Crafting Irresistible Ad Copy: to Win Local Customers in 2024

Your potential customers are right around the corner.

But how do you cut through the noise and make your ad copy sing to local hearts?

Well, we’re about to embark on a journey that’ll transform your ad copy from “meh” to “wow!”

By the end of this article, you’ll be crafting ad copy so irresistible, your local customers will be beating a path to your door.

Take actions on what you will learn today and you can notice a notable difference in your performance.

Understanding the Local Customer Mindset: The Foundation of Compelling Ad Copy

When I first started writing ad copy for local businesses, I thought, “Hey, I’ve got this. Just throw in the city name a few times, mention some landmarks, and we’re good to go!”

Spoiler alert: I was so wrong. Understanding your local customers is not just about sprinkling some local flavor here and there.

It’s about diving deep into how people in your area think, what they need, and what makes them trust one business over another.

One thing that took me a while to learn is that local customer psychology plays a massive role in creating effective ad copy.

Local consumers have unique mindsets based on their surroundings, culture, and even the weather.

If you want your ads to stand out, you’ve got to put yourself in the shoes of the people you’re trying to reach.

Importance of Local Consumer Psychology in Advertising

I remember when I worked on an ad campaign for a small painting company in small area/perimeter.

My initial thought was to model some of the ad copies from major national branded painting companies.

Then I realized something: the locals valued tradition, familiarity, and personal connections.

Even the owner of the painting business mentioned that their best competitors were other local companies. The big painting companies were not their direct competitors.

Because they advertised and position themselves in a way that didn’t resonate so much with the local customers.

So, I switched gears.

When you understand what motivates your local audience, your ad copy resonates way deeper.

Fun fact: a few local painting businesses said that about 40 percent of their business come from repeat past customers.

Talk about the power of connecting directly with locals.

Key Factors Influencing Local Buying Decisions

Several things influence local buying decisions, and not all of them are what you’d expect.

Sure, price matters, not that many people are going to pay double for something they can get at the big box store down the street.

But, honestly, people often choose local businesses for reasons beyond price.

Things like trust, reputation, and a sense of community involvement weigh heavy on their decisions.

For example, in my experience, one of the biggest drivers for local purchasing is familiarity.

If a business has been around for decades or participates in local charity events, that creates a kind of goodwill that no amount of sales copy can replicate.

People love knowing that the place they’re buying from cares about what’s going on around them.

And let’s not forget convenience. Depending on where you’re advertising, factors like proximity, ease of parking (or lack of it), and delivery options can make or break a deal.

Researching Your Local Target Audience

Here’s a mistake I made early on: thinking I could get away without doing much research.

One of the best tools I found for understanding local audiences is community surveys.

It can be something simple like a Google Form, or you could even hop onto Facebook groups and read through what locals are saying about certain businesses.

You’d be amazed how much insight you can get just by listening to what people are already talking about.

For instance, I discovered from word of mouth that people were hesitant to visit a local supermarket because of their “intimidating” location.

Adjusting our ad copy to emphasize the safe, convenient parking options can help to ease that worry.

You can also check out reviews—not just for your business, but for your competitors.

Reading what people love or hate about other local businesses can give you a treasure trove of data on what drives buying behavior in your area.

Identifying Local Pain Points and Desires

Every market has its unique pain points and desires.

Tapping into them makes your ads feel more like a conversation than a pitch.

For example, a storm just hit a local area.

The roofing business’ ads and landing page was updated mentioning the storm and it’s 24/7 emergency service.

Letting the locals know that they were on ready to assist the second you called them.

The same goes for desires. In some areas, people prioritize buying local; in others, it’s all about fast service. The key is knowing what resonates with your audience.

Staying in tune with local news or talking to residents helps.

When your ads align with local trends, they feel less like marketing and more like solutions.

Understanding the community’s mindset is crucial for successful ad copy.

Speak Their Language: Incorporating Local Lingo and References

There’s something magical about seeing an ad that speaks your language, not just literally, but with words and references that hit close to home.

It creates an instant connection.

The terms or words used in New York City can be significantly different from people in California or even London in the UK.

Let’s talk more about local lingo and references.

Benefits of Using Local Terminology in Ad Copy

One of the biggest perks of using local lingo in your ad copy is the sense of familiarity it creates.

People love feeling like you’re part of their world, like you “get” them.

Using a familiar phrase or reference can be the difference between someone skimming your ad and actually clicking on it.

It builds trust in a way that’s hard to do with more generic language.

Plus, when your copy feels authentic, it can break down that invisible wall of seeing you as a business and more of a person.

The goal is to create that a personal connection.

Researching and Incorporating Regional Slang and Expressions

Now, you can’t just throw in local slang and hope for the best. You need to actually understand the words you are using.

If you’re not from the area you’re advertising in, spend some time listening to how locals talk.

Social media is gold for this, you can scroll through local Facebook groups, read Yelp reviews, or check out local influencers.

You get a real sense of the words people use every day.

One thing you can do is keep a little notebook (or phone note) and jot down cool local phrases you may come across.

In Southern California, locals weren’t just saying “cool” or “awesome” they were saying “gnarly” and “rad” when describing something they loved.

Throwing those into the ad copy made it feel like the brand was part of the community, not just another business trying to sell something.

A personal note. When I was first applying to digital marketing jobs I realized a lot of applications mentioned Google AdWords.

AdWords was changed to Google Ads a long time ago. I could tell the application was outdated and being reused for a while now.

Referencing Local Landmarks, Events, or Cultural Touchstones

This one’s huge. If you want to show your audience that you really understand them, nothing works better than referencing local landmarks, events, or cultural touchpoints.

It’s like giving them a little wink that says, “Hey, we’re on the same page.”

Local events are great because they already have buzz, so when you reference them, your ad taps into that energy. It’s like you’re inserting yourself into an ongoing conversation rather than starting from scratch.

I worked for a powersports marketing agency in the past.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota is a huge event that everyone in the industry knows about.

The sales team would mention this event when building rapport with new potential clients. Great way to connect with their world.

Highlight Your Local Roots: Building Trust Through Community Connection

In today’s digital age, where big corporations dominate the marketplace, showcasing your local roots is more important than ever.

I’ve found that customers are increasingly looking to support businesses that feel like part of their community.

A painting business that I did marketing for would volunteer to paint churches and community service buildings for free.

This helped others see that they were involved in their community.

Emphasizing the business’s long-standing history and commitment to the community helps build an emotional connection with customers.

Showcasing Local Partnerships and Collaborations

Forming partnerships with other local businesses can also significantly boost your credibility and reach.

A painting company I worked with became a sponsor at a local little league baseball game, showcasing their logo prominently on the field alongside other sponsors.

This not only increased their visibility within the community but also allowed them to connect with local families and build relationships with potential customers.

Partnering with local associations or organizations in your industry is another excellent way to gain credibility.

By aligning your brand with well-respected groups, you can enhance your reputation and demonstrate your commitment to the community.

Whether it’s sponsoring a sports team, participating in local events, or collaborating with industry associations, these partnerships can help you establish trust and foster a sense of loyalty among your target audience.

In addition, they provide valuable networking opportunities and can lead to referrals, ultimately driving business growth.

Using Local Customer Testimonials and Success Stories

Nothing speaks to your business’s local roots quite like the voices of your satisfied customers.

Collecting and showcasing local testimonials is one of the best strategies I’ve employed.

For instance, there is a painting company that encouraged happy customers to share their experiences and even photos of their transformed homes.

They created a dedicated section on their website for these success stories. This is an incredible way to motivate potential customers.

Using quotes from past clients in your ads also helps to humanize your brand.

Instead of just telling people that your service is great, you show them through the eyes of someone they know or someone in their community.

It’s like saying, “Hey, if your neighbor loves us, you will too!” Plus, when people see their neighbors featured, they’re often more inclined to engage.

Sharing the Story of Your Company and Its Founders

Sharing your company’s history and the story of its founders is essential for building trust and credibility with local customers.

A compelling origin story creates emotional connections, differentiates your business from competitors, and fosters community engagement.

When customers feel connected to your narrative, they are more likely to become loyal patrons, helping to strengthen your brand identity and drive word-of-mouth marketing.

Overall, you would want to use this towards your advantage. You’re story is unique its worth sharing it with your community.

Personalization at Scale: Tailoring Ad Copy to Local Segments

In today’s digital marketing landscape, personalization is no longer just a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have, especially when it comes to local advertising.

I can’t stress enough how vital it is to utilize customer data effectively.

Let me share a bit about how I’ve learned to create personalized local ad experiences that genuinely resonate with the audience.

Implementing Dynamic Keyword Insertion for Local Relevance

Dynamic keyword insertion (DKI) helped increase my ads performance.

DKI helps personalize ads by automatically inserting locations based on a user’s search, making the ad more relevant and boosting click-through rates.

It saves time by using a single ad template for multiple locations and allows for easy testing to optimize performance.

By adding location-specific keywords, DKI also improves visibility in local searches, enhancing overall ad effectiveness.

Crafting Ad Copy Variations for Different Local Customer Personas

One of the biggest “aha” moments for me was realizing that not everyone in a particular location is the same.

Creating customer personas based on local demographics can be incredibly insightful.

For example, if you’re targeting young professionals in a city, your tone and messaging will differ greatly from targeting families or retirees.

Creating variations of ad copy for different personas always worth a shot

For the young professionals, you can highlight convenience and trendy offerings, like “Grab your morning coffee in a snap!”

For families, you can lean into community events and kid-friendly options, such as “Bring the kids for family-friendly events every weekend!”

It’s all about understanding the unique motivations of each segment and speaking directly to them.

A/B Testing Personalized Elements in Your Local Ad Copy

A/B testing is a great tactic to implement.

I can’t tell you how crucial it’s been in refining my ad strategies.

Early on, I’d set up an ad and just hope for the best. But once I started testing different elements, it was like opening a treasure chest of insights.

For local ads, I’d test various headlines, descriptions and call to actions.

Within Google you can see what headlines and descriptions are generating the most impressions. Meaning which ones Google is showing more to searchers.

If an add is performing well you can keep using the ad copy that is worth.

If some of doing bad you can do a split test time find a better variation.

In essence, A/B testing allows you to see what really works for your audience. It’s not just about guessing; it’s about using data to drive your decisions.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it, local advertising superstars!

Remember, great ad copy isn’t just about words on a screen, it’s about making a genuine connection with your community.

So, don’t be afraid to let your local personality shine through!

Start implementing these techniques today, and watch as your ads transform from background noise to the talk of the town.

Your local customers are out there, waiting to hear your unique voice. So what are you waiting for?

Get writing, get testing, and get ready to welcome a flood of new local business