Local marketing: What it is and why brands need it

Local marketing gets thrown around a lot, but it means something different depending on who you ask. For some, it’s putting up flyers at the local coffee shop or the same radio buy they’ve been running for years. For others, it’s a Facebook ad with a ZIP code filter.

At Flint, we define local marketing as helping your partners show up and win where it counts: in their own backyard.

That’s it. It’s not about big media budgets or clever hashtags. It’s about being relevant – when and where people are looking for you. And if you're a brand that sells through franchisees, dealers, agents or reps, local is where your growth actually happens. 

You Can’t Win Nationally Without Winning Locally 

Let’s say your national campaign looks amazing. Great creative. Big reach. All the right platforms. But what if someone sees your ad, searches for you locally, and finds a broken website link or a listing that’s out of date?

You just lost the sale.

That’s the core of local marketing. It connects the dots between brand awareness and real-world action. It turns interest into foot traffic, clicks into calls and searches into sales.

To understand the tangible benefits and risks associated with neglecting local marketing, check out the top five reasons you can’t afford to ignore local marketing.

What Local Marketing Actually Includes 

Depending on your business model, local marketing can include:

• Google Business Profile optimization (showing up in the “near me” map pack) 

• Local paid media (geotargeted display ads, Facebook ads with location-specific targeting, etc.) 

• Localized websites or landing pages (SEO-optimized, fast and conversion-friendly) 

• Review and reputation management (asking, responding, publishing) 

• Local social content (relevant to that store, that town, that community) 

• Lead follow-up tools (because a form fill means nothing if no one responds) 

The tools may vary, but the goal stays the same: Drive demand and action at the local level. 

Why Local Marketing Is So Hard To Get Right 

You’ve got a great national team. You’ve built out toolkits. Maybe you’ve even invested in a platform. Yet your partners aren’t using the tools. Or worse, they’re going rogue with their own campaigns.

Why? 

Because most local marketing programs aren’t built for the people actually doing the work. Your franchisees don’t have a marketing team. Your dealers are selling multiple brands. Your agents are wearing six other hats. 

They need simple. They need support. They need marketing they can actually do – or better yet, marketing that gets done for them. 

The Difference Between Showing Up and Being Chosen 

Local marketing is how you help your partners win in their markets. It’s the bridge between your brand and your buyers. And it’s the one area most brands know they should be doing better. 

If you're ready to stop checking the box and start making local marketing work, let’s talk. It’s what we do every day – for brands with dealers, franchisees and everything in between.