In this post, Aidan Hijleh, our guest blogger from California, US, talks about how the local community driven network of sites called Patch helps local businesses. Our Indian, and non US readers can get inspired by Patch (which we found very impressive) and create something similar for their own local community.

 

Businesses are always looking for ways to tap deeper into local markets. There are many tools that can help, but Patch is one that is not getting nearly as enough attention as it should. Boasting a massive network of more than 800 sites across nearly two dozen states in the US, Patch has become a reliable source for news in several small local communities. This network is growing rapidly, and the more it does, the greater value it will have to offer to businesses.

Meet the Patch Community

The content a reader finds on Patch is created by small staffs of journalists and bloggers focusing on a specific community. But readers do not visit these local sites just to consume news. They also go to interact. Every Patch site operates like a community that allows users to discuss the topics online and what’s going on in the neighborhood. These people are active and make a great target audience for businesses looking to narrow their focus to a tight-knit local scene. Luckily, Patch offers a variety of advertising solutions, promotional programs, and other premium services that can be used to connect to those markets.

Advertising on Patch

Realizing a golden opportunity, Patch has created a nice business model out of helping others reach their ideal local customer. The company has hundreds of sales agents across the country, all employed to help marketers create custom display ad campaigns designed to get the right response, from the right audience. What you pay for these ads depends on the individual site, in addition to size, placement, and other factors that are common in display advertising. Local businesses will be happy to know that Patch advertisers are reporting higher ROI than with traditional print advertising. This may have to do with the fact that you are able to target your ads, and track their performance with analytics tools.

Claim Your Stake

Having a successful run with a Patch-based marketing strategy is all about grabbing this bull by the horn and taking advantage of what’s available. We’ve already discussed the advertising opportunities, but it all starts with claiming your business. You will look much more attractive in the network’s city-specific directories when you add additional information such as your location, contact details, and hours of operation. While Patch allows you to list your business for free, you will to pay for extra features such as top placement, personalized messages, and commercials.

Conclusion

You don’t hear much about Patch in marketing circles, and this may have to do with the fact that it is local-orientated. In any event, it is a powerful tool that could work wonders for businesses who know how to approach it. Hopefully this article helped you get a better understanding of what it takes to get started and more importantly, realize why Patch is worth a closer look.

 

Aidan Hijleh is a freelance copywriter and serves as the Non-Profit Partnership Liaison for Benchmark Email. Aidan advocates free email marketing services to assist with the flourishing of grassroots organizations.

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