Sept. 5 – BBB Business Tip: Marketing smarter, not harder: 7 cost-effective strategies for local businesses | Opinion

Creating or optimizing your business listing on platforms like Google and Bing can significantly enhance visibility, particularly for “near me” searches. In fact, local “near me” queries have surged by 200 percent since 2017, and 97 percent of users discover local businesses this way, with roughly half of those visitors clicking through to the business’s site.

Tip: Don’t stop at basic listings, apply local SEO and answer engine optimization tactics to help your business appear in featured snippets, voice searches, and direct responses.

2. Use email marketing to boost engagement

Email marketing remains one of the highest ROI strategies around, with businesses averaging $36 back for every $1 spent. Best practices include:

· Segmenting your audience for personalized messaging

· Automating campaigns for consistent stay-in-touch touchpoints

· Highlighting complementary offerings to encourage upsells or return visits

3. Be strategic on social media

Encourage local engagement by creating content that reflects your community’s identity, and consider low-cost ads when your budget allows. Why it works: Social media humanizes your brand and enables precise audience targeting. Facebook alone has 2.8 billion monthly users, and well-crafted low-budget ads can yield substantial returns.

4. Prioritize mobile audiences

Smartphone usage continues to rise, driving mobile ad spend past $494 billion in 2024. Low-cost mobile tactics:

· Use mobile-optimized display ads or stories on Facebook and Instagram

· Deploy SMS or push-notification campaigns where supported

· Ensure your website is fast and mobile-friendly to boost engagement and conversions

5. Lean Into Traditional Advertising Where It Counts

Despite digital’s dominance, traditional channels still serve localized businesses well. Affordable options:

· Local print ads (community newspapers or newsletters)

· Flyers or posters in community centers or partner shops

· Sponsorship or cross-promotion with local events or causes.

6. Build Strategic Partnerships

Partnering with complementary local businesses can significantly expand marketing reach. For example, a café might team up with a nearby bookstore for joint promotions or shared in-store visibility. The key is to align values and cross-promote effectively.

7. Leverage BBB Credibility

If you’re BBB-accredited, highlight it. This builds legitimacy and trust with local customers. Your business gets listed on BBB’s network and benefits from ongoing resources and brand association.

· Start digital: Optimize local listings, build an email list, and go mobile-friendly.

· Amplify your efforts: Use low-cost print or event tactics to boost visibility.

· Network smartly: Collaborate with others and lean on your BBB credentials.

· Measure and adjust: Track engagement and ROI continuously to fine-tune what works best.

Local businesses can harness powerful marketing tools without draining the budget. By combining free digital channels, savvy mobile strategies, trusted partnerships, and BBB credibility, you can elevate your presence and win loyal customers without spending a lot.