If you have a shop local program and you’re struggling for content ideas, worry not. Here are the 5 basics you should be covering for greater reach and more shares.
5 Types of Engaging Content
Images
Work with your local merchants to get scrumptious pictures of their offerings or take them yourself. Showcase their storefronts, their windows, or their displays. Marry the images with quotes from the owner, specials they’re running, or things that make the business amazing. Don’t forget pictures of your main street and other beautiful aspects of your community.
Another great idea is showing crowds shopping. This makes people feel like they’re missing out on something. They’ll think, if all these people are shopping, there must be some great deals.
Merchant Spotlights
Don’t do the same old, same old for these. Create unique spotlights for your merchants, post them on your site, and circulate them on social media. Make sure you tag the merchants so they can circulate them on their profiles as well.
FAQ Posts
Have questions that everyone asks you, like are your shops open at night? and is parking free? Create posts for each of these questions. Make sure they’re keyword optimized for your area. Placing locally is a whole lot easier than placing nationally and much more beneficial for a shop local program.
List Posts
These are easy blog posts to write featuring your merchants and the specials they’re having. They can be written around any activity such as:
- 10 Shops for Unique Gifts This Christmas
- 5 Places Dad Would Love to Go for Father’s Day
- The Best Deals for July 4th
Make sure you link back to your merchants’ websites and provide addresses and hours. That way people can refer to your article on their phone while they’re looking for a shop and have all the information they need in one spot. Don’t make them click over to a site just to find the hours or an address. The more information you provide, the longer they’ll stay on your site.
Entertainment and Inspiration
Finally, share things that will bring about the “feel good” moments for your audience. People need that more than ever. If you become a source of entertainment and inspiration, as well as shop local information, visitors will be more likely to return.
