Actionable Strategies to Improve Local Customer Engagement in Orlando

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If you’re a local business in Orlando, you’ve probably realized by now that the internet is a vast opportunity. With so many people using it daily, there is potentially a lot of money to make in this digital world. 

But how do you go about doing that? Well, if your business isn’t getting much attention on the internet yet, then it’s probably because you are not doing enough to stand out from the crowd. There are plenty of ways to improve your marketing efforts without breaking the bank. In fact, some of them might even be free.

Don’t Just Expect New Customers to Come

As a local business, waiting for customers to come your way is tempting. But if you want your business to thrive, you must find them instead of waiting. For example, you could reach out directly to people who don’t know about your company or have recently moved into town, like posting flyers at local events. Suppose your business is located in the Lake Nona Region. If someone has recently moved to the Lake Nona Region, you can interact with them through different options.

Besides contacting them, you must also make efforts to attract them to your business. You can do this with your website. Ensure having a solid website with well-researched content and the proper Search Engine Optimization (SEO). According to data, 53% of all online traffic comes from organic searches. Using SEO, you can divert all this traffic to your website and convert these potential leads to customers.

If you have an in-house team to handle SEO, that’s well and good. However, if you don’t, you might need professional help. Don’t try SEO yourself if you don’t have popper knowledge because it will not be fruitful. You will have to create and implement an SEO strategy, requiring someone with years of SEO expertise. 

Moreover, you will also need to focus on Local SEO. Hence, it is advised to hire an Orlando SEO expert. The local experts will know the terms and trends in SEO to help your website appear high in search engine results.

Make Sure Your Website Looks Great on All Screen Sizes

One of the most significant ways to improve your website’s engagement is to ensure it looks great on all screen sizes. People who visit a site on their computer may be more likely to connect with you through social media and email than if they access your site via phone or tablet.

You can take advantage of responsive design, which automatically resizes your website based on the size of the device accessing it. This means that whether someone sees your page on a desktop monitor or an iPhone 4, they’ll get the same experience, well-organized content at an optimal scale for each device type.

82% of all “near me” search with local intent happen on mobile. This means that most people in Orlando will be looking for your services on mobile. Thus, you must ensure that your website appears and operates well on mobile devices.

Keep Your Contact Information Easy to Find

To improve customer engagement, you must ensure people know how to contact you. Ninety percent of consumers use the internet to look for a business in their area. Make sure your address is easy to find on the website and that a phone number is included in all advertisements and social media posts.

If possible, it’s also helpful to include text messaging as an option for communication. This will encourage consumers who may have otherwise avoided calls by providing them with another way of quickly getting in touch with you.

Use Social Media to Interact With Existing and Potential Customers

Social media is a powerful tool for interacting with existing and potential customers. Social media can listen to what people say about your business, create a community around your brand, promote products and services, or even develop marketing strategies. 63% of Instagram users said it helps foster meaningful brand interactions.

Social media is a great way to find out what people are saying about your business, both positive and negative. In 2021, 77% of users read online reviews when browsing for local businesses. Be sure to respond promptly with relevant content that aligns with their needs while maintaining an authentic voice consistent with the tone of the rest of the company’s communication efforts, i.e., make sure it sounds like something you would say.

Use Local Hashtags Like #OrlandoLocal

Hashtags are a way to categorize content, group content together, and make it more discoverable. They’re also an excellent tool for reaching a wider audience. For example, suppose you want to promote your local business on social media platforms like Instagram or Twitter. In that case, you can use hashtags like #OrlandoLocal to get more exposure. 44% of people use Instagram to shop weekly with the help of tags.

For example, let’s say you own an Orlando-based restaurant called “The Best Sushi Ever.” When posting restaurant updates on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, consider using the hashtags #OrlandoLocal, #bestsushiOrlando, and #OrlandoLocalSushi so that people can easily find your business online.

Make Sure You Keep Working Hard After Someone Becomes a Customer

While it’s essential to focus on getting new customers, don’t forget to maintain the ones you already have. This can be a tricky balance, but it’s worth doing. You want to keep your existing customers happy and engaged so that they remain loyal, but also ensure that their experience is always positive and continues improving over time.

Give them a reason to keep coming back again and again. For example, if you’re running a restaurant in Orlando or any other city where tourism is vital for business growth, consider offering seasonal discounts for repeat visits during high-traffic seasons like summer or holidays like Christmas week. This will incentivize current patrons as well as attract new ones.

Conclusion

If you’re a local business looking for ways to improve your customer engagement, consider these strategies and see if they make sense for your business. The most important thing is to start somewhere and keep working hard until you reach your goals. Just remember that there are no shortcuts when it comes down to the long-term success of any business.