If you have a local business, you might be wondering how to advertise it online and reach more customers. Online advertising is a powerful way to promote your products or services, increase your brand awareness, and generate more sales.
However, not all online advertising platforms are created equal. Some are more suitable for local businesses than others, and some are more effective than others.
In this article, we will help you find the best digital advertising platforms for your local business and show you how to use them to create successful ads.
Why Use Online Advertising for Your Local Business?
Online advertising has many advantages for local businesses, such as:
- It allows you to target your ideal customers based on their location, demographics, interests, behaviors, and more. You can reach people who are nearby, who are looking for your products or services, or who have shown interest in your niche.
- It helps you increase your online visibility and reputation. You can showcase your business on popular websites, social media platforms, search engines, and directories. You can also collect reviews, ratings, and testimonials from your customers and display them on your ads.
- It gives you more control over your budget and performance. You can set your own goals, budget, and bidding strategy. You can also track and measure your results and optimize your ads accordingly. You can see how many people see your ads, how many click on them, how many visit your website, and how many convert into customers.
- It offers you more flexibility and creativity. You can choose from different types of ads, such as text, image, video, audio, or interactive. You can also customize your ads to match your brand identity, message, and offer. You can test different variations of your ads and see which ones perform better.
How to Choose the Best Digital Advertising Platform for Your Local Business?
There are many digital advertising platforms available, but not all of them are suitable for local businesses.
Some factors to consider when choosing the best platform for your local business are:
- Your target audience. You should choose a platform that has a large and relevant audience for your business. You should also consider the demographics, interests, and behaviors of your potential customers and how they use the platform.
- Your advertising goals. You should choose a platform that aligns with your advertising goals, whether they are to increase brand awareness, generate leads, drive traffic, or boost sales. You should also consider the type of ad format that best suits your goals, such as text, image, video, or interactive.
- Your budget and resources. You should choose a platform that fits your budget and resources. You should consider the cost per click (CPC), cost per impression (CPM), or cost per action (CPA) of the platform, as well as the minimum budget required. You should also consider the time and effort required to create, manage, and optimize your ads on the platform.
How to Create Effective Ads for Your Local Business?
Once you have chosen the best digital advertising platform for your local business, you need to create effective ads that attract customers.
Here are some tips to help you create successful ads:
- Use clear and compelling headlines. Your headline is the first thing that your audience will see, so make sure it grabs their attention and sparks their curiosity. Use keywords that are relevant to your business and your offer, and include a benefit or a value proposition.
- Use high-quality images or videos. Your image or video is the second thing that your audience will see, so make sure it is relevant, appealing, and professional. Use images or videos that showcase your products or services, your location, or your customers. Avoid using generic or stock images or videos that do not represent your business.
- Use concise and persuasive copy. Your copy is the third thing that your audience will see, so make sure it is clear, concise, and persuasive. Use simple and direct language that speaks to your audience’s needs, wants, and pain points. Highlight the features and benefits of your products or services, and include a clear and strong call to action (CTA).
- Use geo-targeting and location extensions. Geo-targeting and location extensions are features that allow you to show your ads to people who are near your business or who are searching for your products or services in your area. They can help you increase your relevance, credibility, and conversions. Geo-targeting lets you choose the geographic area where you want your ads to appear, while location extensions let you add your business address, phone number, and directions to your ads.
Top 10 Free Online Advertising Platforms for Small Businesses in 2023
If you are looking for free online advertising platforms for your local business, here are the top 10 options that you should consider:
- Facebook Marketplace: Best for businesses selling low to medium-priced goods locally. Facebook Marketplace is a feature that allows you to buy and sell items on Facebook. You can list your products for free, add photos and descriptions, and chat with buyers directly on the platform. You can also use Facebook Ads to boost your listings and reach more people.
- Google Business Profile: Best for businesses with a physical location, looking to increase online visibility. Google Business Profile is a feature that allows you to create a free profile for your business on Google. You can add your business name, address, phone number, website, hours, photos, reviews, and more. Your profile will appear on Google Search and Maps when people search for your business or related keywords.
- Craigslist: Best for local businesses offering community-based goods and services. Craigslist is a classified ads website that allows you to post ads for free in various categories, such as for sale, services, jobs, housing, and more. You can target your ads by city, region, or country, and add photos and descriptions. You can also use Craigslist to find local events, groups, and activities related to your business.
- Yelp: Best for local businesses, especially in the restaurant, health, beauty, and professional service sectors. Yelp is a review website and app that allows you to create a free profile for your business and collect ratings and reviews from your customers. You can also add your business information, photos, menus, offers, and more. Your profile will appear on Yelp when people search for your business or related keywords.
- Oodle: Best for locally-based businesses aiming to connect to a wider audience. Oodle is a marketplace website that allows you to post ads for free in various categories, such as merchandise, vehicles, rentals, jobs, services, and more. You can also integrate your ads with your social media accounts, such as Facebook and Twitter, to reach more people. Oodle also syndicates your ads to other websites, such as eBay and ForRent.com.
- Gumtree: Best by local sellers focused on sustainability and upcycling. Gumtree is a classified ads website that allows you to post ads for free in various categories, such as for sale, motors, property, jobs, services, and more. You can also add photos and descriptions, and chat with buyers directly on the platform. Gumtree is popular among people who are looking for second-hand items, bargains, and eco-friendly products.
- Locanto: Best for local events, classes and entertainment businesses. Locanto is a classified ads website that allows you to post ads for free in various categories, such as for sale, services, jobs, community, and more. You can also add photos and descriptions, and contact buyers or sellers directly on the platform. Locanto is ideal for businesses that offer local events, classes, and entertainment services, such as concerts, festivals, workshops, and courses.
- Geebo: Best for businesses valuing safety and education. Geebo is a classified ads website that allows you to post ads for free in various categories, such as merchandise, vehicles, employment, real estate, services, and more. You can also add photos and descriptions, and communicate with buyers or sellers via email. Geebo is known for its safety and security features, such as verifying ads and users, and providing tips and resources on how to avoid scams and frauds.
- OLX: Best for businesses selling high-value items or services locally. OLX is a marketplace website that allows you to post ads for free in various categories, such as vehicles, property, electronics, furniture, fashion, services, and more. You can also add photos and descriptions, and chat with buyers or sellers directly on the platform. OLX is popular among people who are looking for high-value items or services, such as cars, houses, laptops, or tutors.
- Nextdoor: Best for businesses looking to build trust and loyalty with their neighbors. Nextdoor is a social networking website and app that allows you to connect with your neighbors and local community. You can create a free profile for your business and post updates, offers, events, and more. You can also interact with your neighbors, get recommendations, and join local groups. Nextdoor is a great way to build trust and loyalty with your local customers and generate word-of-mouth referrals.
Conclusion
Online advertising is a powerful way to advertise your business locally and reach more customers.
However, you need to choose the best digital advertising platform for your local business, create effective ads that attract customers, and use geo-targeting and location extensions to increase your relevance and conversions.
In this article, we have shown you how to advertise your business locally with the best digital advertising platforms.
We have also given you some tips on how to create effective ads for your local business and provided you with a list of the top 10 free online advertising platforms for small businesses in 2023.
We hope you found this article helpful and informative. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. Thank you for reading and happy advertising!