Local advertising is an effective way to increase your brand awareness and attract customers within a specific location. allows you to target nearby prospects based on the audience of the medium used (for example, newspapers or radio stations) or use ad targeting tools to put your ads directly in front of your ideal customers. With that in mind, here are 21 local advertising ideas you can use to grow your small business.
1. get free local advertising in online business directories
average cost: free
There are multiple benefits to listing your business in online business directories. offers another place for local users to discover your business (in the real directory) and benefits the search engine optimization (seo) of your website, which helps your site rank higher in search results local. At a minimum, your local advertising strategy should include adding the following listings:
- google business profile (formerly google my business)
- facebook (business profile)
- bing for business
- yelp for business
- angi (formerly angie list) for service-based business
This gives you a good start in increasing your brand’s online visibility. From there, add your business listings to some of the best online directories that make sense for your business or industry. then monitor your listings and brand reputation using a platform like brightlocal to ensure your listings remain accurate online.
2. turn customers into advocates with a referral program
average cost: $45 to $100 per month
Everyone loves a discount, giveaway or other little reward, especially from a local business they already love. Referral rewards programs turn your customers into brand advocates by encouraging them to spread the word about your business. this is one of the local business advertising ideas that can have a great return on investment (roi).
In addition, software like referircandy makes your program easy to set up and manage, making word of mouth marketing beneficial to you and your fans. Interested in more referral marketing ideas? Learn more about getting referrals to get new clients.
3. increase retention & income with loyalty rewards
average cost: $45 to $100 per month
Customer loyalty programs can help small businesses retain current customers and convert new buyers into long-term repeat customers. Customers who feel valued are much more likely to purchase more often, and as with rewards programs, the software makes it easy to manage. Check out our list of the best customer loyalty program software you can use to encourage customer retention and drive sales.
4. gain brand exposure with local press coverage
average cost: from free to $250
Getting local press coverage can be a boon to a small business, whether your story ends up in the newspaper or on a local TV news show. If your press release is newsworthy, the media coverage you get can quickly spread the word about your business to local audiences. An easy way to get your story out to the public is to use one of the best press release distribution services.
Ready to write your first press release? Make sure you know what makes a good press release, and then use a press release service like ereleases to get guaranteed syndication.
5. increase local visibility with banner ads
average cost: from $10 a day for digital billboards or from $600 to $3,000 a month for physical billboards
It is not uncommon to dream of your small business advertising on a billboard above a busy street or highway. But if your local business advertising hadn’t included billboards before because you thought they were too expensive, you might want to think again. Find out how much billboards cost in various cities, both physical and digital billboards.
Billboard advertising is surprisingly affordable, especially when you choose digital billboards through a platform like blip billboards, which work on budgets as low as $10 a day. If you’re ready to get started, get some local advertising ideas for your billboards from our list of must-see billboard designs.
6. appear at the top of google search results with local ads
average cost: $2 to $6 per click
Take control of your small business website’s position in local search results with Google Local Services Ads. even new businesses can appear at the top of results when using pay per click (ppc) advertising on google.
is one of the local advertising ideas that gives you a lot of control over your budget as you can turn your ads on or off depending on when you have the budget to run them. Google Ads can be surprisingly affordable, especially for low-competition keywords. learn more about how to advertise on google.
7. set up your website for local advertising success
average cost: $12 to $40 per month
To make the most of all the other local advertising ideas you’re implementing, you need an attractive website that provides a positive user experience at the core. Make sure your landing pages closely match the ads and keywords used in your social media and email campaigns. Using the same keywords will ensure your content is relevant and provides a unified experience for your site visitors.
Another website marketing strategy that can attract more local customers is to add trust badges to your website. This includes things like adding a logo and link to your local chamber of commerce, industry associations, or adding the logo that shows you are a bbb accredited business.
squarespace is an all-in-one time-saving website builder that includes everything you need to quickly create a professional site. squarespace is a great choice for any project (and one of our top picks for the best small business seo website builders).
8. rank in search organically with local seo
average cost: $29 per month
Many people skip ads in local search results and opt to click on organic results, so investing in local seo is important. To do this, you’ll need to optimize your website for local search and engage in local content marketing.
Create engaging and relevant content for your website and blog using keywords relevant to your business, ideally with high search volume and low competition. You can use a tool like semrush to do keyword research and track your search engine rankings. If you are not an expert in seo, a service like brightlocal can help you. Get a free 14-day trial of brightlocal and use it to monitor, audit, and optimize your local search performance.
9. post ads in local newspapers
average cost: from 50 usd to 2700 usd
Advertising in your local newspaper offers huge benefits, especially if your target audience reads newspapers every day. Depending on where you live, the cost of newspaper ads can be cheap or expensive. the cost also varies depending on the size of the ad you post.
Consider hiring a professional fiverr designer to design your ad to stand out. that’s affordable too, with graphic design services starting at $5. Alternatively, you can get multiple designs by running a contest on 99designs to find a designer to work with who really understands your brand and style.
10. capture the attention of travelers with radio ads
average cost: $200 per 30-second spot
although radio has lost listeners to streaming services, more than 156 million people in the us. uu. listen to the radio every day. That’s a compelling reason to consider using radio for local advertising. Plus, the cost of radio ads is reasonably affordable, with smaller markets offering 30-second ads for around $50.
Read more about how to advertise on the radio to your local audience. When you’re ready, consider hiring a Fiverr radio advertising professional to write your ad or even record it.
11. create a geotag for social media tagging
average cost: free
Creating a geotag for your business’s physical location is a great way to gain new customers. A geotag is a location tag, like a pin on a map, on social media. Platforms like Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram make it easy to tag your business in posts, and you should do this along with hashtags that target your location so that people searching for #newyorkcity, for example, can find your posts.
Geotagging is a popular hotel marketing strategy – it’s great for restaurants, entertainment businesses, marketing a bar or nightclub, and real estate businesses as well. You can also incentivize customers to greet you with a geotag while they’re at your business through rewards programs, or simply by encouraging them to do so on signage within your facility.
12. local advertising ideas for facebook ads
average cost: $2 per click
To use facebook ads for local advertising effectively, you need to know precisely what your ads are targeting. For example, your ad should include a link to a dedicated landing page if you want to drive traffic to your website. If you intend to gain social followers or email subscribers, your ad must specify exactly the action you want viewers to take. Plus, eye-catching images and videos are essential if you want your ads to stand out.
There are 2.93 billion Facebook users worldwide as of Q1 2022, so that’s a huge audience overall. however, your costs may vary depending on the type of ad, your audience, and your industry. find out how much facebook ads cost based on audience, bids and competition.
13. sponsor something important for the local community
average cost: $150 to $500
It is common for cities and civic organizations to offer sponsorship opportunities as a local business advertising option. sometimes it’s to put your brand logo on a park bench (great for advertising and long-term brand recognition) or on the uniforms of a local minor league team.
You may also find the opportunity to sponsor a city event, such as food fairs and cultural festivals. Plus, get involved in a civic operation like a holiday meal project or serve as a collection point for a food bank or shelter. All of these opportunities are a great way to get noticed in your local area (for all the right reasons) and are generally affordable for most businesses.
14. celebrate a special event
average cost: from 500 usd to 1000 usd
Hosting a launch event is a great way to market a new business or introduce new products and services to the public. A launch event can generate a lot of positive publicity for a business and help attract new customers. Realtors and mortgage lenders often hold educational events and open houses to connect with residents.
Planning and hosting a successful launch event requires careful planning and execution. still, the reward may be worth the effort. If you’re thinking of launching a new product or service, consider what types of marketing materials you’ll need to advertise your event or use during the event.
15. distribute marketing material
average cost: $17 (100 business cards)
Using marketing collateral like business cards, flyers, and brochures is a bit like display advertising. is one of the most basic local advertising ideas. however, it is highly effective at increasing brand awareness and reminding customers that your business exists.
It’s also an inexpensive way to advertise promotions and discounts while helping with word-of-mouth advertising, like when your customer gives your business card to a friend or co-worker. Use one of the best business card providers to create your print marketing materials – Vistaprint tops our list as the best overall.
16. communicate with locals by email
average cost: $0 to $20 per month
Receiving special offers by email is one of the main reasons consumers subscribe to mailing lists and follow brands on social media. For this reason, email marketing is one of the best advertising methods for small businesses, including local advertising. To build your contact list, ask customers to sign up for emails in your store, on your website, or on their social media profiles.
If you’re new to email marketing software, we recommend using mailchimp. is one of the leading email marketing platforms and includes amazing features in all of its plans. Get started for free until your list exceeds 2,000 contacts with free templates, campaign analytics, and tips for getting the best results from every email campaign.
17. manage your online reputation
average cost: $30 to $100 per month
What does online reputation management have to do with local advertising? all. Whenever someone searches locally for a business in your area and industry, chances are they’ll see your business’s google profile along with your star rating, address, phone number, and hours.
A negative review (no response from you) can be enough to drive away business. however, you can quickly get more reviews on google by using a platform like podium, which also increases your search engine optimization (seo) and placement in online search rankings.
Platforms like brightlocal give you the ability to constantly monitor your listings online. This is important because if your business listings are incorrect, you risk frustrating a potential customer who shows up after you’ve closed for the day. discover the best local seo tools to manage your brand reputation online.
18. use direct mail for local business advertising
average cost: $50 to $400 per month
Business postcards, in particular, are a highly visual marketing tool that can get your messages across in a short and eye-catching way. direct mail is one of the local advertising ideas that allows you to target a specific audience with laser precision or reach a wide audience.
Control who receives your emails by targeting specific demographics, interests, or even previous buyers for a higher return on investment. Alternatively, you can use the Direct Mail to All Doors (EDDM) service offered by vendors such as VistaPrint to send marketing materials to all mailboxes in a defined geographic area. See what the best small business direct mail services are based on overall value, ease of editing, specific features, quality, and cost.
19. attract window shoppers with digital signage
average cost: $59 per month
Your storefront and interior can become a giant billboard for “free” local business advertising using digital signage. digital signage is eye-catching and memorable. Plus, it’s easier to display more information with a digital sign, and you can change the content at any time. For example, digital restaurant menus can be used to display items and prices or daily specials, upcoming events, and other important information. raydiant is a great way to get started with digital signage.
20. collaborate with other local businesses
average cost: free
Among the essentially free local marketing ideas on this list is collaborating with other businesses on advertising and marketing campaigns. For example, if you have a bakery, you could work with a local coffee shop. you could prepare and sell the cafeteria coffee, and they can sell your cakes.
photographers and florists can connect with event venues, real estate agents and mortgage lenders can collaborate, a graphic designer might work well with a local print shop, etc. Collaboration can also be as simple as referral marketing – check out our list of the best referral lead generation sources by industry.
21. give back to your local community
average cost: free
Community members tend to remember businesses that get involved and donate time or services to help improve the local area. For example, a barbershop or salon might offer free haircuts for veterans one day every quarter or invite a local hero for a makeover.
Local businesses that give back to their community often get a great return on investment in customer loyalty, not to mention knowing they’re positively impacting the local community. If you wanted to do this but weren’t sure where to start, find local nonprofits that are relevant to your business to give back to your local community.
frequently asked questions (faqs)
what are some examples of local advertising for small businesses?
Local advertising is the promotion of a business within a specific location, such as a city or county. Local business advertising often includes television, radio, and newspaper ads, but also extends to word-of-mouth marketing, social media, paid search ads, and the distribution of marketing materials such as business cards.
how to attract local customers?
several different types of local advertising ideas will work for attracting local customers, direct mail, email marketing, social media ads, google ads, and local seo. Coupon marketing is an especially popular method of attracting new customers through limited-time discounts or gift-with-purchase offers.
what is the best free advertising for small businesses?
There are several free local advertising options for small businesses on a tight budget. For example, email marketing is free to get started with using Mailchimp. Posting to social media, setting up your Google and Bing business listings, and creating content for your website all cost nothing but time. If you have a little to spend on ads, social media advertising is a great place to start.
end result
It doesn’t matter if your budget for implementing local advertising ideas is high or none, you can use many, if not all, of the above ideas to promote your business locally. For best results, use a combination of local business advertising strategies such as email marketing, social media, local business partnerships, and rewards programs, and track the results of each. As a result, build brand awareness and win new customers quickly.
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