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Local businesses need channels and platforms to connect with their future buyers. Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular options for local web marketing on the market today.

Local Search-based Advertising: consumers research products or services online before they make purchasing decisions. Since “search” is users’ primary tool of choice for finding information, local business owners should aim to position themselves within the online channels providing search functionality to end-users.

Google Places and Local.com, for example, both prove to be valuable options in their ability to drive results-so consider starting there if the aim is to increase online visibility and website traffic, as well as foot traffic into a brick-and-mortar
store.

Business owners can enhance their local profiles by upgrading their listings and advertising to audiences on these sites. While Google Places listings are free and payment won’t influence position, Google now offers Adwords Express, a locally targeted advertising program designed specifically for local businesses wanting additional exposure.

Google is clearly the main source of traffic for websites but there are others which can supplement a Web marketing campaign’s traffic acquisition objectives. When a business upgrades its listing on Local.com, for example — which reaches, according to the company’s own count, more than 20 million consumers a month, driven in large part by its distribution network of more than 1,000 partner sites — a business can all but assure itself of greater exposure and do so on a variety of sites.

Local business marketers can accelerate their exposure by further expanding their locally focused ad campaigns beyond vendors such as Google or Local.com. There are many options which deserve consideration including SuperMedia, CitySearch and YellowPages.com. These directory-based advertising platforms offer small businesses a cost-efficient and effective way to position themselves in front of their prospects.

Daily Deal Promotions:Daily deal sites have risen in popularity with the faltering economy and consumers are hopping on board in droves. Groupon has transformed the way local businesses market themselves around the world, harnessing the power of the internet to successfully grow their businesses. Groupon you know these customers are going to come through your door and hopefully find a reason to come back.

Although creating a deal on a site like Groupon exposes a business to a large and new audience, it’s not always a good fit.
If you’re willing to take the risk and have the ability to convert one-time visitors into long-term customers, daily deal vendors including Groupon should be in your local Web marketing mix.

Local joins Social Advertising: As for advertising on social media sites, by now everyone should know that social media provides businesses with an extremely large audience and for many that has been the primary draw towards participation. Aside from setting up multiple social media accounts — such as a Facebook page, Twitter account and a LinkedIn group, businesses should also advertise on these wildly popular Web destinations.

Creating an advertisement on Facebook is straightforward and relatively inexpensive. Businesses can choose their budget as well as define which audience the ad will reach, such as location, age and interests. Twitter too, while still evolving its advertising options, is gradually releasing more “promoted tweets” into the Twitterverse.

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Lets look at Facebook Metrics to Track Other Activities on your own.

-Follower measures

(A)Number of page followers: As often as you wish, you can track the number of people who follow—or like—your Facebook page. On Facebook, this information is on the left-hand column, about halfway down the page. Most small businesses have a goal of having 1,000 followers; this number tended to be based on what “other” businesses had and what they thought was possible.

(B)Increase in followers: Most businesses want to be consistently increasing the total number of people following them. As a rule of thumb, increasing your total Facebook followers by 4 percent every month is in line with average Facebook growth.

(C)Follower’s activities: In addition to a raw count of followers, you can track your friends or fans daily and correlate the data to other activities that you are doing to attract people to your page. For example, if you send out an email message inviting people to your page, you can see if your numbers increase after the email goes up.

-Engagement measures

(A)Number of active versus passive followers: How many of your followers are actively engaged on your page—posting content, asking questions, even indicating that they like a certain post? The more engaged your followers are, the more likely they are to spread the word about your business. Your goal should be to constantly increase these followers. Your goal should be to have about 2.5 percent of your fans interact each week on your site and have 10 percent of your followers becoming regular active participants on your social media site.

(B)Number of comments about brand or product: You want to track the response to the actual posts you make on your page. An average business posts about six times per week. Your goal should be to achieve a certain level of engagement with every post. If 2.5 percent of your fans should be interacting every week, then about 0.4 percent of your fans should reply to every post. If you have 1,000 fans, for example, then 4 people should respond to every post. Topics that generate comments are the types of posts you should continue doing. If a topic generates no comments, reduce your use of that type of post in the future.

(C)Quality of comments on the brand page: Some comments to your  posts will be short and sweet: “I agree!” or “I love your store!” While these are great, having followers write longer and more thoughtful posts will do more to build your brand. Track whether you are getting more “higher-quality” comments as time goes on by counting the number of words in an average post. Higher quality posts have more words and sentences.

-Mention measures

Track the number of times a follower uses the@symbol to talk about  your business. These comments will appear to other people in your followers’  network, and may encourage others to follow you and, hopefully,  engage in discussions and talk to others about your business.

-Conversation measures

(A)If you offer a “Facebook-only” deal, track how many people take advantage of the deal.

(B)While it might not be an overwhelming number, be sure you track how many leads come from Facebook.

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Facebook provides several tools for Facebook metrics that page owners and administrators can access easily. These tools provide a baseline of quantitative data that you can use to track your visitors’ activities. Additionally, you can develop some quantitative and qualitative metrics on your own that can help you get a better picture of what is happening on your Facebook page. Page owners and administrators have access to an “insights” box on the left-hand column of your page.

–The “users” graph displays the total number of people who “like” your page  as well as the number of people who are daily active users of your page. This data includes:

(1)Daily active users—by day, the number of people who visit your page. You can track and see which days of the week    are the most popular, correlating this information to specific posts. This can indicate the types of posts that attract the most visitors.

(2)By day, the number of people who “dislike” your page. This could be a reaction to specific content, a reaction to some in-person interaction at your business, or the result of an individual “culling” their Facebook lists. If you get one or two dislikes a week, it should not be a concern. One day that generates five or more dislikes should lead you to investigate what might have happened.

(3)A graph of demographics, which shows a breakdown of your fans by age, gender, and country of origin.

(4)The activity measure, which shows in addition to visiting the page, what other types of activities visitors engaged in. These could include downloading images, watching videos, and listening to podcasts.

–The interactions graph is an engagement measure. Most people will want to keep a steady amount of interactions going on at the page, with interactions increasing when important things are announced on the page. The interactions measured in the Insight box include:

(1)Total Interactions on the page (the total number of wall posts and comments to wall posts on the page).

(2)Total comments on the page (the total number of responses to your wall posts).

(3)Total wall posts on the page (the number of different posts made by you, and others, to your wall).

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Some people have used Facebook ads to drive traffic the way paid search ads do,  it’s no cost effective.  Others use ads that encourage target audience to Like their Facebook page.

Facebook introduced Sponsored Stories,  Facebook’s targeted ad service that lets us use Facebook members’ comments and actions in ads that appear on their friends’ Facebook pages. Example, suppose I post on Facebook that some of my students enjoyed reading a book available at  xyzbooks.com,  the owners of this site will use my comments in an ad that would appear on my friends or colleagues main Facebook page, known as a news feed.

By launching a sponsored stories ad campaign, ads could get a boost in ads’ click-through rates as compared to self-service Facebook ads.  Using posts in ads enables businesses to reach people who might otherwise not know them.

Using a mix of self-service ads, which used to be called Marketplace Ads, and Sponsored Stories, the businesses can get
thousands of  Likes, and roughly half of the their new customers will come via Facebook.

Facebook followed Sponsored Stories with more changes this fall that draw on its greatest asset—the voluminous detail it has about the opinions and preferences of hundreds of millions of consumers. The social network introduced a new ad format that, for instance, when appearing on your Facebook page indicates that your friend xyz  Liked the advertised brand while also including a brand message. Facebook news feed redesign puts posts at the top of a Facebook user’s news feed, including posts from businesses that draw a lot of attention on the social network.

When an ad features a friend’s endorsement it adds an element of value and trust. Consumers who view an ad featuring social context, like a friend Liking a retailer, are more likely to recall the ad.

Facebook calls “social context” the pairing of ads with what consumers have said or done on the social network. Unless a consumer specifically clicks on his Account Settings and selects “Pair my social actions with ads for No One,” Facebook reserves the right to highlight consumers’ actions in ads.

The idea behind Sponsored Stories is that the ads enable marketers to highlight consumers’ actions, such as clicking Like on a retailer’s page. Each ad features the profile picture of the consumer whose action is highlighted, along with his name.

Facebook launched a new ad format, which it calls a Premium ad unit. A Premium ad makes use of social context, such
as if a friend Liked a Facebook post from the advertiser.  The ads appear on the right side of a consumer’s home page, next to the news feed. At the top of the ad is the label “Sponsored” followed by a message noting that a friend Likes a piece of content or a brand. Beneath that is messaging from the advertiser itself.

Unlike Sponsored Stories, which amplify consumers’ actions, Premium ads enable advertisers to deliver their own messages. And the ads do not appear in the news feed, where they can be glossed over as a consumer reads the often-voluminous posts from his Facebook friends

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You’re probably familiar with search engine optimization (SEO) tactics for improving your website’s search rankings in Google and other major search engines. But have you thought about how to incorporate social media into your search strategy? Optimizing for Facebook and search engines is benefits overall search rankings.

Facebook can be a valuable asset for search results. The volume of content and variety of places to add keyword-rich content can help you attract new Page members on Facebook, while providing more natural search results.Facebook is indexed by search engines and also has deals with Google and Bing to display social search results that include posts from your friends.

In the more general natural-search realm, a well-optimized Facebook Page can help you overtake a competitor by providing a second set of Pages (in addition to your own website) to display on the search results page. This can also be helpful when you’re looking to do some reputation management. A Facebook Page can also give you the opportunity to add a few more keywords that didn’t work as well on your website.

Places to Put Keywords:

Page name:    Your Facebook Page name or title is one of the first things both users and search engines. Create a keyword-dense title, but make sure it’s clear who you are and what you do.

URL:    You can also choose a vanity URL for your Page, which is another great place to include branded keywords like your company name. Facebook Page URLs are a large part of optimization, as content space is limited.

The Info box:    This small, 250-character box located below the Page icon is an underused gold mine for both traffic and SEO purposes. It’s one of the first things a current Page member sees when looking at either the Wall or Info tab. The keywords you use in the Info box can go a long way in search. With its prominent placement, the Info box is a great place to optimize a little info about your Page, because it’s the highest place in the Page code that allows custom text. You can even put a clickable link in there. You just need to include the http:// part first.

Keywords on Facebook Tabs:

The Facebook tab structure creates a helpful hierarchy of information and the ability to add lots of keyword-rich content. Facebook offers several standard tabs for your Page, including the Wall, Info, and Photos or Videos tabs. You can also add your own custom tabs.

Default landing tab:    Facebook allows you to choose a specific landing tab for new Page viewers. This is the first tab they
see, and its primary goal is to encourage them to click Like for the Page. It is also the first Page crawledby search engines. This default tab can be a custom tab you create, so make sure it contains relevant text that explains to both search engines and Facebook users who you are and what you do.

Info tab:  The standard Info tab has fields containing important descriptive data about your Page. It’s important to fill out all fields, as they provide an opportunity to include keywords and links for both local searches in the Location field and more general product or service queries in the Company Overview section.

Other Content:  

It almost goes without saying, but it’s important to continually share interesting content on your Facebook Page and always use all available descriptive fields on each type of content shared. Facebook allows nearly every piece of content to be indexed by search engines, so use the tabs, tools, and input fields that Facebook provides to your full advantage.

Media:   Post photos to multiple albums and include keyword-rich descriptions of the album and each photo. Every event or topic should have its own album for easier searching. Allow Page members to post their own photos and comment on or tag your uploads.

Events:  Use the Events feature for both real and virtual events. Always fill out all fields with a full description of the event, and make it open to the public.

Status updates:  There is a lot of debate about the extent to which updates help with search engines, but it’s clear that they are a big factor in Facebook searches. Take your time when planning content and include keywords; this is the bulk of what Page members will see on a daily basis.

Increased Interactions:
User interaction is a crucial yet elusive factor in optimizing your Facebook Page and improving search presence. Facebook views interactions with your Page (likes, comments, and posts) much like a searchengine views links pointing to your site. A user interaction is a vote for the content of your Page.

Facebook’s focus on user behavior and interaction extends to visits, clicks, and Event RSVPs as well. The exact weight or algorithm the site uses to calculate interaction is unclear, but the higher the engagement on your Page, the higher you will rank in Facebook searches and the more prominent your placement in a suggested search.

Encourage interaction on your Page by posting frequently and including lots of content that asks users directly to interact.

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With the number of Facebook’s  users increasing everyday, businesses of all types are realizing they have a big opportunity to make money with Facebook the world’s largest social network.

It is important to understand that Facebook is not your traditional e-commerce channel and should not be used as a direct
marketing tactic. The hundreds of millions of Facebook members have joined to share their personal stories through updates, images and videos within their social network not to buy products. Utilizing the social network as a sales channel is not a bad thing but should be handled carefully. Aggressive behavior does not pay off.

Develop a strategy for connecting with your customer base. Your strategy should be about quality not quantity of people that “like” your page. Taking the time to develop relationships with your fans, creating engaging content and measuring results are the three essential steps to an impressive return on investment.

-Engage with those who like you page: Start with an interesting and compelling Facebook Page that differentiates your business from the competition. Apps are a good way for any business serious about marketing on Facebook to create a unique experience that helps you stand out. From sharing videos to contests, Facebook Apps are among the most used features on the platform. Add in the ability to share with friends and a strong Facebook App can have a huge impact.

Creating a separate tab that helps business owners showcase their products or services is the right approach. Constantly posting your products on your Facebook  wall will turn people off, resulting in a sharp increase in the number of people “unliking” your page and, therefore, dismissing your brand. Creating a low-risk high-reward option for your customer is important, so always think like your  customers when implementing any new Facebook idea. There are thousands of amazing apps on Facebook and visiting the Facebook App Directory is a good place to start.

-Engaging content: Facebook uses the news feed optimization formula  to decide what content shows up in a user’s top
news feed, this formula  is tied to Facebook’s current news options (top news vs. most recent) .

Facebook news feed optimization has become a new type of  SEO. If you like or comment on updates from one particular
Facebook page often, you are likely to see that business’ status update in your top news feed (the default setting) on a regular basis. The formula called EdgeRank, looks at affinity score (how often the user interacts with the page), weight (how many comments or likes a post has), and time decay (how recent that update was posted). In many respects, this is not unlike link building.

If you post content on your page that does not follow the above formula you are wasting your time, as updates will not be seen by your fans. Before you press the share button, reread the post and make sure you are asking for engagement. For example, if you are thinking of launching a new product, ask the opinion of your customers.

If you are just starting out and have very few people following your page, Facebook advertising is a great approach to reach the right people at the right time. Advertisers can request that ads are served based on what your customers have said they liked in their profile. Example, you can promote a new brand to people on their birthdays, based on information from those user profiles. Before launch, Facebook will even show the number of estimated reach so as to not waste marketing dollars advertising to those less likely to engage.

-Performance: Your Facebook Page, Facebook Insights offers valuable customer information. After reviewing age, gender and country of residence you can enhance or change your current Facebook strategy. Using this data, you can decide which content works best, the audience you are currently reaching and where improvements can be made. In the end, it’s all about making social connections with your target audience.

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Engage With People That Like Your Page
Start with an interesting and compelling Facebook Page that differentiates your business from the competition. Apps are a good way for any business serious about marketing on Facebook to create a unique experience that helps you stand out. From sharing videos to contests, Facebook Apps are among the most used features on the platform. Add in the ability to share with friends and a strong Facebook App can have a huge impact on your ROI.

When we started working with e-commerce companies it was quickly realized that creating a separate tab that helps business owners showcase their products or services is the right approach. Constantly posting your products on your Facebook wall is considered bad etiquette and will turn people off, resulting in a sharp increase in the number of people “unliking” your page and, therefore, dismissing your brand. Creating a low-riskhigh- reward option for your customer is important, so always put yourself in the customers’ shoes when implementing any new Facebook ideas.

There are thousands of amazing apps on Facebook and visiting the Facebook App Directory is a good place to start, as well as talking with other business owners about which Facebook Apps they have found to be beneficial.

Create Engaging Content
The news feed optimization formula Facebook uses to decide what content shows up in a user’s top news feed. Showing this formula and how it is tied to Facebook’s current news options (top news vs. most recent) was genius, as it really encourages you to do the right thing by your customer.

Facebook news feed optimization has become a new type of SEO. If you like or comment on updates from one particular Facebook page often, you are likely to see that business’ status update in your top news feed (the default setting) on a regular basis. The formula (shown below), called EdgeRank, looks at affinity score (how often the user interacts with the page), weight (how many comments or likes a post has), and time decay (how recent that update was posted). In many respects, this is not unlike link building.

If you post content on your page that does not follow the above formula you are wasting your time, as updates will not be seen by your fans. Before you press the share button, reread the post and make sure you are asking for engagement. For example, if you are thinking of launching a new product, ask the opinion of your customers.

If you are just starting out and have very few people following your page, Facebook advertising is a great approach to reach the right people at the right time. Advertisers can request that ads are served based on what your customers have said they liked in their profile. For example, a Phoenix-based Mexican restaurant could promote a new brand of tequila to people on their birthdays that are located in the Phoenix area, based on the information from those users’ profiles. Before launch, Facebook will even show the number of estimated reach (see below) so as to not waste marketing dollars advertising to those less likely to engage.

Measure Performance
Used with your Facebook Page, Facebook Insights offers valuable customer information. After reviewing age, gender and
country of residence you can enhance or change your current Facebook strategy. Using this data, you can decide which content works best, the audience you are currently reaching and where improvements can be made.

In the end, it’s all about making social connections with your target audience. Too often, business leaders and owners
think of their target audience as nameless, faceless people. Facebook brings the human touch to your relationships with
your customers; faces, names and conversations. And that is how you monetize Facebook — by creating a living dialogue
with your fans.