Local business marketing on the internet is challenging in so many levels. Those responsible for these initiatives don’t always have the time or interest in learning the many technicalities required to position themselves effectively in front of consumers in a specific geographical area.
Obviously, the main reason the local Web is important to the success of many businesses is because it’s where the buyers are. For example, three out of four mobiles searches trigger a follow-up action such as: further research, a phone call, a store visit, sharing, etc. This hasn’t gone undetected; hence many businesses realize marketing locally with certain platforms is imperative.
In fact, mobile is expected to be the fastest-growing channel in the local advertising market through 2017 according to Cisco (http://bit.ly/nqdf). However, there is a lot more to developing a local Web presence than advertising.
A significant challenge is the intersection between channels and how local overlaps from search to social. Thankfully, there are platforms and numerous resources available that can expose brands to a broader local audience.
Below are some important and popular platforms available to make marketing a brand and its products possible on a local level with little or no investment. Search engines and social networks play a very important role, but there are others that may serve as your starting point to begin marketing your brand locally.