When you’re trying to maximise traffic and drive business to your website, thinking local can sometimes feel like counter-intuitive for a business. After all, shouldn’t we be casting our nets as wide as possible in order to bring in as many potential customers and clients as possible? Are we not limiting our potential if we aim at local custom? While there is certainly something to be said for big ambitions and aiming high, the fact of the matter is that small businesses have a lot to gain from thinking about how to drive traffic locally.
With the business landscape under an incredible amount of pressure and constantly shifting in response to global events, we have all been forced to take a step back and re-evaluate our business strategies. If you are looking for a way to give your business a boost in the months ahead, here are a few reasons why you should think local.
People Want To Support Local Business
Let’s start with a simple, and encouraging, point: communities want to rally around local businesses and support them right now. Everyone has felt the squeeze from the Coronavirus pandemic, and we all know how much it has impacted our local neighbourhoods.Â
As a result, many people have made a much greater effort to shift away from the big brands and online retailers to give their custom to smaller local businesses. Whether it’s using an independent bookshop or ordering click and collect from your local craft brewery, we have all used our wallets to give our favourite local stores a boost.
Local SEO Can Really Make A Difference
It won’t have escaped your notice that the online marketplace became vastly more competitive in the COVID-19 era as businesses of all sizes were fighting for the same virtual real estate. If you’re a small business with limited resources, you are going to be fighting an uphill struggle even with an excellent strategy and the best skills.
However, local SEO levels the playing field as you can target the potential business near you. You can not only find the people who are looking for what you offer, but the people who need it right now and are motivated to click through. This site offers more information about why you should be looking at local search engine optimization, as well as tips on how to make the most of it. One tip for hiring an SEO specialist, for example, would be to research local companies. Perth-based PWD is a great example of a company that understands the specific needs of the local market.Â
You Can Look At Cross-Promotion Opportunities
To a certain extent, we’re all in the same boat right now. Businesses everywhere are facing very similar challenges, and while a little friendly competition never hurt anyone, this is a great time to look at fostering some mutually beneficial relationships.
If you are struggling to find more local custom, consider reaching out to other local businesses to see if you can work on a cross-promotion together. Is there an event that you could collaborate on? Even something as simple as a shoutout on social media can go a long way towards getting new eyes to your website.
