Local marketing has become an essential lever for businesses seeking to attract customers to their physical stores. But how can you maximize this visibility in specific geographic areas? The answer lies in combining two complementary strategies: organic search (SEO) and paid advertising (SEA). DeepReach, an expert in multilocal campaigns, and Partoo, specialized in optimizing local online presence, recently hosted a webinar titled "What Synergy between Organic and Paid in Local Marketing?" to explain how these approaches can work together. Here are the strategies and benefits to be gained.
SEO and SEA: two complementary strategies for local marketing
In a local marketing strategy, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SEA (Search Engine Advertising) are not at odds. Together, they form an effective synergy to attract local customers. While SEA generates quick and short-term results through targeted paid ads, SEO works over the long term to enhance organic visibility and strengthen the local brand presence.
SEA: immediate acquisition in local marketing
SEA is particularly effective for short-term acquisition campaigns. Whether for promotional offers, product launches, or specific events, paid ads can deliver immediate results. In local marketing, SEA allows businesses to quickly capture the attention of nearby consumers, increase in-store visits, and boost sales during periods of high demand.
However, this approach requires careful budget management and close performance monitoring to adjust bidding and targeting. Traffic can fluctuate significantly depending on promotional periods, but SEA remains a vital tool for short-term campaigns.
SEO: building trust and brand awareness in local marketing
SEO is the ideal tool for building a sustainable local presence. It is a long-term strategy that aims to gradually improve rankings in organic search results through content optimization, local keywords, and website structure. In local marketing, SEO helps enhance brand awareness at a regional level, increase user engagement, and establish trust with consumers.
Moreover, a well-executed local SEO strategy ensures continuous visibility even when SEA campaigns are paused, allowing for steady growth in local traffic.
The importance of local visibility in multichannel marketing
The first step to succeeding in local marketing is to regain control of your local visibility. This involves optimizing Google MyBusiness listings and ensuring they are shared across various platforms, such as social media and local directories. Properly managed local presence not only improves organic rankings (SEO) but also amplifies the impact of paid campaigns (SEA).
Optimizing Google MyBusiness listings
For optimal local visibility, it is essential to claim and optimize all Google MyBusiness listings. These listings, which can be created by users or generated automatically, must be controlled to ensure the accuracy of the information. Businesses should ensure that descriptions, hours, photos, and reviews are up to date to maximize their impact on local search results.
Multichannel presence: a must for local marketing
Beyond Google, it's crucial to maintain a presence on multiple channels: social media, directories, GPS platforms... A diverse range of contact points improves the company’s local exposure and increases the likelihood of interaction with potential customers. For instance, Generali observed a significant increase in calls and driving directions requests by optimizing its local listings across various platforms.
How to leverage local data to optimize campaigns
Analyzing data from local campaigns is critical for adapting marketing strategies in real-time. This data helps businesses understand consumer behaviors, spot local trends, and tailor advertising messages to meet specific customer expectations.
Analyzing local keywords and search trends
Analyzing local keywords is a key step in identifying consumer search intent and adjusting local marketing campaigns accordingly. By studying the most-searched terms in a region, a company can refine its SEO content and optimize SEA ads to better respond to local expectations.
Mapping local performance
Click mapping and in-store visit tracking allow businesses to identify the most successful geographic areas. With this information, companies can focus their advertising efforts on high-potential regions and adjust content strategies to better engage local consumers.
Aligning teams to maximize local marketing results
Collaboration between marketing teams is essential for effective synergy between SEO and SEA within local marketing strategies. Aligning processes, sharing data analysis, and coordinating between different stakeholders (marketing, digital, operations) ensures a cohesive approach and maximizes the impact of campaigns.
Steering committees to monitor performance
Setting up a joint steering committee that brings together SEO and SEA teams allows for regular monitoring of campaign performance and real-time strategy adjustments. This committee can review results, identify areas for improvement, and maintain a consistent strategy throughout the year.
Training sessions: promoting a culture of local marketing
To optimize team effectiveness, it is important to organize regular training sessions to foster a local marketing culture within the company. These sessions help all employees become familiar with key local marketing terms and concepts, understand the differences between SEO and SEA, and adopt a unified approach to maximize local visibility.
Conclusion: synergies between SEO and SEA for effective local marketing
By combining SEO and SEA strategies within the framework of local marketing, businesses can maximize their return on investment and improve overall performance. SEO provides sustainable organic visibility, while SEA delivers fast, targeted results. By regaining control of local visibility, leveraging data to optimize campaigns, and aligning marketing teams, companies can spend less and achieve more while effectively capturing the attention of their local customers.
For any questions or to explore these strategies in more detail, the teams at DeepReach and Partoo are available to support you.
