBP management:

• Increased local visibility: Appear in local search results and on Google Maps, making it easier for customers to find you.
• Higher conversion rates: Local searches often have high intent, leading to higher conversion rates.
• Enhanced customer trust: Positive reviews and accurate information build trust with potential customers.
• Competitive advantage: Optimise for local search to gain an edge over competitors who may not be as well-optimised.
• Better customer engagement: Engage with customers through reviews, posts, and Q&A to improve satisfaction and loyalty.

When we first started working with the team at Kaiser Brew Garden, they hadn’t optimised their Google Business Profile to take advantage of a number of keywords. For one of the main keywords, “Garden Bar” most of the regions across the city weren’t ranking (N/F). Initially, they ranked low in 23 out of 25 areas, but through our efforts, they now rank in the top 3 results in all 25 areas with an average ranking of 2.1 across the city (see example below). As a result, people are now discovering Kaiser Brew Garden in areas beyond the central city.

Building and nurturing professional relationships through networking and attending industry events is a powerful way to create business opportunities and promote your brand. Choose events that align with your industry and business goals, and prepare by setting clear objectives, researching key attendees, and creating essential materials. Actively engaging with other attendees, practising active listening, and focusing on offering value during interactions can lead to meaningful connections.

Tips for effective networking:

• Event selection: Choose relevant events that suit your objectives, such as conferences, trade shows, seminars, workshops, or networking mixers.
• Preparation: Define clear goals, research key attendees, prepare materials, and craft a compelling elevator pitch.
• Active engagement: Engage with attendees, initiate conversations, show genuine interest, and use technology to connect.
• Follow-up: Send personalised follow-up messages, connect on social media, and maintain regular check-ins to nurture relationships.

Benefits of networking and attending events:

• Increased visibility: Enhance your brand’s visibility within your industry and target market.
• Business opportunities: Create opportunities for new business partnerships, clients, and collaborations.
• Knowledge and insights: Gain access to industry trends, best practices, and innovative ideas.
• Professional development: Benefit from personal and professional growth through learning and exposure.
• Relationship building: Build strong, long-lasting relationships with industry peers, potential clients, and partners.

At Digital Influence, we regularly host events to build community and share knowledge. For example, we recently held our ‘Flip Your Marketing Switch’ seminar (see images below) to discuss strategies for converting marketing efforts into revenue. These events are essential to our mission at Digital Influence, as they allow us to educate and inspire our audience while strengthening our business community and gaining valuable insights into their challenges.

Leveraging social media platforms to connect with your audience, build brand awareness, and drive traffic and sales is essential for local businesses. Choose the right platforms based on your target audience, set clear goals, understand your audience’s behaviours and preferences, and analyse competitor activity. Develop a content calendar, create high-quality visual and written content, and share relevant third-party content to keep your audience engaged.

Key components of effective social media marketing:

• Platform strategy: Choose the right platforms, set measurable goals, understand your audience, and analyse competitors.
• Content creation and curation: Develop a content calendar, create high-quality visuals and copy, and share relevant third-party content.
• Engagement and community management: Interact with followers, address negative feedback, encourage user-generated content, and host contests.
• Paid social advertising: Plan targeted ad campaigns, utilise platform-specific targeting, design compelling ad visuals, and use retargeting strategies.

Benefits of social media marketing:

• Increased brand awareness: Reach a wider audience and increase visibility for your brand.
• Improved customer engagement: Build relationships and interact with customers in real-time.
• Higher conversion rates: Drive traffic to your website and convert followers into customers.
• Cost-effective marketing: Social media platforms offer both organic and paid marketing options that can fit various budgets.
• Valuable customer insights: Gain insights into customer preferences, behaviours, and feedback.
• Enhanced customer loyalty: Engage with customers on a personal level, fostering loyalty and repeat business.
• Competitive advantage: Stay ahead of competitors by leveraging the latest social media trends and tools.

Tiny Door, a new food concept in Christchurch, partnered with us when they opened to create engaging short-form videos as part of their social media content marketing strategy. Our team visited local vendors, conducted street interviews, and taste-tested menu items to produce high-performing content. The campaign received over 217,000 views on TikTok and Instagram Reels, significantly boosting Tiny Door’s visibility and engagement, demonstrating the power of effective social media content marketing.

These three skills – Local SEO, networking, and social media marketing – are essential for any local business aiming to thrive in today’s market. Integrating these strategies into your marketing efforts ensures sustained growth, higher conversion rates, and a strong competitive edge.

If you’re looking to elevate your business’s marketing efforts and achieve your goals, contact us today at Digital Influence. We’re here to help you harness the power of these marketing skills to drive growth and success for your local business.