For local small-medium businesses (SMBs), the summer season brings more than warmer weather; it brings the potential for an additional revenue stream from the flow of seasonal tourists to local attractions, concerts, fairs, and special events; such as visitors to the Cornwall Ribfest Community Cookout. The obstacle for most businesses is that they don’t know where to find tourists.

The Challenge For SMBs

It is a challenge for local SMBs to find opportunities to communicate their marketing message directly to consumers. This can be even more challenging when trying to capture the attention of those who are visiting from other parts of the province, state, country, or even the world.

The Solution For SMBs

SMBs must adopt a locally-focused social media marketing strategy that is tailored to tourists and visitors, who are searching for local information, tips, and advice; before and during their visit.

The Strategy For SMBs

To ensure that SMBs reach local visitors with their marketing message, they must create and contribute locally-focused content that targets tourists in search and on the social networks they use most. To achieve this, whether the event be Cornwall Ribfest or other, businesses must:

1. Include their location in social media profiles and in their posts.
2. Monitor and contribute to local and event hashtag conversations.
3. Collaborate with other local businesses, organizations, agencies.

1. Add Location To Social Media Posts And Profiles

Aside from providing a carefully crafted narrative to visitors, the description included in your social media profile also communicates valuable information to search engines.

Within your social network profile’s description, you should include the name of your city or town (and perhaps even province/state to avoid confusion), as well as local landmarks that are close to your business.

For example: “Located in downtown Cornwall, Ontario.”

Both Google and Facebook offer Local Business pages to help you increase your exposure across their platforms. Although Twitter does not offer a dedicated page for businesses, it does encourage users to include a valid geographic location in their profile description.

Google

Including your business in Google My Business connects your business directly with online consumers, whether they are searching for information using Google Search or Google Maps, and regardless of what device they are using (computer, mobile phone, or tablet). Do not underestimate the value of this exposure.

Your business’ page will provide driving directions to your business, display your hours of operations, and include a telephone number that mobile phone users can click-to-call you.

Facebook

When Facebook introduced Graph Search, they announced that their users were performing one billion search queries per day. According to the platform, most of these queries were related to local information.

Some examples of these locally related searches included:

• specific interests in a particular city
• photos/videos taken in a particular city
• restaurants in a city

From a marketer’s perspective, this clearly demonstrates Facebook’s intention to work towards becoming a leader in connecting people with their favorite local businesses.

To capitalize on opportunities to connect with the local Facebook audience, be sure to include your local street address and phone number with a local area code on your business’ Facebook profile. As well, add your business as your current workplace under the “About” tab in the “Work and Education” section of your personal profile.

Another great way to increase your business’ exposure locally is to engage with other local Facebook pages. To accomplish this:

1. Click on the settings wheel icon at the top right of your Facebook screen.
2. Select your page under the “Use Facebook As” section.

Doing this will allow you to search for, like, and comment on other business pages as your page; instead of your personal profile.

Local Engagement

To get the greatest exposure, you will want to engage (“Like”, comment, and share) with local pages where your ideal customers are active. Some great examples of local pages to begin engaging with as your local business, especially during events such as Cornwall’s RibFest Community Cookout, include:

Local News

• Cornwall Newswatch: Facebook, Twitter
• Seaway News: Facebook, Twitter
• Standard Freeholder: Facebook, Twitter
• The Seeker: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

City Government & Agencies

• City of Cornwall: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
• Cornwall Tourism: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

Professional Organizations

• Cornwall Chamber of Commerce: Facebook, Twitter
• Cornwall DBIA: Facebook, Twitter
• Optimist Club of Cornwall: Facebook

Local Events & Participants

• Ribfest: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
• Au Vieux Duluth: Facebook
• Birchwood Cafe: Facebook
• Blue Anchor: Facebook
• Boston Pizza: Facebook
• Cora’s Cornwall: Facebook
• Edward’s Bistro: Facebook, Instagram
• Eight Zero Zero: Facebook, Instagram
• Esca Gourmet Pizza: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
• King George Restaurant: Facebook
• Lancaster Pizza: Facebook
• Peppermills (Hops & Barley – Best Western) : Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
• Schnitzels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
• Sheep’s Head: Facebook, Instagram
• Shoeless Joe’s: Facebook
• Simply Jennifer: Facebook
• Spinners Diner: Facebook
• The Glengarrian: Facebook
• The Pitt: Facebook
• The Spicy Pearl: Facebook, Instagram
• Truffles: Facebook, Instagram

Facebook’s Nearby Places

Another feature that will increase your exposure to tourists on Facebook is to add your business location. This will help your business display as a “nearby place” when users perform a search on Facebook.

To benefit from this, it is important that you have added all of your basic Page information, including your business name, the proper category (must be Companies & Organizations or Local Businesses), local address, telephone number, store operating hours, username, and a short description of your business.

To let people check-in at your business’ location, go to your page’s Address section. Below the map, select the box next to “Show map and check-ins on the Page.”

It is important to note that places the user’s friends have recommended or checked into will be displayed higher. Additionally, results that are similar to the people, places, and things that a friend has already connected to may be ranked higher; as well.

Add Location To Facebook Posts

Providing information about your location increases the relevancy of your posts when visitors are searching for local stores and services.

Adding your location to your Facebook posts is another very effective way to gain local exposure with Facebook users, whether they be residents or visitors to the area.

Selecting the location icon at the bottom of your post will open up a list of known places near your current location. You may either select one of the existing nearby places on the list, or begin typing your location. Click on a location to add it to your status.

Instagram

Facebook is the parent company of Instagram. Generally speaking, the local marketing strategies you apply to your posts and profile on Facebook, such as geo tagging for example, can be mirrored on Instagram.

Twitter

Optimizing Your Twitter Profile

If you are not providing valid location information on your business’ Twitter profile, you are missing out on opportunities to connect with users shopping locally.

According to the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), 34% of Twitter users do not provide a valid geographic location on their Twitter user profile. Instead, many take the opportunity to make jokes, reference celebrities (such as Bieberville, Justin Bieber’s heart, and Bieberacademy), or provide no or non-real location information.

Near This Place in Twitter Search

The advanced page of Twitter’s search engine has an option to search “near this place.” You can simply enter your city or town and get a real-time stream of all the people tweeting from a specific location or near it. These targeted Twitter search results are influenced by the location field in people’s Twitter bio.

For fun, try an advanced Twitter search of “near:Cornwall within:25km”

Add Location To Twitter Posts

Twitter is another social media platform that allows you to show your followers the location you are posting from as part of your Tweet. Users can add a general location such as “Cornwall, Ontario,” or choose the name of a specific business, landmark, or other point of interest.

Sharing your location allows Twitter to deliver your content to users near your location, as well as include it in location-specific trends that will improve your exposure.

To include your location in your Tweet, select the location marker at the bottom of your post after composing your message, and then choose the location you wish to add.

2. Monitor And Contribute To Hashtag Conversations

The hashtag has emerged as the most popular means of categorizing social media content around a common theme or interest. When looking for local insights, hashtags can deliver a wealth of information about local interests and sentiment, as well as provide you a receptive audience in which to share branded marketing messages.

Event Hashtags

All the major events (fairs, concerts, etc.) in your area SHOULD have a hashtag for visitors to monitor and contribute to. Aside from being very effective in pulling a conversation together, hashtags make it easy for people to find event photos and interact with attendees.

To encourage engagement with your business, re-share and mention great pieces of content that attendees are sharing with the event’s hashtag.

For example, the 2020 Cornwall Ribfest Community Cookout will be using #ribfestcommunitycookout for the event.

Local Hashtags

Adding a hashtag to the name of your city or town is a good place to begin looking for a local conversation to participate in. Also, established neighborhoods, local landmarks and attractions provide the focus for many online conversations; as well. Perform a search, including a hashtag, for relevant locations in individual networks. Respond and retweet to engage with local conversations.

Although the posts you are engaging with may not be directly with tourists, getting your business/brand into the local conversation increases your visibility when visitors arrive for vacations and events, and search for local information.

For example, #CornwallOntario, #SouthStormont, #LamoureuxPark

3. Collaborate with Local Businesses, Organizations, Agencies

One of the best ways to connect with your community is by making meaningful contributions to other Local Business pages.

By interacting regularly with other local pages as your own business page, this includes re-sharing, commenting on, and tagging others in posts, you will build relationships and increase your own exposure locally.

To use an example unrelated to Cornwall Ribfest …

If Riley’s Bakery used apples from Marlin’s Orchards to bake pies for the Agape Centre Bake Sale, all three of these businesses/organization would have a keen interest in sharing each other’s content related to the bakery baking the pies, the orchard picking and providing the apples, and the non-profit organization raising money to help others. Their combined efforts are the recipe for a great story.

Even though they did not directly collaborate on a marketing campaign, you see how opportunities can present themselves, and give businesses a chance to tell the audience a story about the unique ingredients they contributed.

Become More Locally-Relevant

The goal is for you, your business, organization or agency to become more locally-relevant. This targeted exposure is best accomplished by establishing a strong local presence online in search (i.e. Google Local Business, Guides, Maps) and in social media, and by making meaningful contributions to local conversations on popular social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Focus your marketing efforts on creating and sharing branded content that highlights/showcases local businesses, events (such as Cornwall Ribfest), landmarks, and attractions. Additionally, you can increase the reach of your communications by collaborating with others in your area, and by properly categorizing your posts using the appropriate event and locally-focused hashtags.

Email marketing has proven to be a very effective and very economical way to encourage leads and generate sales. Surpassing all other value, your email correspondence with consumers is one of the few marketing channels you own. Having control over your communication with customers, and potential customers, is the best way to ensure that every interaction with them is impactful and meaningful.

Email Marketing is an “Owned” Marketing Channel

Within your marketing strategy there are a number of channels you use to communicate your message. Some of these marketing channels are “rented” and some (albeit a very few) are “owned”.

Rented Marketing Channels

If you are only communicating through rented marketing channels, many factors of your messaging are beyond your control. Take social media and search channels like Facebook or Google, for example. These are considered to be rented channels, because the platform’s ever-changing algorithm controls:

• who sees your message
• where they see it
• when they see it.

This means that on rented social media platforms it is virtually impossible to ensure your message gets to exactly where you want it to go, and when you want it to get there.

FACT: The average email click-through rate is six-and-a-half times higher than the average Facebook post.

Owned Marketing Channels

Sending an email to your subscriber list is an example of a marketing channel you own. You control the content of your messages, as well as, where and to whom each message is delivered.

Approximately two billion customers use a Facebook or Twitter account on a daily basis, as many as four billion people check at least one email address every day. Like conventional mail, email has been adopted as a fundamental channel of communication. It is estimated that 90% of adults and 74% of teenagers still use their email account on a regular basis.

With emails arriving in inboxes non-stop, day-after-day, to the tune of more than 300 billion emails sent and received each day, capturing the attention of your recipients is going to be a challenge.

Email Marketing Guidelines

To entice audience members to open your email communications and follow your call-to-action, use these guidelines to create marketing emails that capture leads and generate sales.

Email Subject Line

Your email’s subject line is the single greatest influence on whether the recipient will open your email. If the subject line of your email does not compel people to take action, even the best email content in the world will become buried in a subscriber’s inbox. Including an incentive-focused subject line can increase open rates by as much as 50%.

A good subject line should contain between 30 and 50 characters (including spaces). Email accounts and mobile devices often cut off any subject lines that go beyond this length.

Things that do well in subject lines include:

• The recipient’s name
• An appropriate, relevant emoji (or two)
• Action verbs
• A clear and irresistible value proposition that is in synch with the content of your email

Things that do not do well in subject lines are:

• Spammy keywords (urgent, buy now, win, free)
• All uppercase letters
• Misspelling
• Overuse of emojis
• Misleading subject lines that don’t match the email content

Words That Trigger Spam Filters

Spam filters are triggered by certain words found in the subject line, or the body of the email. Some of the most common spam trigger words are:

• amazing
• cancel at any time
• check or money order
• click here
• congratulations
• dear friend
• for only ($)
• free or toll-free
• great offer
• guarantee
• increase sales
• order now
• promise you
• risk-free
• special promotion
• this is not spam
• winner

Your email marketing service provider may have a built-in tool that checks your emails for spam trigger words before sending it. If this is not the case, or if you are unsure, you can use ISnotSPAM; a free tool which scores your emails for deliverability and to see if they are likely to trigger spam filters.

Email Body Copy

The body copy of your marketing email should always be compelling, concise, on brand and fulfill the promises made in your subject line. To achieve this:

• Start with one, simple offer.
• Write short paragraphs.
• Use bullet-points, headings, and clear content hierarchy to make text scannable.
• Don’t be afraid to use your formatting options strategically, like bolded or highlighted text to draw attention to key phrases.

Using Images

Using images in your email marketing can be a powerful means to help sell a product or idea. They are particularly useful in verticals where customers make purchases based on emotion. The best-practice is to use images only when and where they add true value to the email. Ideally, this is when an image conveys your message better than text could.

When an image provides greater value than text, it is recommended that you use small image files. Many email marketing service providers prefer images that are no larger than 1MB.

Make the effort to add alt text for all the images you include. If an email provider blocks the images from being seen, this practice ensures recipients know what an image is without immediately seeing it.

Social Proof

Online reviews have become an ever-increasing part of consumers’ purchasing decisions. Recent research performed by BrightLocal, reported that 93% of consumers aged 35-54 “always” read online reviews. Customer reviews, ratings, and user-generated content, can help build credibility and bring your customers closer to a buying decision.

FACT: Positive reviews make 91% of consumers more likely to use a business.

Email Call-to-Action (CTA)

The call-to-action (CTA) represents the driving goal of each email marketing campaign. It is what your email is (strongly) encouraging subscribers to do. Examples are: purchasing a particular item or reviewing a recent purchase. Regardless of what the goal is, keep the main message and CTA above the fold.

Here are a few great tips for creating an email CTA:

• Choose one CTA per email. Every campaign should focus on one having the reader perform a single action. Each additional call-to-action runs the risk of distracting or confusing the reader.
• Use action-oriented words that create urgency. Examples are: emphasis on the “limited time” of a sale, the “limited number” of items in stock, as well as phrases like “buy now” or “get started”.
• Use a noticeable CTA button image. Create buttons that are 45 pixels to 57 pixels tall, to match the size of an adult’s fingertip.

Reinforce your CTA. It should be repeated at least three times throughout the email, in various places and using different formats.

Bonus Tip: Your Email’s Width

Keep your email 500 pixels to 650 pixels wide. If your email template is wider than 650 pixels, you are forcing users to scroll horizontally to read your entire message. This is even more undesirable for a recipient who is reading your email on a mobile device.

In Review

Although it is recommended that you maintain a balance of rented and owned marketing channels, investments in owned channels like email marketing – where you control the audience, reach, timing and context – are vital in maintaining a personal message, and building a deeper connection with your audience.

Each email you send should entice and encourage your subscribers with a simple marketing message. Clearly articulate the value of your offering in the email subject line and deliver on your promise in the email’s body. Following these guidelines will keep email recipients happy they subscribed to your updates, and even happier to act on your CTA.

Let’s invest 30 minutes into making YOUR BUSINESS BETTER. Use the form below to contact me for a FREE marketing strategy session.

The sole purpose of creating a landing page is to convert a visitor into a buyer or a prospect. This objective is known as a conversion and is measured by the visitor’s execution of the call-to-action on the landing page, whether that be purchase, request information, or something else. A conversion will only occur when the visitor decides that following the call-to–action is the reason for them being on the page.

To develop a landing page that speaks directly to the needs and wants of landing page visitors, you must have an understanding of your target audience members. Having insight into their thought processes – psychological intuition – allows you to implement proven design elements which create a landing page that guides visitors through the decision-making process toward a conversion.

Target Audience Persona

Two people in your target market with similar demographics are not necessarily going to shop the same way. To convey a message that is understood by landing page visitors, you must identify the distinctive attributes, mannerisms, etc. of your target audience members. This collection of common characteristics is known as a persona, and it provides a strong creative influence when building your landing page.

Populate your customer persona with these demographic and geographic details:

• Name and Age: If your brand appeals to men in their early 40s – let’s say 42 years old in 2019, your target customer was born in 1977. The most popular boy’s name in 1977 was Michael.
• Location: Although this should include geographical information, it is also important to account for housing commitments, such as whether they are a homeowner or renter (apartment or house). This information helps to determine average housing expenses, including mortgage or rent payments.
• Family Makeup: Whether your customer is in a traditional family, a single parent, co-parenting, or single, their family make up will influence available time and resources.
• Career: Assuming your customer is committed to a 40 hour work week, much of their daily schedule is influenced by their profession. This information also determines your target customer’s income.
• Interests, Hobbies, Lifestyle: Identify what behaviors impact their consumption habits. Consider how they use social media.

If you do not know who you are speaking to and how to speak to them, it’s not likely your message will be well-received, regardless of the elements of design.

Landing Page Keywords

In addition to lending its creative influence to the visual aspects of landing page development, your ideal customer persona determines which keywords your copy will target.

The keywords used in a consumer’s search often reflect where they are at in their journey toward a purchase.

• A consumer searching for “best content management system” is entering the buy cycle. This person is seeking information to help them understand their choices and the differences between the varying types of content management systems.
• A consumer searching for “content management system reviews” has made a decision on the type of content management system to purchase, but is not ready to buy. Before a sale occurs, the consumer needs peer feedback to support their decision to purchase.
• A consumer searching for “QuickSilk content management system best price” is very likely to make a purchase. The consumer’s credit card is out, and they are ready to buy.

The consumer’s position in their journey toward a purchase influences how your landing page is constructed. Use this information in partnership with key design elements, to provide only as much information as a visitor needs to make a decision to act on your call-to-action.

Landing Page Elements of Design

To produce a high-converting landing page, you must include the following elements of design:

Contextual Hero Image

Display a hero shot and supporting imagery that contextualizes your offering.

The primary image or video above the fold on your landing page, is known as the “hero shot”. Because it is the first thing visitors will focus on, it must be captivating.

Show your product or service in the context of its intended use; demonstrate how it works and make it easy for people to visualize themselves enjoying your offering.

Focused Call-To-Action

Present a single, focused call to action (CTA).

Your CTA is the one (and only) thing you want visitors to perform on your page. Your CTA must be obvious – from a design perspective, and compelling – from a copy perspective.

Remove any secondary links, including site navigation, that could cause confusion for visitors, or avert their attention from your CTA.

Header and Subheading That Articulate Value

Use a compelling header and subheading to clearly articulate your value proposition.

Identify what prompts visitors to engage your call to action and use your headline and subheading to clearly convey your value proposition. Outline the benefits of your offering and communicate what differentiates you from your competitors.

Emphasis on Benefits

Outline the features and emphasize the benefits of your offering.

Benefits-oriented messaging has proven to encourage conversions. Help visitors understand the benefits they’ll receive by following through with your CTA.

When it comes to landing page copy, clarity leads to conversions. Your visitors should know within seconds exactly what you’re offering and why they need to care.

Garrett Hughes, Unbounce

Compelling Testimonials and Social Proof

A visitor is much more likely to answer your call to action if they believe that others have done it before them, and most importantly were happy with the results. Social proof such as testimonials, reviews, partner logos, are an effective way to build credibility with your prospects.

Conclusion

The success of your landing page depends upon whether you can deliver a captivating and compelling message to carefully targeted audience members. This goal is accomplished by communicating a marketing message that is clear, relatable, and prompts visitors to follow your call-to-action.

Through the selective use of action-oriented design elements – such as imagery (in particular the hero image) and typography (in particular the Header and Subheading), emphasize the benefits and value of what you are offering. Do so in a manner that excites landing page visitors and entices them to satisfy your CTA.