Marketing, having a great product and amazing customer service are key to the success of any business in today’s economy. Most business owners can handle the product and customer service side of things, it’s their business, their passion. The marketing side of things however can be a little more tricky.
These days marketing is more than just putting an advert in the newspaper, Yellow Pages or sending out a few flyers. The Internet has made it’s way into almost every facet of our lives and now you also have emails, search engines, websites and business directories to take into account too.
Where to start? If you’re not a computer geek, the world of online digital marketing can seem a quite an alien environment.
Worry not! Trust Local is here to help and we give you the different tools to promote your business to different audiences. What elements you choose to spend your marketing budget on really depends on who your potential customers are and how they’re likely to search for your services. All print advertisers are included in the online directory, however you may just choose to advertise your business online.
A good place to start, before you spend any money, is to take some time to think about who you want as customers. What problems do they have and how do you solve them? Speak to some of your existing customers and find out how they’re likely to search for the products and services you offer. Don’t worry if you don’t have any clients yet. Why not come to one of our networking events and speak to other business owners and potential clients.
Print Advertising
The Trust Local magazine is printed twice a year and distributed to 44,000 households around the Bristol and South Gloucestershire areas. Our printed directory is great for both “bricks and mortar” businesses and tradespeople looking to connect with domestic customers.
It offers an affordable marketing tool for local businesses, giving you a targeted way to spread the word and increase awareness of your businesses to potential customers in your area.
Producing an advert is quite painless, and if you don’t have the resources at hand yourself, it’s something our Trust Local designers can help you with.
If you’re on a tight marketing budget print advertising in a local directory magazine can make it go a long way and capture the attention of large quantities of potential customers whilst convery lots of information about your business.
Online Advertising
Our online directory enables you to promote your business across The Internet to potential customers who prefer to search for products and services online.
Your online listing can contain lots of information about your business and other relevant sources such as social media and interactive elements such as video.
One of the main advantages is that unlike print, you can keep your listing up-to-date regularly. Adding customer reviews and pictures to help persuade visitors to get in touch.
The Trust Local web directory even allows you to link your directory entry to your website, giving your own website a much needed SEO boost. Your online entry can also feature a local map and provide directions.
Business Directories
What are the benefit to your business by creating a listing on the business directory?
- Cost effective
- Boost your local SEO and visibility online
- Reach a local audience actively searching for products and services
With all these benefits it makes sense to promote your business to 1,000s of people searching for trusted local services each month.
Search Engine Optimisation
Business directories benefit the search engine optimisation of your website in a few ways.
- Links to your website
- Brand mentions
- Links to your social media channels
- Keyword repetition
- Confirmation of contact details and opening hours
How to Get Started
How do you get started with our online business directory:
- Sign-up to add your business
- Choose the right package for your budget, all offer great value from the basic Bronze which will help your website's SEO through to our brand building Gold package, ideal for those who want to show off previous projects, videos and customer reviews.
- Ensure your listing is as complete as possible. Include all of your company’s contact details, links to your website, social media accounts, your opening times.
- Ensure you add your customer reviews as these will appear with gold stars in the search engine results when your listing appears
- Start contributing to our online blog with your latest business news and advice for prospective clients. You can add links back to your website from your blog posts, these will not only help you improve your search engine rankings but also increase referral traffic to your website and develop increased brand awareness through our regular email newsletter.
Once your online business listing is complete it’s important to keep it up-to-date, just like other aspects of your online marketing:
- Add more reviews as you receive them
- Update your logo, website address and branding should you change them
- Add or remove services or products if you no longer offer them
- Add video and any other rich media you’ve created
- Syndicate your blog content on Trust Locals own blog (be sure to link back to your own article as the original)
To help you get started the basic listing on the Trust Local web directory is free. This basic entry allows you to enter your company details and even allows you to add your web link and to start blogging. If you want to add advanced functionality such as reviews, video, a banner image and location map make the jump to upgrade you account. Starting at £12.50 per month it makes a cost effect online advertising choice for your business.
Search Engine Optimisation
Local SEO
Online Advertising
Print Advertsing
Web Directories
Local Directories
