How to promote your physical store online?

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Getting more people to visit your retail store is a sure way of increasing your sales. But is it possible to market a physical store just like an online store?

The old belief that the internet harms brick and mortar stores is not true. Actually, the internet allows business owners to discover and reach out to more potential customers. It also helps them to come up with a strong marketing plan that promotes their physical retail store and bring more foot traffic.

Physical stores are now competing with online stores, but if one can use the online marketing tools to perfection, you will come up with a high-quality strategy that combats online retail stores.

The following are tips, provided by Michael Brown, the Customer Success Manager of Semalt Digital Services, for promoting your physical online store:

#1 Use social media

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Capitalizing on social media marketing is one of the best ways of promoting your physical store. You can do this by:

#2 Creating a Facebook fan page

Facebook is a social media site that also works perfectly for online marketing. This platform is also a great way to attract and reach new customers. Create a fan page for your business on Facebook and use it to:

Connect with customers

Start conversations

Announce events, special discounts

Feature customer experience

Advertise and promote your business

#3 Create a YouTube channel for your business and upload tutorials

YouTube is the best site for online video marketing because it's the most preferred video hosting site and the second largest search engine. Once you create your free YouTube account, upload tutorial videos that teach your audience how to use your products. You can also create a behind the scenes video, this is a great way of humanizing your brand.

#4 Create a visual impression with Instagram and Pinterest

Visual content has overtaken text-type content and marketers are using these two social platforms for their SEO campaign. Take enticing pictures or videos of your products or customers shopping in your store and post them on your Instagram account or Pinterest boards. Your followers will be tempted to visit your store to enjoy the positive vibes.

#5 Use Twitter to engage your customers in real-time

Twitter is a simple platform that allows you to offer advice and engage your customers in real-time. With Twitter, you will get feedback on customer opinions, and this will trigger foot traffic.

#6 Optimize your social profiles and website for local SEO

The best way to market your brick and mortar store is to optimize for local SEO because 97 percent of buyers start their online marketing search online.

#7 Make your site and social media profiles appear geo-sensitive

This is done by adding location keywords to your site's content and social media profiles. This is a guaranteed way to rank in the SERPs.

#8 Have great customer service

A satisfied customer will spread the word through word of mouth and by writing positive online reviews. Enhance your customer service by:

Allowing the online appointment setting

Adding a live chat window

Embrace online local marketing for your business

To keep your customers coming back and attract new ones you need to:

Pay for display ads on your local newspaper

Offer special discounts to your customers

Get involved with your community

Create a pop-up store where you can get to your target buyers.