The Five-Step, Quick Start Local Content Marketing Plan: Determine the Offer

As you know, I’m all about data, local search and SEO. Each one of these is driven by my passion for helping local businesses and multi-location brands appear higher in search traffic. An important component of this is creating content that attracts search engines, consumers – and converts. Today, you will learn more about just that.

Creating the Right Offer

I’ve been on a journey to guide readers through creating a local content marketing plan, and today we continue that journey with Step 4 of the plan – Determine the Offer! If you missed Steps 2 and 3, here’s the link. We will look at the topics, formats and styles of content you could create to engage the ideal target audience.

1. Answer the Million-Dollar Question

When determining the offer, there’s one big question to ask yourself: Once I get the attention of the desired audience, what’s going to motivate them to act? In other words, how are you going to entice prospects to join the mailing list, make a purchase, take action for a good cause, or take some other desired action? The answer to this question dictates the substance of your content. It reveals what topics you should write about, which photos to showcase, the type of content offered, and the tone of the content (humorous, urgent, etc.).

Any discussion of content today is not complete without mentioning RankBrain, the AI (artificial intelligence) algorithm Google created and how it looks at consumer intent when searching, not just at the words the consumer types in the search box. Search engines appreciate good content just as any consumer does. When creating the content (offer) you need to remember to keep E-A-T – Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness in mind.

2. Be the Problem Solver

People tend to be motivated by self-interest, so consider what you can offer that will be helpful to the prospect. That often means solving a problem or filling a need, which in turn means you should spend some time identifying consumer “pain points.” Take a look at these examples and solutions:

• Is rush hour traffic a problem for the audience? Perhaps you should create a podcast series that they can listen to in their vehicles while they creep along the highway. This doesn’t solve the traffic problem but it may make it easier for the prospect to cope with, and they might even enjoy the commute!
• Are you targeting local businesses that are baffled by the complexities of digital payment systems? That’s your opportunity to offer a free eBook that explains the basics of the technology and reviews various options.
• Everyone is pressed for time these days, so it’s a pretty sure bet that offering convenience will entice prospects to your door. This could be as simple as a blog post that suggests time management tactics. Or you might try offering a new service, such as creating an express website for preferred customers.
• Timing also serves as a guide. Linking your content topics to seasonal themes and holidays is a tried-and-true tactic that can be very effective, especially if you add a bit of a twist to the offering. For instance, don’t just have a spring sale, host a “spring cleaning” contest on your Facebook page instead. If your business is virtual, like the graphic designer we used as an example in previous posts, remind prospects to clean up their hard drives or cloud accounts. If you’re a retailer like the florist we also used as an example, then encourage people to refresh their living space with a new houseplant, and offer a guide on how to choose hassle-free plant varieties. In creating an engaging offer, a bit of imagination goes a long way.

3. Learn from Others’ Success

Take a few minutes to surf around the web and social media to see what other businesses are doing with their local content marketing. There’s a wealth of ideas out there that can be adapted to suit your purposes. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel.

Marketing is constantly evolving and along with that, how you reach consumers. What worked last year may not be effective now. Frustrating? Perhaps, but do not think that once you create a plan, you’ll never need to change or refine it. That’s just a fact; and remember, there’s always room for improvement.

You’ve been reading part 4 in the local content marketing plan series, if you have just joined us start with part 1 and work your way through the others. If you are ready for part 5, click now!

Create Something Great

So now that you have more insight into what to create, it’s time to get busy creating it! If you need some help along the way, the Advice Local team is always standing by.

Our local search experts specialize in directory listing optimization, Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) Claiming, SEO, content creation and much more. Request a demo today to learn how we can help you reach more customers.