Choosing the Best Local Advertising Methods on a Budget

Running a local business means keeping sales steady and customers coming back. Yes, sales are crucial—but long-term success depends on more than just a one-time purchase. It’s about making sure your business is the first one people think of when they need your services. Whether they’re looking for a haircut, a yoga class, or someone to fix their car. But if people don’t know you’re there or forget about you, they’ll end up going to your competitors instead.

That’s why local advertising is important—it’s not just about getting your name out there. It’s about being visible and memorable. From Google searches to social media feeds, people need to see your business consistently. If you’re not actively promoting yourself, the potential customers will turn to competitors who are more visible.

However, the common misconception is that you need a big budget to compete with other companies - especially with the big companies. By focusing on a smart, targeted approach, you can reach the right people at the right time, you don't need a big budget to compete.

Cost-Effective Advertising Methods for Small Businesses

So, let’s look at how you can make the most of your budget with affordable advertising options that are easy to set up and can deliver great results when done right.

Google My Business

One of the simplest tools out there is Google My Business (GMB). It’s free, and it ensures your business shows up in local search results when people nearby are looking for what you offer.

Having a GMB profile isn't just about showing up, it also makes sure the potential client has a good first impression of you. Keeping your profile up-to-date with current information—like your hours, services, and photos—makes it easy for potential customers to choose you.

People trust people, and people buy from people.. Encouraging your regular customers to leave positive reviews can make a huge difference. It boosts your visibility and shows potential customers that real people love your business. When people see others having a great experience, they’re more likely to choose you.

Let’s take a barbershop as an example. Imagine someone in your area searching “best barber near me.” If your GMB profile is complete and well-maintained, your barbershop will pop up right in their search results. It’s an easy way to get noticed, and, it costs you nothing. Not sure what steps to take to optimize your GMB profile? Then follow this checklist.

Running Ads

One of the most affordable and effective ways to reach local customers is through online ads. Platforms like Google, Facebook, and Instagram allow you to target your ads specifically to people in your area, ensuring that you’re reaching those most likely to become customers. Whether you run a gym, a florist shop, or provide local services, these platforms give you the tools to focus on the right audience.

One great feature, especially on Facebook and Google, is lead ads, which let you collect valuable customer information—like email addresses—right through the ad itself. For instance, if you own a small beauty salon, you could offer a discount for first-time clients in exchange for their email. Using a tool like Roya, you can easily create and optimize these ads for maximum results. With targeted ads on multiple platforms, you can make your budget go further, bring in more local customers, and help your business grow.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is another very effective way to keep your customers engaged and loyal. By collecting email addresses through your website, social media ads, or even in-store promotions, you can stay in touch with your customers in a way that feels personal and direct. Whether it’s sharing special offers, updates, or event invites, emails help keep your business on their mind.

Want to build your email list faster? Offer something in return! A simple pop-up on your website with a message like, “Get 15% off your next service when you sign up for our newsletter” can work wonders. People love a good deal, and it’s an easy way to get more contacts.

If you have a physical store, why not offer a loyalty program at the counter or via your website? Customers can sign up to earn rewards, and you get a list of people who are genuinely excited to hear from you. It’s a win-win—your customers keep coming back, and you get to stay connected with them. If you want to do this on your website, you can do this as well with a pop-up.

One smart way to get more out of your email list is through retargeting ads. Platforms like Facebook and Google make it easy to upload your list and serve personalized ads directly to those customers. Think of it as a gentle reminder—whether it’s a new product, an exclusive offer, or an event they won’t want to miss. Even if they’re not checking their email, your company still pops up in their social media feeds, keeping you front and center. It’s a great way to stay on their radar without being pushy, and helps ensure that when they’re ready to buy, they think of you first.

Maximizing the ROI of Your Local Ads

Once your ads are live, it’s important to make sure they’re working as hard as they can for you. We need to make sure we use your budget will be used in the most effective way. Here are a few simple ways strategies to implement.

Target the Right People

One of the biggest advantages of online advertising is the ability to get specific about who sees your ads. Platforms like Facebook and Google allow you to narrow down your audience by age, location, and even interests. The more specific your targeting, the more likely you’ll reach people who are ready to become customers. This way, you’re not wasting money on people outside your service area or uninterested in what you offer.

A/B Testing

A/B testing is a simple yet effective way to improve your ad performance. By testing two versions of an ad with slight variations—like changing the headline or image—you can quickly see which one resonates better with your audience. This allows you to adjust and refine your ads based on what’s working, ensuring you’re spending your budget on the most effective approach. With Roya, this process becomes even easier, as its automatically generate multiple ad variations, perform A/B testing, and optimize the best-performing ads for you, saving time and delivering better results without any manual effort.

Retargeting

Sometimes, potential customers don’t convert on their first interaction; most of the time people will have to see your brand at least 3 or 4 times before they buy. Retargeting ads help keep your business top of mind by showing follow-up ads to people who’ve already shown interest, like visiting your site. It’s an efficient way to remind them about your business and encourage them to take the next step.

Setting up and managing these ads can be time-consuming, but that’s where Roya comes in. With Roya, you can quickly create and optimize retargeting ads, making sure your business stays visible and encouraging those customers to return and take the next step. By simply uploading for example your e-mail list into Roya, Roya can re-target those people.

Conclusion

Local advertising plays an important role in keeping your business visible and top-of-mind for your target audience, and it doesn’t have to be expensive. With tools like Google My Business, online ads, and email marketing, you can effectively reach the right people at the right time. By taking a smart, targeted approach with platforms like Roya to help optimize your campaigns, you can drive growth and keep your customers coming back.