5 Digital Marketing Strategies I Used to Conquer My Market

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With the growth of local search and the search engines being in full support of it, local blue collar companies are doing better than ever. They're creating advantages over national and international businesses by being more accessible, visible and transparent. This is done through a wide variety of digital marketing strategies that are incredibly effective in generating customers, building a local brand and creating customer loyalty. Here are some of the marketing strategies they're using to conquer their local area.

1. Reviews

One of the best ways to bring in new customers is to build positive online reviews for your business. A survey shows that 88% of consumers trust online reviews as if somebody they knew recommended it to them. Reviews not only help businesses stand out from others online, it also increases the likelihood of the prospect actually becoming a customer. There's also the benefit of reviews boosting local search results which is an essential channel for many local based businesses.

2. Local Search

Search engine users are becoming more accustomed to searching for local businesses. This allows greater visibility for local businesses and even gives them an edge over national brands. These search results also tend to convert very well with over half of people visiting a store after using their smartphones to make a local search. That's why many of the local businesses that are dominating in their local space have invested so much into local search.

3. Big Data

Big data has been a buzzword for some time in the corporate world. However, very few businesses have picked it up or are using it effectively. Due to falling technology costs, small companies can actually start using big data to grow their businesses. The biggest selling point of big data is that it will give small companies access to business intelligence which results in a competitive advantage over the competition. There are many applications from inventory management, customer personalization, to predictions in the local marketplace.

4. Customer Loyalty and Engagement via Social Media

One of the things that small companies do well is interacting with their followers on social media. There is a ton of value to be gained from using social media for local marketing. A customer liking a business or sharing a post means it gets shared to the customer's network of friends. In most cases, a large portion of the network consists of people in the local area as well. This can be a great way to build a grassroots branding strategy for a local blue collar company. Engaging in social media regularly also build relationships and creates loyalty, especially if the local business is known for delivering on its promises.

5. Content Marketing

Content marketing is another great marketing strategy that's being used by many local businesses. It's an ideal digital marketing strategy due to its manageable marketing costs though it can still use up a lot of business resources (time, money, manpower). It's also a great way to engage social media audiences, generate links for local search campaigns and get free online/offline press. Content marketing serves as a great way for people to discover your business while also providing value to prospects that may not have had much commitment to your business initially.

All of these digital marketing strategies are accessible to local businesses. Due to their low-cost nature, many local businesses can see a big jump in revenue without much capital invested. The only challenge that local businesses will face executing these strategies is putting in the time to see them through. It can take many months to establish a working strategy but the rewards will be well worth it at the end.