Go beyond badges, coupons, a mobile-friendly website, and directory listings to energize your location-based marketing strategy. Here are 7 new tips to try out:
1. Start using analytics
When it comes to marketing, measure, measure, measure! Same is true for your location-based marketing strategy. There are 5 great tools out there you can use to help you determine how well your strategy is performing: Geotoko, Titaumium + Geo, Momentfeed, WebTrendsMobile, and Fourscore. Use one, and tweak your strategy as needed.
2, Add location-specific tags to your blog posts
While you already add tags based on keywords in your blog posts, always add location-specific tags. And you can get really micro, going beyond your city to your neighborhood. So instead of just DC, add Georgetown and M Street. Instead of just Boston, add Back Bay and Newbury Street.
3. Give something away for check-ins
The simplest way to increase the number of check-ins your business is receiving is by making it fun to do so – after all, that’s why people share their location to begin with. Try giving something small away for each check-in. We all love free stuff, and people like to know their efforts are being noticed. It’s a great way to build goodwill and brand loyalty.
4. Link customer information with location
Knowing where a customer is and what their preferences are great to know on their own. Link the two, and you’re golden, because you can start sending highly targeted messages. You could promote your energy bars at a fitness center, sunscreen at the beach, or dry cleaning service at a BBQ restaurant.
5. Try mobile marketing
For great ideas on how to use a mobile marketing campaign, look at how Fortune 500 companies use it. After all, they have the budget and resources to do it right – and if they’re doing it at all, it must be working. Try out a mobile paid search or display campaign and see if it works for you.
6. Localize SEO
Add your location to title tags and meta descriptions, create a geo sitemap, add buttons to your website and encourage reviews, build links from other local businesses and bloggers, and optimize your social media pages for local.
7. Partner with a brick-and-mortar business
If you provide a virtual service, partner with a complementary business that has a bricks-and-mortar location. A copywriter (like me) can partner with a printer, a photographer can partner with a bridal boutique or caterer, and a children’s entertainer could partner with an indoor children’s play gym or a children’s toy store.
Image courtesy of Mashable
Google+Web.com is now offering forums designed to support small businesses in cities throughout the US. Learn more about these forums here: http://Businessforum.web.com/
Tags: location-based marketing, Marketing, Search Marketing, social media
Posted in Marketing, Search Marketing, Social Media | 6 Comments »
