8 steps to grow your local business in the digital age
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On the 10th of July, local businesses gathered for an insightful digital marketing seminar led by Kelly Sowerby, Digital Sales Manager at LOCALiQ. The event was packed with practical tips and strategies to help businesses improve their online visibility and generate more leads. Here’s a recap of the eight key steps shared during the seminar to help any business grow online:
1. Claim and optimise online listings
Attendees learned the importance of updating their Google and Bing business listings. Accurate contact details and business hours are essential for being found in local searches and building trust.
2. Fix your website
A user-friendly website makes a strong first impression. With 65% of consumers basing trust on a business’s website and 88% visiting outside of business hours, a broken or confusing site can turn customers away.
3. Define clear goal
Kelly emphasised the need to identify short- and long-term marketing goals. Whether aiming for more traffic, leads or brand awareness, having clear targets helps shape the right strategy.
4. Understand the marketing funnel
From brand awareness to lead conversion, businesses were encouraged to assess where their current efforts fit within the marketing funnel and where they may be missing opportunities.
5. Know your audience
Understanding your ideal customer – their needs, habits and pain points – allows for more targeted and cost-effective marketing.
6. Research the competition
Businesses were advised to look at competitors’ online presence. Who ranks higher in search results? What ads are they running? This information can help inform your own strategy.
7. Invest in SEO
Kelly explained that search engine optimisation remains crucial for visibility. By targeting relevant keywords and using ethical link-building strategies, businesses can climb search rankings and drive more traffic.
8. Track and optimise
Finally, tracking campaign performance is essential. Using tools like Google Analytics helps businesses test, adjust and improve their marketing efforts over time.