Brick-and-mortar marketing strategies that actually work

While online shopping continues to grow in popularity, many consumers still value the experience of visiting a physical location. But getting people to come out to a store has its own unique challenges compared to selling online products and services.

What is brick-and-mortar marketing?

Brick-and-mortar marketing refers to the strategies and tactics that promote businesses with physical locations. Unlike online companies, brick-and-mortar stores rely heavily on in-person interactions and the physical business space.

From local SEO to in-store promotions, brick-and-mortar marketing strategies require creativity and consistency. The goal is to create a seamless and engaging experience, both in-store and online, to foster customer loyalty.

Effective brick-and-mortar marketing strategies combine both traditional and digital marketing techniques. By leveraging multiple marketing methods, business owners can enhance their visibility, increase foot traffic, and improve customer satisfaction. 

Local SEO for brick-and-mortar businesses

Today, the average consumer’s search for traditional brick-and-mortar businesses typically begins online. And when people search for products and services like yours in their area, your business should appear in a prime position. Local SEO is a powerful strategy to help brick-and-mortar businesses rank well in local search results.

Local results for chicken restaurants

A good local SEO strategy for a brick-and-mortar business starts with keyword research. Use Semrush’s Keyword Magic tool or Google’s Keyword Planner to make a list of commonly searched terms. These tools help you come up with phrases to optimize for that you might not have thought of. For example, “restaurant Albuquerque” may best describe your business, but “fast food Netherwood Park” could reach new audiences.

Once you have your keywords, optimize your online presence by including them in your content. Work your target keywords into your website copy, directory listings and social media posts. This helps search engines understand the relevance of your business and lets customers know they’re in the right place. Positive reviews also play a key role in local SEO for brick-and-mortar businesses.

A review for a brick-and-mortar bakery

Generating positive feedback from customers enhances your online reputation, helps boost conversions by building trust, fuels foot traffic to your location, and improves local search rankings. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, and other platforms. Respond to these reviews promptly to show that you value feedback and are committed to providing excellent customer service.

Complete your Google Business Profile (GBP) and make sure it’s up to date. Include essential details like business hours, contact information, and address. High-quality photos and regular posts about new products or services can significantly enhance your rankings.

GBP images for a toy store

The more complete your profile, the better Google can match your business with relevant searches.

While GBP is the most important listing for local SEO, other directories influence your visibility too. Your business can leverage the audiences of popular listing sites and benefit from better local rankings on Google. The number one search engine uses other sites to verify NAP (name, address, phone number) and decide how to rank businesses.

An up-to-date, well-maintained website is also fundamental for a good local SEO strategy. Focus on simple navigation and mobile-friendliness, as many customers use their phones to find local stores.

Create engaging local content

Content tailored to your local audience improves your online presence and builds stronger connections with your community. Start by getting to know your local audience. Understanding your target market’s preferences, needs, and pain points is the first step to creating relevant content. Conduct surveys, use social media polls, and analyze customer feedback to gather insights.

Content that highlights local events, community news, and customer stories resonates well with local audiences. For instance, feature stories about local customers who have had positive experiences with your products or services.

A local customer success story

Make sure your content includes local keywords from your research to help improve your search engine rankings.

Use social media to boost your brick-and-mortar marketing

Social media is a powerful tool for brick-and-mortar businesses to increase visibility and engage with customers. Before you start, identify which social media platforms your target audience uses most frequently. For brick-and-mortar businesses, Facebook and Instagram are particularly effective because of their visual nature and local focus.

A local bakery’s Instagram post

When using social media marketing to promote a brick-and-mortar business, consistency is key. Regular posting keeps your audience engaged and informed about your business. Share updates about new products or services, upcoming events, and promotions. 

While Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are essential, don't ignore GBP posts. Regular GBP posts enhance engagement. Use our Free AI Google Business Profile

Description Generator to optimize your GBP profile and for creative AI-powered post ideas, so you can strengthen your overall client communication practices through this powerful channel.

Use local hashtags in your posts to increase your visibility among local audiences. Hashtags like #[YourCity]Events or #[Location]Business can help attract local customers who are interested in supporting nearby businesses.

Respond to comments, messages, and reviews promptly. This shows that you value customer feedback and actively engage with your community, building trust and loyalty.

Encourage customers to share their experiences at your store on social media. Repost their content on your own profiles to build a sense of community and showcase real customer journeys.

Contests and promotions can significantly boost engagement and drive traffic to your store. For example, a photo contest where customers share pictures of your store can increase both online and in-store engagement.

Use targeted ads on social media platforms to reach local customers. Geo-targeting allows you to show ads to users in specific locations, increasing the chances of attracting nearby customers.

Monitor the effectiveness of your social media campaigns with analytics tools. Pay attention to engagement rates, reach, and click-through rates to understand what content resonates most with your audience.

Enhance customer experiences through events

Brick-and-mortar marketing is not just about attracting customers; it's about creating memorable experiences. In-store events are an excellent way to influence how customers feel about your brick-and-mortar business. Events create buzz around your store and provide an opportunity for customers to interact with your products or services. This kind of brick-and-mortar marketing can spread through the community quickly by word of mouth. 

A local event at a brick-and-mortar bookstore

Product launches, workshops, and seasonal celebrations are effective at attracting new customers and re-engaging existing ones. Once you’ve got people at your event, promote a customer loyalty program. This rewards repeat customers with discounts, special offers, or early access to sales, which can increase customer retention.

Take the opportunity to ask for feedback face to face to learn what your customers like and where you can improve. If this feels too direct, you can leave comment cards out for customers to fill out at their leisure. This is a good way to collect email addresses so you can stay in touch through newsletters and email marketing.

Combining online and offline marketing like this is called a “click-and-mortar” strategy. For example, you can use your website to offer in-store promotions and events to drive traffic to your website with QR codes. Or try allowing customers to buy online and pick up in-store, where they may make additional purchases.

Use tools to measure the success of your events and customer service initiatives. Track attendance, sales during events, and customer satisfaction scores to understand what works best.