What Local Business Owners Discover When Advertising Online

Old school advertising methods still work for some but increasingly we find advertising online has a much greater impact for local business owners. I’m always impressed when a local contractor not only recognizes the differences in ROI between print and online advertising, but also takes the time to track results.

I spend a lot of time with network marketers or web based business owners who basically drive the demand for improvements to tracking online results. From a marketing perspective it really doesn’t matter where you invest your advertising dollar as long as you know exactly how well your ad campaigns are performing.

The potential to drill down to a well defined niche target and not waste money speaking to an audience you can’t possibly serve is why internet marketing beats print or public media advertising for cost effectiveness.

Advertising Online with Social Media

I don’t expect seasoned plumbers or electricians to have the same working knowledge of social media advertising. As long as they’ve experienced the potential of an ‘Adwords’ campaign they’re essentially predisposed to jumping into the deep end.

For most small business owners who service a local clientele the social media campaign can be managed in just a few hours a week. A family member or administrator can spend about 15 to 20 minutes a day updating, responding and sharing.

While hiring a social media manager may not be obtainable for all small businesses, the skills can be mastered by anyone. Most people already know how spread news online and the menus for placing ads in social media are as friendly as the platform itself.

SEO vs. The Chamber of Commerce – or – Advertising Online vs. Print Ads

Depending upon the business you’re looking to attract, joining your local chamber may be a good idea.

Businesses typically trust chamber members but these days the local chamber can be full of competition. Everyone has the opportunity to place their ads in the chamber’s directory but anyone who wants more information is going to find it online.

SEO is important for your online business world as it relates to being found according to the relevance of your site or other online content. Advertising online through SEO is usually considered free, although there is work involved. For local businesses most of that SEO effort is focused on location.

Advertising Online as a Fully Branded Entity

Recognition and reputation go hand in hand. Comments, recommendations and reviews drive interest.

What people are saying about you on the street defines your brand in the real world. What they say about you online defines your brand in the online business world.

Advertising online isn’t just about making a connection between the person who clicks your ad and your local business. It’s also about sharing your brand with them in a way that allows them to share it with the rest of their online world.

If you’re a local or traditional business owner with results or insight you’d like to share about advertising online we welcome your input. For practical help with every aspect of doing business online please visit ‘Free Online Home Business Training’ to discover how to apply the techniques used by home business owners for your traditional business.