If you have a local business, your company likely serves customers who live in your area or close by. If this is the case, you’ll want to choose an online marketing agency that is local to your area as well. Here are some of the top reasons why you should choose a local online marketing agency rather than one based elsewhere.
Local Agencies Tend to have more Experience with Local Consumers
It can be hard to reach local consumers online. If you aren’t located in their immediate vicinity, your online ads are less likely to show up when they do a search for what you offer (or even in local search results).
But an agency that is locally based has more experience with local consumers since they’re usually catering to locals. This gives them an advantage over agencies that don’t have much of a physical presence and can only market in your area remotely.
They may be Cheaper than Larger Competitors
All things being equal, local businesses tend to charge less than large, international companies. While that doesn’t mean they can’t deliver high-quality services, it does make them more appealing to cash-strapped startups.
So be sure to ask potential agencies how they price their services and whether they offer any lower pricing plans. And if they don’t have a set rate list available on their website, that should be an immediate red flag—don’t hire these people!
They are Better Suited to your Business
Whether you’re local or not, a local marketing agency will be better suited to your particular business. Smaller agencies are more likely to have smaller teams than their large corporate competitors, which means your project won’t get lost in a pile of other projects; your agency will be able to give it all of its attention and expertise.
A small agency is also likely to know your industry better than a larger one that may work with businesses from across multiple industries. And, if they’re local, they can probably meet with you face-to-face!
There’s a better Chance of Getting better Service
It’s easier to reach out and talk with an actual person face-to-face, meaning you can ask your questions without being redirected to someone else. In fact, 81% of customers want brands to have local customer service numbers; if you don’t include one in your email signature or on your website, they may not stay customers for long.
A smaller agency will be more invested in your success: An online marketing agency that has experience working with small businesses will be able to offer better customer service because they understand what it takes to make sure their clients succeed.
They are Likely to stay in Business Longer
if you are going to spend money on advertising, you want it to work for as long as possible. This means that if you find an agency in your local area, chances are they’ll be around for years to come.
Having someone local is great for emergencies: if something goes wrong with your website or ads, you want to be able to get help from someone nearby so that repairs can happen quickly. This allows you to continue business operations even when it might be inconvenient or costly otherwise.
They will Use Tried and Tested Strategies that work Locally
Local businesses can’t compete with large national brands on price, so they need to adopt a different approach. Traditional tactics won’t work for local businesses, but using tried and tested local marketing strategies will: local SEO firms know exactly how to draw in targeted customers via their smartphones, tablets and computers.
Local businesses understand your needs better than anyone else: While there are plenty of ways to market your business online, it takes someone who knows your area best to recommend an effective strategy that will work well locally.
And finally, it is Easier to Change Providers if you aren’t happy
One of the biggest reasons why you should choose a local online marketing agency is because it will be easier to change providers if you aren’t happy. As a small business owner, you have enough on your plate without worrying about monitoring your agency for performance.
What’s more, if you are planning to use multiple services from an agency (SEO and social media management, for example), it can get tricky figuring out which portion is affecting your business.