When we think about promoting ourselves and our businesses online, we tend to think about doing so in a global sense. We can reach anyone in the world with a connection to the internet, and so that is what we aim for.

But narrowing our focus down to local online marketing and advertising can be equally beneficial – particularly if the business in question is one that can be operated on a local basis. For example a shop offering worldwide mail order would also benefit from attracting clients who will visit the shop in person.

If you don’t see yourself in this position because you offer an online service, it would still pay to make sure you appeal to a local audience. Let’s say you offer website creation services. How much work do you put into trying to find local clients instead of those you find in other parts of the world? Could you offer your services to local businesses that you could actually visit in person?

Once you get used to the idea of using local online marketing and advertising to promote yourself, you will find it has many different benefits. For example, people who need local services will still use Google and various other search engines to find them. This means that making sure your website appears high up in the search listings for locally related search terms is very important.

You should also do some research into various websites and other means of advertising that enable you to reach out to people on a local basis. One of the best examples is Craigslist. No matter where you live in the world there is probably a version of Craigslist for your country and location. Place some adverts there and see what response you get. You can then replicate this on other websites that enable you to advertise on a local basis rather than a national or even a worldwide one.

Think about using Google AdWords as well. You can specify your search terms to appeal to potential clients situated locally. Do your research and find out which search terms are going to be the most successful ones for you. You may also find that you can bid on cheaper terms and phrases because they are focused locally instead of worldwide. This means your budget will stretch further and it may even win you more business.

Understanding that there is a local market available to you is essential in furthering your efforts to succeed with local online marketing and advertising. The internet is a global entity, but it reaches every corner of that globe – including yours.

So if you haven’t yet thought about reaching out to the people who live on your doorstep, perhaps now is the time to do so. Consider your business and your potential clients and ask yourself how you could reach them more effectively. If you have been ignoring the local aspect, the chances are a lot of other people have too. That gives you an advantage when you first start using local online marketing and advertising to further your business.