5 Ways to Use Social Media to Reach a Local Audience

It’s easier than ever for brands to grow a presence on a worldwide scale. But bigger doesn’t always mean better.

Sometimes looking no further than your metaphorical backyard helps build trust in your community and more targeted relationships with influencers. Here are five social media tactics for generating buzz at a local level:

1. Location-based monitoring.

Make use of social listening platforms like Hootsuite or check out Cision’s Social Software to geo-segment conversations based on location. Find people in your area who are touting your brand and develop relationships with them. Eventually you may want to meet them in person—connect at a local industry event, or invite them for coffee and share ideas.

2. Use LinkedIn.

Create a private group on LinkedIn solely for local followers. Post and share news about your brand, and include thought leadership pieces geared toward your area.

Also make sure to share and comment on their posts as well. This give-and-take helps establish credibility and gives your local audience valuable knowledge and insights, creating brand awareness.

3. Individual outreach.

Say you attended an event where you met local members of the media, and you want to keep in touch. While it’s great to send an email to each person after the event, it’s also important to reach out on social. Request to connect on LinkedIn, or send them a “nice to meet you” tweet. People love gaining followers on social media, and this allows you to have multiple channels where you can interact.

4. Enable employees to be socially active.

According to Nielsen, 84 percent of consumers self-report that word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family have prompted them to take action.

Give your employees the tools to share your brand’s message on social to create internal advocacy and loyalty among brand ambassadors. When the people closest to a brand feel confident enough to share its message, it promotes organic growth within the community and beyond.

5. Show interest in your community.

Take a genuine interest in what people in your area are passionate about. What is going on in your community that your brand could contribute to? Perhaps it’s a 5K run benefiting a charity, or maybe it’s a local tech convention. Get involved with something that makes sense for your brand, then mobilize your social followers to join in.

Think about how many times you’ve seen a small community effort gain national steam and go viral. Creating a local presence can boost your visibility while giving back to the people and places closest to you.

For more ways to get your internal stakeholders engaged on social, view Cision’s latest tip sheet, “10 Tips to Activate Employees on Social Media.”

About Gina Joseph

Gina Joseph is a features writer for Cision Blog, and is also the digital engagement manager for Cision’s marketing department. She’s a book nerd, Detroit sports enthusiast, lover of cats, lifelong Phil Collins fan, and budding snowboarder. Find her on Twitter @gmg912.