Social media has the power to connect to millions of people around the world. But what if the only people that matter are the ones who live locally to your business?
If you run a local business, like a pub, restaurant or physical shop, then you want to make sure you’re appealing to your LOCAL audience, who are likely to actually visit you and generate footfall. So how do you keep your social media super targeted?
Here are some tips to attract the attention of the right audience.
1. Set up your profile for success.
On Instagram, make sure that your name and bio contains your local town name and address. Not only does this make it clear where you are for anybody who comes across your profile, it also helps Instagram learn where you are, which makes you more likely to come up as a ‘suggested for you’ account for people searching for other local accounts.
Similarly, on Facebook, make sure your bio contains your address.
2. Add a geo-location tag to your posts.
When posting, make sure to click ‘add location’. You can add your business as an address, so that other people can also add this to their posts. But make sure to vary this and include the wider town/city to expand your reach.
3. Use local hashtags.
Local SEO is key for being found online. Include the hashtags of your town name and other areas that you might attract customers. But don’t just focus on your location - broaden your hashtags out out to include….
Your business - e.g. #chicagophotographers #manchesterpubs
Your local audience - e.g #oxfordmums #bostonbrides
Other things your audience might be searching for - e.g. #thingstodoinmelbourne #whatsoninedinburgh #portsmouthlife
4. Collaborate with your neighbours
Everybody needs good neighbours. Team up with nearby businesses for shoutouts or joint promotions.
On Instagram, when you ‘collaborate’ on a post, and the other account accepts, you’ll show up in their feed as well, meaning you get in front of the local audience that they’ve built up and vice versa!
Consider whether there are any influencers in your local area that you could team up with. As well as getting exposure to their audience, they can take some great photos/videos to help promote your business.
5. Engage with your locals!
Social Media is all about community. And you need to be part of that community. Join in local conversations and build a relationship with your audience.
Facebook is full of groups for local areas - join some and (if allowed) promote any events you have coming up or keep an eye out for people looking for your services.
6. Use photos and videos of your local area
Using images of well-known locations in your local area is going to stand out on your local’s feeds.
7. Use targeted Ads
If you’re wanting to increase your reach to a local audience, Facebook & Instagram ads can be a great way to geo-target the right people. You can set up your audience location to make sure you only target people living in the area you specify, meaning your money is spent effectively.
By making use of key features like these, you’ll be able to be more targeted with your content and reach the right people.
To find out more about how Spirit Social can help your business show up on social media and make the most of your local marketing, send us some details and we’ll arrange a discovery call so we can discuss your challenges.