How to use Local Promotion through free and paid channels

Local Promotion through free or paid channels and how to use are this article` topics. Multiple online channels are available for your online promotion:

- Search engines (Bing, Google, etc.)
- Web directories
- Review sites
- Social networks

Each channel could deliver local results only. The internet is available globally, anywhere and anytime, but people from Ney York hardly travel to Sydney to visit a local store only. So, it is worth to put your money into global advertising? Or, it is better for you to adapt your advertising campaigns with a local strategy? Bet on this, the second option drives excellent results.

This faces local advertising in a different way. Show ads to people in your neighbourhood who are likely to be or become customers. As we told, you can advertise online through multiple channels like search engines, local directories, sites with reviews, social media networks.

1. Search Engines

On search engines, you can bid for ads and appear when people search for certain terms. All search engines allow ads to be limited by geographic location.

For example, if you bid for the "marble tiles store" keyword, you can choose to show your ad only if the person is looking for, is within a radius of 10km around you. Don`t forget about Google Guaranteed, we`ve described before.

2. Social Networks

Social networks like LinkedIn or Facebook offer business pages for free and paid advertisements to target customers near you. How this is possible?

Well, social networks can find out where people are and, just like search engines, can show ads to people who are near your store, having a feature where users can set up their location. Even Blogger has this option to set up your Location when you post.

3. Local Directories 

Local directories offer opportunities for advertising, besides free listings. In many cases, free listings are accessible to a lot of businesses and people.

Several Local Search Listings:

1. Google
2. Apple/Mapsconnect
3. Bing
4. Yahoo (old Aabaco Small Business) *for US Business only
5. Facebook
6. LinkedIn
7. Twitter
8. Instagram
9. Pinterest
10. YouTube
11. Yelp
12. MapQuest
13. Foursquare
14. Merchant Circle
15. Topix
16. Manta
17. Better Business Bureau
18. ChamberofCommerce.com
19. Angie’s List
20. TripAdvisor
21. HomeAdvisor
22. Yellow Pages
23. White Pages
24. 411.com
25. About.me
26. Best of the Web
27. Switchboard
28. Hotfrog
29. Local.com
30. USCity
31. USDirectory.com
32. EZlocal
33. LocalStack
34. Brownbook
35. CitySquares
36. eLocal
37. Judy’s Book
38. Insider Pages
39. ShowMeLocal
40. CitySearch
41. YellowBot
42. Pushlocal
43. City-Data
44. My Huckleberry

If you are willing to pay, your store can appear in favourable locations, such as search results or just next to your competitors' listings and it is reachable at one glance.

4. Review Websites 

Sites with reviews written by people offer an opportunity to place your ads, also. Usually, these websites give chances to customers to write their opinions about businesses, professionals. And are for free.

What would be if we`ve to pay to share our experience? Totally wrong. Any individual share comments for free based on individual experience with a business. However, review sites have sections for paid ads to promote a business, and not paid reviews.

There are websites operating as business directories and review site like TrueLocal, CitySquares, Foursquare, and so on.

 What`s more, you are free to benefit from any of these:

• You can show ads only during your open hours
• You can direct people to your store directly from mobile or tablet
• You can offer the option to be called with a single tap
• You can let people look at all your 5-stars received testimonials

Local advertising, for free or paid, allows you to find customers close to where you operate. You have many options to run local ads and by limiting advertisements to your proximity, your notoriety grows in that area.