Two main factors influence any company’s marketing strategy: its size and its target audience. If the local population is your target audience, your marketing strategy will be quite different from a national company. But just how different are these two types of marketing strategies? Why is it so crucial for you to know about them?
By learning the differences between national and local marketing, you can decide which marketing tools will provide the best results. Here are the key differences between local marketing vs. national marketing.
Social Media
One difference between these two marketing strategies is the way social media is involved in advertising.
When it comes to local marketing, social media is an excellent resource. This is because social media can provide you with a way to interact closely with your customers. Making references to local events or news in your posts will attract customers’ attention within your community. Employees of a local business understand the community’s culture and how to keep the content relatable.
For those trying to reach a national audience, social media strategies are different. Instead of focusing on local events and happenings, these social media managers create more generic posts. Likewise, managers only refer to national events relevant to the product or service in their marketing. While local companies can respond to most of their customers, national companies can only reach out to a small percentage.
Advertising Methods
Local and national companies use quite different advertising methods. In most cases, national companies focus more on promoting their brand and getting their name out there. They want their target audience to know their brand and logo in any way they can. This helps create trust between the company and its customers.
Local companies place their focus on marketing their products or services and providing excellent customer service. They promote their brand to their local target audience by using small business marketing tactics. For example, they participate in local events and build a solid reputation by using word-of-mouth advertising.
Types of Mediums
The mediums that are most effective for national companies are different from those that work best for local companies. Marketing locally relies heavily on local TV stations, radio stations, and small-town newspapers. These businesses also depend on their customers recommending their products and services to their friends, neighbors, and co-workers.
National businesses have access to much larger mediums to ensure they reach all their customers. While they also advertise on TV or the radio, it will be when a popular show or large event occurs.
The Cost of Marketing
Marketing costs vary considerably between national and local companies. National brands pay thousands for ad spots during national television. For example, it is common they advertise at events like the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, to advertise to a local audience, brands use less expensive mediums like the radio or newspapers.
National marketing campaigns need to reach their target audience, which can be all over the country. It makes sense for their marketing efforts to be more expensive. Advertising on a local TV station or using other local services such as billboards is much more affordable. It can provide the same effective results for small businesses.
Learn More About Marketing Locally by Contacting Web Content Development
Marketing plays an essential role in every type of business plan. To ensure your company is reaching the right audience, get in touch with our marketing experts at Web Content Development today. We offer an abundance of marketing services to ensure your brand’s success.
