We asked the experts to share their top tips and strategies!
Local marketing is important for any business—whether you’re a mom-and-pop with a storefront downtown or a large national franchise. You want to get seen and found by people looking for your products or services, which they’re often searching for locally. In fact, nearly half of all Google searches have local intent.
So, what are the best local marketing trends and strategies that will help you see success this year? Today, we’re sharing the top 14—as told by the experts!
“Local marketing in 2024 no longer means placing an ad in a local paper—although that can have its place,” said Magee Clegg, CEO of Cleartail Marketing.
“It’s more about focusing on strategies that emphasize long-term customer relationships, utilizing professional platforms and proactively managing your online reputation.”
Here are some tactics, trends, and ideas to help you build the most successful local marketing strategy for 2024.
This isn’t necessarily a trend as Google Business Profiles have been around for 10 years (this year!), but it’s extremely important for any local marketing strategy. You still need to master the basics. This means optimizing your Google Business Profile, Apple Maps, and other local directories for local—and hyper-local—SEO.
“Ensuring your business appears in local search results, particularly your Google Business listing, can significantly increase visibility,” said Deepak Shukla, founder of SEO agency Pearl Lemon. “In the post-pandemic era, where online presence has become even more critical, this strategy is essential for attracting local customers.”
Optimization tactics for local search include the addition of hours, offerings, and reviews, which help convert searchers into customers, said Dan Dillon CEO of CleanItSupply.com.
This also helps businesses establish themselves as authoritative and build local trust, added Dmytro Sokhach, founder of digital marketing agency Admix Global.
As “near me” searches remain popular—more than 60% of mobile searches have local intent, by some estimates—Ken Fortney, CEO of SEO firm That Local Pack, pointed to one New York restaurant, which saw a 270% increase in revenue in a single year by adopting an enhanced local SEO strategy that included Google Business optimization, as well as customer reviews (more on that later) and location-specific menus.
“Consumers are increasingly turning to local search to fulfill their immediate needs, and local SEO is key in attracting these ready-to-convert customers,” Fortney said.
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In addition to local SEO basics, businesses should also integrate natural language processing to capitalize on voice queries.
“This involves utilizing conversational, long-tail keywords in content optimization, leading to a broader range of search visibility and potential customer attraction,” Fortney said.
For example, instead of targeting “Italian restaurants,” businesses could use “family-friendly Italian restaurant in Boston.”
“This hyper-personalization targets the niche audience directly and increases conversion probability,” added Gianluca Ferruggia, general manager of B2B marketplace DesignRush.
And don’t forget Schema markup.
“Optimizing for local pack rankings with precise location-based keywords and building localized links from directory listings and community websites is key,” said Lyn Collanto, marketing specialist at SEO agency KBA Web. “As mobile and voice search continue to rise, enhancing on-site elements like click-to-call and direction links will also be impactful.”
While the benefits of using influencers to connect with consumers is widely documented, collaborating with local influencers, which may have smaller audiences, can be a big boon to local marketing.
“Including local micro-influencers in marketing campaigns can yield positive results,” Ferruggia said. “Their niche, dedicated following helps generate trustworthy word-of-mouth in the respective community.”
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In addition to local influencers, local events are a good strategy to think about.
Examples include hosting workshops or classes, such as a cake decorating tutorial at a bakery.
“These events attract potential customers and create a memorable experience associated with your brand,” said Randy VanderVaate, CEO of Funeral Funds of America.
“By partnering with local influencers and businesses and hosting or sponsoring local events, a company can effectively tap into the local audience,” Shukla said. “These strategies not only enhance community engagement but also foster a sense of solidarity and support, which is particularly valuable in the current times where there’s a strong desire for community connection.”
In fact, Dillon believes community partnerships will grow in importance as these events help foster trust and authenticity.
Geoff Cudd, founder of review site Don’t Do It Yourself, agreed businesses that engage in local events, sponsor local teams or partner with other local businesses can see a boost in reputation and loyalty.
“This approach not only increases brand visibility but also builds a strong local network,” he added.
That could even include a cross-promotional offer with another local business.
“Brands that engage in local community initiatives or partner with other local businesses to create combined offerings may witness higher customer loyalty and differentiate themselves in the bustling marketplace,” said Pavel Naydenov, head of marketing at software platform Businessmap.
Per his figures, Oleg Segal, CEO of discount site DealA, said he has seen a 45% increase in these local partnerships in recent months.
Along the way, encourage customers to leave online reviews on platforms like Google and Yelp. A solid presence here can contribute to a successful local marketing strategy.
That’s in part because local sentiment and word-of-mouth lives online now. And so it’s important to address both positive and negative reviews instead of trying to bury the latter.
“Actively listening, engaging positively, and addressing negative reviews is critical to maintaining community trust and loyalty,” said Iurii Nemtcev, CEO of Big Lab Digital Agency.
In addition to advertising on social media, local businesses can use these platforms to drive community engagement.
“Social media platforms are increasingly becoming local hubs,” Shukla said. “Engaging with the community by promoting local events, participating in local discussions, and showcasing community involvement can build a loyal local following.”
While social platforms like Facebook and Instagram remain popular among local marketers—and for good reasons—Clegg called LinkedIn “a potent platform for local businesses looking to expand their reach.”
That’s in part because LinkedIn outreach can deliver enhanced results when combined with emails. For one client, Clegg added 400 emails per month and scheduled 40 qualified sales calls per month as a result of implementing this tactic.
Beyond engaging communities on social media, tap into the power of these platforms to target your ads to local consumers.
“Platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer advanced targeting options that allow businesses to reach potential customers in specific geographic areas,” Cudd said. “By creating localized content and ads, businesses can effectively engage with a community-focused audience.”
An example of a localized ad vs. a generic ad for the same business.
The result is the personalized content consumers crave—and can reach potential customers with a high potential for engagement.
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Hyper-local targeting will get a boost in 2024 thanks to more advanced data analytics.
“In 2024, the key is hyper-local targeting, using advanced data analytics to understand and engage with specific demographics within a community,” said Leena Sowambur, founder of Marcomms by Leena.
What’s more, the ability to combine consumer data points—such as shopping habits, online behavior and even political leanings—will fuel more personalized messaging.
“We’re seeing an unprecedented emphasis on cross-sectional marketing,” she added. “This strategy allows for nuanced messaging that resonates deeply with diverse groups within a community.”
Local businesses that want to take their content marketing efforts up a notch should consider video, which remains the format of choice across social media.
“This trend offers businesses new opportunities to creatively engage with their target audiences, revolutionizing how they connect with viewers,” said Zain Bin Zameer, senior link-building expert at Technology Ally. “Whether through product demos, brand stories or educational tutorials, the impact of video content is set to reshape the marketing landscape for years to come.”
In addition, Dillon suggested small businesses experiment with formats like short-form or live videos to capitalize on platforms like TikTok and Reels.
“These strategies will harness not only digital trends but also market shifts in consumer behavior and technological advancements,” he added.
While the benefits of video content are well-documented, high-quality video isn’t always affordable.
However, thanks to the advent of AI tools, we’re going to see further democratization of high-quality video content in 2024.
That’s according to Lucas Ochoa, CEO of Automat, who said, “What used to be an expensive and exclusive process is becoming more accessible and affordable. This shift won’t just level the playing field for local businesses but will also usher in a fresh wave of creativity and personalization in marketing communications.”
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But geo-targeted content like emails and texts can also be powerful tools.
“Most importantly, producing consistent, high-quality local content tailored to the area and offering real value to nearby searchers is what can propel SEO success for local businesses in the ever-evolving local search landscape,” Collanto said. “Focusing initiatives around these types of local marketing strategies and trends will yield the best results.”
Even B2C brands will want to pay attention to this one.
As consumer behavior continues to go digital and data-driven marketing tactics proliferate, local advertisers have an opportunity to embrace B2B marketing strategies to expand their reach.
“The concept takes a bit of a pivot from traditional B2C strategies—it views every local customer as a potential business partner,” Clegg said. “In practice, we helped our clients build stronger relationships with local customers and offered them value beyond a single transaction, converting them into long-term advocates for the business.”
Finally, brands that sell products online have an opportunity in what Sunny Zheng, senior manager at cosmetic brand Tengyu, called “personalized local ecommerce.”
By creating web pages with content and deals specifically for target regions via its Regional Specials project, Tengyu netted 2000 additional online sales in three months.
“It shows how much people appreciate content that feels personally relevant to them,” Zheng said.
Using these expert-approved local marketing trends and tips, you can build a strategy that gets you seen by the right local audience.
Here are the best local marketing trends, tips, and strategies for 2024:
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