Why should you market locally? Here are some good reasons:

Online business directories

• Several people go to local online business directories especially when they’re seeking local solutions.

• It’s crucial to submit your website to as many local directories as possible, not just the major ones. The reason for this can be explained with an analogy. Imagine your website is a marble, and a local business directory is a stack of marbles. Someone who’s looking for a solution gets to select a couple of marbles from the stack and then choose their favorite one.

With a hundred different local directories out there, not everyone will be picking out of the same stack. Some directories are more specific while others are broader. Therefore you really want to make sure you’re putting yourself in a position to be found, regardless of where people are searching for your products and services.

Facebook

• Facebook Places is targeted, social, and local. The average Facebook user has 130 friends. If somebody uses Places to check in to your business and you’re offering a deal, their friends have the chance to hear about it through word of mouth marketing which occurs naturally on the social networking giant.

• More than 200 million people use Facebook on their mobile devices, and they’re looking to discover nearby deals and events using their smartphones. Having a promotion gives these potential customers a reason to check out your business.

• Facebook lets you access a larger network, reach people through mobile, and advertise at no cost.

Yelp

• On Yelp, local businesses are judged via user reviews, which is a form of word of mouth marketing. Yelp allows people to follow their friends, whose opinions they respect more than those of random strangers. So if someone posts a review of your business, whether positive or negative, their friends are more likely to read it and take it into account.

• You can keep track of your reviews on Yelp. This is important as it lets you see what your customers are saying about you. And if you get a negative review, you have the opportunity to address it, which can ultimately have a positive impact on your business.

Google Places

• People can rate and rank your business providing a great tool for word of mouth buzz! You can also list specials and even some of latest products or services you provide.