The world has gone global, but as a client-based business owner, local leads are the bread and butter of your business. In fact, trying lead generation strategies from large-scale companies can actually hurt your business and your wallet. If you’re a small business owner looking for an influx of clients in your community, local lead generation is key.
Here’s everything you need to know about local lead generation for your small business.
What is local lead generation?
Local lead generation involves identifying and attracting potential clients in the area your business serves. Targeted leads tend to have “higher intent,” i.e., they’re more likely to book you because they have a proven need or interest in your services. And once you’ve gained on those local leads, it’s easier to turn them into repeat clients.
Both new business owners and seasoned pros can benefit from prioritizing their local lead generation strategy. Local lead generation adds a personal touch to the sometimes cold face of sales and marketing. So it’s more effective and rewarding for you and your clients. Plus, you get the satisfaction of building a thriving business in your backyard.
Business owners turn to local lead generation because:
- The personal and target approach makes it easier to develop relationships with clients. You build a reputation and trust in your community. You may even become the go-to professional in your service area. So, those local leads you bring in are more likely to send more leads your way.
- You can save on your marketing budget and get a higher return on your investment. Small, targeted campaigns require less time and money to see through. So, your spending goes down, and your conversion rate goes up.
- It increases brand awareness and recognition. Sure, larger companies will have recognizable logos or slogans. But nothing beats associating a business with a real person. Your clients get to know the person behind the brand and will be more willing to work with you.
So, local lead generation is your best to grow your small business and earn more money!
What’s the best way to generate local business leads?
There are several tried and tested online methods you can use to generate local leads. Here are the top ways to generate local leads for your small business.
#1 Google My Business Profile
Your Google Business profile is your best bet to generate local leads for your business. When customers search “fitness trainer near me” or “Florida nail tech,” they get a list of well-reviewed businesses in their area. You can take steps to make sure your business pops up.
High-quality reviews are super important for your Google Business profile. They reassure new clients and boost the legitimacy of your services. But reviews are only one piece of the puzzle. Your Google Business page should also be set up to turn those users into paid bookings.
PocketSuite makes it easy to bring in leads from your Google Business profile. You can connect your Google business page to your PocketSuite account. Set up your “book now” button, and clients will be able to schedule your services in one place.
#2 Website SEO
Search engines are the first point of contact for potential clients. Search engines like Google give users personalized results, usually based on their location. It’s the perfect tool for local lead generation if you can get your website to rank.
Search engine optimization (SEO) maximizes your business’ visibility and ranking in local search results. With a few techniques, you get more local visitors to your website and more bookings. Search engines will rank your site higher based on several factors, like external links and the quality of your content.
To optimize your website’s SEO for local lead generation:
- Work on your site’s internal linking structure, i.e., link to your new pages from other high-authority pages on your website
- Make sure your website content and images are mobile-friendly
- Keep your contact information and social media links up to date.
#3 Paid Advertisements
Ad placements are a great way to general local leads. You can create targeted advertisements to ensure your business and services show up in search results. Your paid ads can be linked to certain keywords and will show up as “sponsored” content before organic search results. In a nutshell, placing your ads on keywords with higher interest can lead to more visitors on your website or booking page.
Also, consider paid advertisements on social media channels. Most social platforms allow you to push ads to a target group of users based on their location or interests. You’ll be able to set a budget that works for your small business.
Make sure your social media page and content are optimized for lead generation before running paid ads. For example, add your booking link and location to your profiles and make use of hashtags and geotags so your content is seen by the right people in the right place. Also, you have the budget to reach out to influencers to market your services.
Lead the way
Local lead generation is key to growing a client-based small business. PocketSuite makes it easy and affordable to generate new leads with our Google Leads and Reviews feature. You can connect your Google Business account and set a lead budget in the PocketSuite app. We’re an all-in-one tool to grow your small business.
