recent news feed algorithm changes<\/a>, local marketing experts need to keep followers more engaged with original content, photos, and videos, which tend to generate more likes and comments than text with links posts.<\/p>\n• <\/strong>Google+ <\/strong>
\nWhile Google+ has seen growing numbers in terms of users, the real benefit in establishing and promoting a local business here is pure and simple SEO. Coupled with Google Authorship, Google is about attaching a personal reputation to viral engagement of content, resulting in links back to a local brand or business. Google+ indexes videos and reviews quickly, often resulting in prominent placement in long tail keyword searches.<\/p>\nGoogle+ also facilitates businesses’ ability to drive high quality, earned links versus old school SEO (managed links). Businesses can also claim their local businesses on Google, which then distributes their name, address and phone number (NAP) throughout the local search ecosystem.<\/p>\n
• <\/strong>Twitter<\/strong>
\nWith the introduction of Vine and other apps that have made Twitter a more contextual social platform, Twitter is becoming more relevant and effective for local marketing efforts. Embedded tweets and capitalizing on trending hashtags can increase engagement and connections with a potential targeted audience.<\/p>\n• <\/strong>LinkedIn<\/strong>
\nFor local businesses, LinkedIn is an easy-to-use social media channel that serves as a credibility checkpoint. While engagement is often lower on this channel, prospects visit LinkedIn to determine the validity of one business over another; thus, failing to have a profile here may raise some negative perceptions.<\/p>\nEstablishing an overall company presence and encouraging personal employee profiles, as users often locate an employee’s LinkedIn profile before a corporate profile, is critical. Local social media marketing is all about getting the name of your company exposed to more people, and LinkedIn is a great vehicle to make that happen.<\/p>\n
Developing Relevant Content<\/h2>\n
For Facebook, particularly, but really any social platform, local businesses have a great opportunity to create and share content that is engaging to their target. The silver bullet is developing the content that is relevant to your local community about your business or services.<\/p>\n
As an example, you could sponsors or support local charities or organizations that benefit the greater good of the community. The resulting social media associated with the support can help amplify your involvement, extend reach through targeted, contextual posts and ultimately lead to incredible engagement.<\/p>\n
Focusing Your Social Media Efforts<\/h2>\n
In general, the local business market is broken into two broad categories – restaurant\/retail and lead generation, e.g., contractors, real estate professionals, medical practices and legal. Each category requires very different overall marketing strategies, and every business should approach locally-focused social media marketing efforts in ways tailored and customized for their business model.<\/p>\n
For example, for the restaurant\/retail set, Twitter can be very effective at driving in store traffic and sales with special offers, discounts, product\/menu updates, etc. For the second category of lead generation, Twitter becomes more of a secondary vehicle that supports other activities such as the launch of a new product featured on YouTube or further broadcasting a promoted post on Facebook via trending hashtags.<\/p>\n
Extending Your Social Strategy<\/h2>\n
Once your business has mastered one or all of the four horsemen, figure out which social sites your customers are frequenting to extend your social identity. For example, home remodelers should consider establishing a presence on HOUZZ — a home design, decorating and remodeling channel — and participate in discussion forums, sharing before and after photos, etc. These then can be cross-promoted via other social media channels including Facebook, Twitter and Google+.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, the key to local social SEO is building your social proof and doing it right. It’s about quality, not quantity. both in the number of social media platforms managed but also the content that is being promoted and shared.<\/p>\n
What is working for your clients or your business?<\/p>\n
\nContributing authors are invited to create content for Search Engine Land and are chosen for their expertise and contribution to the search community. Our contributors work under the oversight of the editorial staff<\/a> and contributions are checked for quality and relevance to our readers. The opinions they express are their own.<\/em><\/p>\n
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