Local Content Marketing Guide: 9 Content Types to Create

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Local content marketing helps businesses attract customers, improve search rankings, and build community trust. Local businesses can increase visibility and drive more traffic by focusing on locally relevant topics, customer engagement, and SEO-friendly formats.

But first, here are a few thoughts before we get started.

• Repurposing Content: Remember that content can be repurposed. A new blog post can also become an email, a script for a video, or a social media or Google Business Profile post.
• Selective Content Marketing Plan: Don’t try to tackle all these simultaneously. Why not choose one or two to focus on for the week? Then add in another type as you have capacity. Delegating some content types to other team members might be a good idea.

Local Content Marketing: 8 Types

Content marketing has many benefits, especially for local businesses.

This guide covers the best types of content, from blog posts and guides to service pages and email marketing, that help local businesses connect with their audience and stand out in search results.

1. Location-Specific Blog Posts

Writing about local topics helps attract nearby customers and improves search rankings.

Write about community events, industry trends, or local news relevant to your business. “Best of” and “Top 10” lists featuring nearby attractions or businesses can boost engagement.

• Frequency: 1-4 new posts per month.
• Difficulty: Relatively easy.
• Content Angle: Top of the Funnel. Readers are in the initial stages of the sales funnel, beginning to learn about your offering.

Here are some ideas.

• Write about local events, trends, or industry news.
• Create “Best of” and “Top 10” lists featuring local attractions. It’s okay to include your own business in the list. Here’s an example: Best SEO Company for Lawyers.
• Consider interviewing other business owners and experts or showcase customer stories or case studies relevant to the area.

Not sure what to write about? Here’s my list of 73 topics, ideas, and content types to get your brain juices flowing.

Help getting started: Focus on granular and evergreen topics. Focus on objectives.

2. Service and Product Pages

Optimized service and product pages help local customers find relevant offerings. Include detailed descriptions with local keywords and highlight how your services meet community needs.

Adding pricing, FAQs, and testimonials improves user experience and builds credibility. Well-structured pages also enhance search engine rankings for location-based queries.

• Frequency: Create as needed. Update regularly.
• Difficulty: Relatively easy.
• Content Angle: Bottom of the Funnel. Readers are looking for quotes and availability and are in a buying mood.

• Optimize pages with detailed descriptions and local keywords.
• Highlight how services cater to the needs of the local community.
• Include FAQs, pricing, and customer testimonials.

Example: When marketing your HVAC business, consider building detailed pages that help customers understand your heat pump installation process. Giving specifics like rough installation timelines, expected disruptions, cost savings, etc., will serve your customers and help your page to rank better in organic search.

Here’s more about how to optimize the on-page SEO of your products and service pages.

3. Google Business Profile Posts

Google Business Profile posts keep your listing fresh and engaging. Share promotions, event updates, and important announcements.

High-quality images and well-written updates improve visibility and encourage potential customers to visit your business. Regular updates signal to Google that your business is active.

• Frequency: Once per week is ideal.
• Difficulty: Relatively easy.
• Content Angle: Bottom of the funnel. While some readers will be in research mode, many will be looking to make a buying decision. Use these posts to build trust and share promotions and special offers.

• Use Google Posts to highlight promotions and events.
• Share updates on business hours, new products, and announcements.
• Post high-quality images showcasing your location and offerings.

Here are some tips for engaging Google Business Profile posts.

4. Customer Reviews & Testimonials

Showcasing customer feedback builds trust and credibility. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, or your website.

Highlight positive testimonials on service pages and social media. Case studies featuring real client success stories can demonstrate value and attract more local leads.

• Encourage and showcase authentic reviews on your website.
• Share case studies and success stories from local customers.
• Embed Google and Yelp reviews for added credibility.

Reviews are gold when marketing home service businesses. They are also important for wellness business, if your professional association allows patient reviews to be collected and used in marketing.

Here’s how to collect more reviews and manage new customer reviews.

5. Local Guides & Resources

Creating local guides positions your business as a helpful resource in the community.

Develop city or neighborhood guides relevant to your industry, such as “Best Hiking Trails in Cape Breton” for an outdoor gear shop or local accommodation.

Checklists, how-to guides, and downloadable PDFs provide value while improving search visibility.

• Create city/neighborhood guides related to your industry.
• Offer checklists and how-to guides for local consumers.
• Provide downloadable PDFs, maps, or interactive resources.

These can be shared and distributed as a lead magnet (email), converted into a video script, or shared on social media in bite-sized pieces.

Building valuable guides is a great way to build links and site authority.

6. Video Content

Videos increase engagement and showcase your business in an authentic way.

Create behind-the-scenes tours, customer testimonials, product demonstrations, or live Q&A sessions. Short, informative videos help connect with local customers and perform well on social media and search engines.

• Create behind-the-scenes videos of your business.
• Film customer testimonials and success stories.
• Showcase product demos, tutorials, or live Q&A sessions.

You don’t need a new piece of gear to shoot a great video. Likely, your phone will be fine. Or you might consider one of the newer action cameras.

7. Social Media Content

Posting regularly on social media keeps your audience engaged and informed.

Share updates on promotions, events, and new products. Featuring user-generated content, local partnerships, and community involvement boosts credibility. Engaging with local businesses and customers fosters stronger connections.

• Post real-time updates on sales, promotions, or events.
• Share user-generated content from local customers.
• Engage with community posts and local businesses.

Consider sharing your Google Business Profile posts to your social media channels.

8. Email Newsletters & Offers

Email marketing helps nurture relationships with local customers.

Send newsletters featuring exclusive promotions, industry insights, and business updates. Highlight seasonal deals, new products, or upcoming events to engage your audience. Personalizing emails increases open rates and conversions.

• Send local event updates and exclusive promotions.
• Share educational content and industry insights.
• Highlight new product launches and seasonal deals.
• Consider using an incentive to build your email list. These can include a checklist, exclusive content, or coupons.

We recommend using an email marketing service for this. We use MailerLite and Kit, both solid options that are relatively easy to use.

9. FAQ Pages & Help Content

Answering common customer questions improves user experience and boosts SEO.

Create an FAQ page addressing pricing, policies, and service details. Optimizing for voice search with conversational language helps capture local searches.

A well-structured knowledge base reduces customer inquiries.

• Address common customer questions with detailed answers.
• Optimize for voice search by using conversational language.
• Create a knowledge base with troubleshooting guides and policies.

Before building your content marketing plan, why not check out these common content marketing mistakes?

What type of content are you planning to create for your local business? I would love to hear your plans and questions in the comments.