I'm Building a Service Business in My Hometown

I'm starting from square one, using an "overlooked" marketing strategy.

Growing a small business is different than it’s been in the past, yet most people unquestioningly proceed with the old ways.

The old-school assumption is that you create content (maybe a YouTube channel or Instagram page), and people will come, right?

Not necessarily.

According to the latest report from Constant Contact, a “concerning trend” is emerging:

• 60% of small businesses shared that “finding new customers” is by far their top marketing challenge.

Organic Social Media Traffic Doesn’t Work Like It Used To

Most small businesses use Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and influencer marketing to generate new leads and build an audience.

But algorithms actively suppress content to sell more ads, and organic reach has dropped over 90% on most platforms.

(As of July 2023, the average engagement rate of an organic Facebook post ranges from 1.52% to 2.58%.)

Meanwhile the cost of ads has skyrocketed in the last year, and on top of that, Facebook targeting doesn’t distinguish between tourists and locals.

What “Free” Traffic Is Actually Costing You

Traditional SEO isn’t much better. It’s become ultra-competitive and is losing ground to AI. Fast.

Yes, creating content can still work, but it requires substantial time to get so-called “free” traffic that you hope becomes customers.

The truth is, you’ll spend most of your time getting your content (and business) discovered.

And as a fellow business owner like you, whether it’s managing the day-to-day operations or trying to grow our businesses, we know that it already feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day.

With algorithms working against us, AI-generated content flooding feeds, and competitors multiplying overnight, it feels impossible to stand out.

We started our businesses to build something we’re proud of.

To create real value for our customers, generate wealth for our families, and to scale thoughtfully without sacrificing quality.

Not to create another job that owns us.

Why 3 Local Businesses Get Nearly All the Customers

Google is a winner-takes-all game.

Ranking in the top 3 of local businesses, or what’s commonly referred to as the “Map Pack” means you’ll get 95% of all the clicks, leads, and sales.

Unlike broad SEO, which is losing ground AI, local SEO dominates, well, locally.

And that’s not going to change anytime soon.

In other words, local SEO is a game you can win.

And once you reach the top spot, all you have to do is keep it. You’re not worrying about changes to the algorithm or the cost of advertising.

How to Attract High Value Local Customers

If your business serves a local community, optimizing your Google Business Profile to own the “near me” searches in your area (i.e. local SEO), generates high quality, local customers for your business, that already have high “buyer intent”.

Said differently, while your competitors waste money on expensive social media ads that target tourists alongside locals, local SEO lets you dominate the “near me” searches in your area and capture 95% of high-intent local customers who are ready to buy.

Hi, I’m Nicholas.

I’ve got certifications in Facebook Ads, Email Marketing, and SEO, plus over 50 published articles and multiple content marketing strategies under my belt.

I understand what works across different channels and industries.

And after realizing the effectiveness of local SEO, and just how “overlooked” it was, I decided to start a new project.

I’m building a marketing agency serving my hometown (Montreal).

I’ll share the exact strategies I’m going to use to grow the business.

My hope is that these newsletters become a how-to guide for growing your small business with local SEO.

I’ll share wins, and lessons learned from growing my business, and my clients.

Who This Is For

Substack recommended I add this section, and I couldn’t see a reason not to have it.

So if my previous writing left this question ambiguous…

This newsletter and the marketing strategies inside will work for you if your business serves a local community.

Whether your business sells custom suits, stem cells, or yoga classes.

Whether you’re just starting out , or you’ve been struggling to grow consistently, this newsletter is for you.

Every Friday, I’ll send out the latest edition of the newsletter straight to your inbox.

---