Searching for ways to advertise in Worcestershire and Herefordshire? Discover some simple and free ways that have helped other businesses in our community.
Sometimes it pays to be a big fish in a small pond. Keeping your advertising efforts within the local area enables you to be present with your customers and add an extra personal touch.
And with 46% of all Google searches looking for local information, it’s not just billboards and regional radio stations that require your advertising efforts.
So, whether you desire creative inspiration or eco-friendly solutions, read on to discover several tried and tested ways to advertise in Worcestershire and Herefordshire.
Why advertising in Worcestershire and Herefordshire is important
As a local-based business providing local services/products for local people, advertising in Worcestershire is essential for your brand prospects.
While general advertising online can boost your brand exposure to reach millions of eyes worldwide, relying on local sales requires footfall and a local presence.
In case those words didn’t carry enough emphasis, here are a few statistics on why advertising locally is critical for your business:
80% of consumers desire advertisements customised to their city, postcode or area.
89% of online users will search for a local business via a smartphone every week.
72% of consumers who search locally will visit a shop within five miles.
62% of consumers will reject a company if they can't find them online.
For small to medium-sized (SMEs) businesses, local advertising is crucial. Although bigger brands may dominate the international landscape, that doesn’t mean a small business can’t compete.
By combining advertising with in-person relationships, you can build personal connections with consumers who can then help tell your unique brand story with reviews and recommendations.
So, before expanding your horizons, remember that staying local is how you can compete with the big dogs on the market because you have something they don’t.
And that something comes in the form of a strong connection and understanding of your community.
4 different ways to advertise in Worcestershire and Herefordshire
1. Blogging
Despite all your efforts and enthusiasm to advertise locally, you’d be glad to hear that not all options need to cost the earth for your business. Blogging is a prime example of how to promote your business and demonstrate why you’re an expert in your sector with quality organic content.
By utilising local SEO, you can find keywords being used by your consumer that aligns your business with their search query.
For example, if you’re a restaurant owner in Worcester, you will want to appeal to keywords like “Restaurants in Worcester” and “Restaurants near me”. Your blog can be crafted around this topic to support your consumer search and hopefully provide them with the perfect answer, that is…
Yep, you guessed it, your business.
Yep, you guessed it, your business. For a cost-effective and quality blog writing process, follow the following stages:
Establish your blog topics that connect your Worcestershire business with your consumer.
Use SEO tools to locate main keywords and supporting long-tail keywords.
Aim to write 1000-word articles with 1-2% keyword density.
Answer search queries concisely.
Always leave a call-to-action (CTA) at the end of the piece to promote your business as a provider of solutions in the local area of your consumer.
Do not copy and paste existing content on your site or compete for the same keywords across separate blogs.
After writing multiple SEO blogs that display your expertise, you can build your brand authority and position yourself as an industry specialist.
2. Social media
It’s not just Google that allows consumers to search for businesses in their area. Recent reports show that 40% of the Gen Z population prefers using TikTok and Instagram over search engines.
With social media, you can propel your local advertising in Worcestershire and Herefordshire to help users find you. But achieving this relies on knowing your target consumer and the types of platforms they use.
Facebook
The largest Facebook audience in 2021 is men aged between 25 and 34.
Women between 25 to 34 made up most Facebook users in the United Kingdom in 2022, with about 13% of all users.
Facebook is ideal for B2C but can be used in the B2B market to stimulate discussion and interaction with fellow organisations.
Instagram
Ideal for visual B2C marketing within the fashion, food, fitness, arts and entertainment industries.
Twitter
70% of Twitter users are males, while only 29.6% are female.
Suitable for a B2B and B2C (male) audience while sharing company news and updates.
TikTok
TikTok demographics reveal ages 10-19 as 25%, ages 20-29 are 22%, and 30-39 represent 22%.
Gender demographic reveal 40% as male users and 60% as female.
Ideal for a young B2C audience with creative video-based brand storytelling content.
LinkedIn
Excellent for B2B networking with fellow professionals and businesses interested in your industry.
With your target consumer and platform demographic in mind, next, we recommend applying the following techniques to create engagement and boost your following:
Create visually attractive posts with graphics, video, or animation to catch your user’s attention.
Apply location and local hashtags in your posts.
Apply location and local hashtags in your posts.
Connect with local influencers and spokespeople for your community.
Use the platform to repurpose content from your blogs, case studies and guides.
Join groups and follow fellow professionals and businesses in your community.
Engage with potential consumers/clients. “Like” posts, offer advice and celebrate success.
Run contests and stage prized giveaways to encourage engagement.
Social media might be a modern revelation transcending borders and cultures, but it can also cement your position in your local community.
3. Local SEO
As mentioned already when blogging, SEO can also be applied to other forms of local advertising, such as establishing a Google Business Account, registering with local/general comparison sites, and optimising your website content and design.
For example, TripAdvisor is a powerful comparison site with over 500 million online reviews and over 7 million companies registered.
So, it’s no great surprise that TripAdvisor is considered a high-authority third-party website that can directly impact your SEO performance.
But if sites like TripAdvisor do not appeal to your type of business, then you must at least update your Google Business Account.
And here’s how you do it:
Verify your account and claim your official Business Profile.
Complete each section of the Google My Business account with the correct information.
Choose relevant categories and set up messaging.
Collect and respond to reviews and maintain your account with any latest updates.
By optimising your My Business account on Google, you support your website ranking and gain authority within local SEO search results.
4. Register with your local directory
Now you have the digital side working, how about signing up with your industry-specific local listings provider or Chamber of Commerce?
In Herefordshire and Worcestershire, we have the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce that allows your brand to raise its local profile and gain access to information and support while networking at over 150 events.
By joining this local Chamber of Commerce, your business will be part of a 1300-strong network willing to support your development and propose local opportunities.
Let us help you advertise your business in Worcestershire and Herefordshire
At Design in the Shires (DITS), we’ve made our name supporting businesses in Worcestershire, Herefordshire and other areas in the Three Counties.
From website design to social media and SEO blogging, our understanding of the local area and community enable us to speak the language of your business across multiple online platforms.
Get in touch today for more information on how we can elevate your brand and become a voice in your area.