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What does it mean to go hyperlocal?
Going hyperlocal means that the area that you are targeting to market is much smaller than the city level, zip code level, or even a complete street level. A business might want to market specifically to a four-block radius around their physical location. A hyperlocal business is geared to serve that area. Amazon isn’t hyperlocal since they serve everything, everywhere. A car mechanic mainly serves their local area since most people don’t drive that far to get their car repaired.
I have done most of the things I will mention for Liberty Garage in Houston, TX so I will use them as my main example.
So how do you market yourself when you are hyperlocal?
In essence, everyone who actually has a location is already hyperlocal. Everyone wants to be able to be found for their location and to get people who are searching in the local area to find them. Most searches that are hyperlocal use the phrase “near me” as part of the search. Adding “near me” just hyper-localized your search.
Here are a few ideas on how to market yourself hyper-locally but remember I am using the car repair shop as my example.
Source: upswellmarketing
Highlight the hyperlocal area
Do you do business with some of the local other businesses? Do you go to some of the restaurants in your area or do you actually buy a product that you use in your business from somebody else who’s in the area? If the mechanic repairs and installs mufflers but a guy on the next road makes custom mufflers, is there a way to highlight his business since they are similar but not the same thing? Post some pictures of your team on Google at the local taqueria and tell everyone online that you that taqueria a thumbs up. This helps the mechanic, the taqueria, and the muffler guy elevating the hyperlocal area.
Think about marketing the entire area and not just your company
- Google Maps and Apple Maps.
Most people do hyperlocal searches through their map app. Once a business is found through Google Maps the content about that business is shown which is called Google My Business (GMB). GMB and also Apple Maps allow companies to post pictures so post all you can but post images people would want to see. No one cares about the tools used at the mechanic shop but pictures of amazing cars worked on or of super happy clients, etc… can go a long way. You can also post coupons and discounts. We all love a deal so give one. “25% off oil changes who mention this ad.” Hyperlocal search requires you to use the social avenues outside of your website. Use the maps well and you will stand out.
- The “Face” of your business that gets used on social accounts shouldn’t just be your logo since no one has a relationship with a logo.
I suggest making the “face” a person with the logo as part of the image. Maybe the logo is on the shirt the person is wearing or in the background of the photo. If you have ever heard the concept of B2B (business-to-business) or B2C (business-to-consumer) then you have a general idea that in all reality every business is actually C2C (consumer-to-consumer).
Source: reply
- Other companies do the same thing.
There is a good chance that you aren’t the only company that does what you do. When I searched the area there were numerous mechanics all a stones-throw from each other. Instead of looking at all these as competition, think to yourself, “how can I use these other companies as part of my business?” If the car mechanic is at capacity at the moment, maybe they have a deal where they can send the person to another mechanic with a shorter wait and the other mechanic gives them a small referral fee. When businesses compete, you win. When businesses work together, everyone wins—as long as everything is being reciprocated.
- Sponsorships of things/events outside of the car repair shop itself help them rank for keywords related to their area.
Most people try to give back to the area that they are in knowing that if the area is better than they might either get more business or they could charge a higher premium for their business. People look at mechanics and don’t build a familiar connection but instead build it to the idea of how they felt as they were dealing with the business. If the mechanic and I both love the art gallery in the area then I am more adept at using them since through the art gallery I learned who the mechanic was. You might even use your space to sponsor an event. The mechanic could sponsor a small carnival day in their parking lot and invite other businesses in the area to join in.
Source: hanceauto
- Reviews, reviews, reviews!
Get them, use them, love them. Reviews should be highly prominent on your homepage. I would also offer people a discount for a review like .05% off. Good reviews speak for themselves, especially if the person added a picture. A bad review can easily become your best friend. If a client didn’t like the car repair and publicly mentioned it, use the public platform to apologize and tell the client how you want to make it right and how you are GOING to make it right. Don’t ask anyone to remove a bad review but use it to tell people that you aren’t perfect, which they know already, but that you have integrity and will treat people fairly.
Apartment Complexes managers in the area could be sent a message saying that they are offering a discount to people from that complex if they show a utility bill and post a public review (especially the lower-income apartments). If I have it set on the social channels that I live in a certain area and I do business in that area then really I am promoting my entire area and your business in it.
So there you have it. 7 ideas on how to rank in a hyperlocal market. This is 100% doable. You do not need to have the best, most expensive, and biggest website in the area. Learn how to focus your efforts well and you will get the in-person traffic you want.
