Is hyperlocalization right for your global brand?

Hyperlocalization is the word of the moment in international marketing. For some brands, it promises the key to truly understanding and engaging their target audiences. Even if those audiences are only a few hundred people living in a certain neighbourhood. Read on to find out why.

You may have heard of hyperlocalization, but it can be unclear what this marketing term means. Is there a difference between hyperlocalization and localization? Should you be thinking about making your next campaign hyperlocal? 

Where localization focuses on different countries and languages, hyperlocal marketing drills down into regions, cities and even neighbourhoods to target small audiences with highly relevant content, offers and products.

Think Karma Cola’s ‘Good Drinks for Bad Adults’ campaign in Shoreditch or Prada’s wet market takeover in Shanghai, where the brand wrapped up fruits and vegetables in designer packaging. And don’t forget IKEA’s targeting of the local Malaysian dialect to promote their new store in Penang on digital, social media and print advertising. 

In a world of fierce competition for consumer attention, especially online, hyperlocal marketing is a tactic to meet your audience where they are – online or on the street.

It demands attention and speaks to potential customers in a way that resonates with them, showing your global brand has local relevance. It’s about tapping into the zeitgeist according to your audience’s location. 

From creative media design to international SEO, find out how to approach localization in a way that’s right for your brand – and why it’ll drive success. 

DO YOU NEED HYPERLOCALIZATION?

When working out whether hyperlocalization is right for you, breaking it down into two categories can be helpful. 

ONLINE

By targeting a specific audience online, you can meet potential customers when they’re ready to buy. 49% of consumers make a purchase after seeing a targeted ad. And 53% of US consumers always research online before buying a product.

For e-commerce brands, creating hyperlocal campaigns based on specific audience data can help make your brand more memorable to that audience, increasing brand awareness and delivering ROI. 

Take Nike. Their ‘Nothing Beats a Londoner’ campaign was the number one video on YouTube and created a buzz across social media. The campaign focused on local London kids’ determination to take part in sports, despite the barriers they faced living in the city. It featured professional athletes and celebrities, but only through subtle cameos.

The campaign spoke to a local London audience who could resonate with the message, but the iconic city setting and sporting and music icons had global appeal. Pushed on social media by the influencers who featured, Nike grew the conversation and brand awareness, all by focusing on the specific situation of young people in one city.

With the rapid growth in popularity of social commerce, making sure your social platforms are optimized, including Instagram, is a good place to start for hyperlocal campaigns. 45% of internet users find brand information on social platforms. You therefore need to make yourself relevant and engaging for all your target users. 

If you’re looking to attract specific customers in a certain locale, hyperlocalization could be a good option to engage your target audience when they’re ready to buy. 

OFFLINE

For global brands with a physical location or store, online tactics can meet an offline strategy for maximum impact. Around 46% of people searching on Google are doing so with local intent. And if they can find your business near them, they’ll likely visit within one day. 

The IKEA example above shows how hyperlocalization allows global brands to create a ‘local’ feel for their target customers. When your customers have a more personalized and authentic experience, it builds trust and brand awareness.

According to Think With Google, 76% of people who conducted a local search visited a related business – so if you’re looking to increase footfall and sales in your local premises, hyperlocalization can deliver ROI.

HOW TO MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT OF HYPERLOCALIZATION

Hyperlocalization takes your marketing activities one step closer to your target audience. It hones in on a specific demographic in a specific location and appeals to their pain points and needs. For retail brands, this could mean stocking and tailoring stores to the immediate local area. 

Online, it could include hyperlocalizing landing pages, making sure your international SEO is optimized, or offering unique promotions to customers in particular regions or cities. For both online and offline activities, market research is crucial to make sure you’re hitting the right note with your hyperlocal audiences. 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is a great channel to try out hyperlocalization. Organic and paid ads can target a niche demographic in a certain geographic area. Collaborating with local influencers in target cities is a good option too. 

For paid ads, keep your ad spend to a minimum and target a hyper-specific audience. You can target particular geographical areas on platforms like Google and Facebook and set triggers such as search queries and history to launch your ads. 

Location-based keywords that are highly relevant to your target audience are important. And ad copy should tap into the local culture, dialect and colloquialisms that are specific to that area. Working with in-market experts for this is essential. 

WEBSITE

Reviews are critical for boosting your local search rankings too. Localizing reviews and showcasing them on your socials, website and Google profile will help raise your local profile on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). 

Over 20% of retail purchases are expected to occur online this year and e-commerce sales are expected to grow by 10.4% in 2023. Read more about how to optimize your localized content on your e-commerce sites here. 

Hyperlocalizing your landing pages is a good place to start your journey. Your users’ IP will allow them to see the local version of the page that’s relevant to them. Where a localized landing page may focus on the language and culture of a country, a hyperlocalized landing page on your website could include references to specific cities or neighbourhoods or a local dialect spoken by your target audience. Market insights are key to discovering what will resonate with your local audiences and drive action on your site. 

For brands with physical stores in different neighbourhoods or cities, optimizing your website with relevant, hyperlocal keywords will make you more visible to people searching for that specific area. 

According to McKinsey, 71% of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions such as targeted promotions or relevant recommendations. When this doesn’t happen, 76% of consumers feel the frustration. 

CREATIVE DESIGN

Of course, hyperlocalization applies to creative design and media too. Whether this is for print, website, or social, your designs, models and photography should appeal and engage your highly targeted audience. What’s the target demographic? What do they look like, what are their preferences? Local market insights and data gathering will help you determine this, then relevant and accurate creative media localization processes will allow you to localize existing content for each of your hyperlocal campaigns. 

OUT OF HOME

Finally, hyperlocalization means you can meet customers in their local areas, out and about. Even if you don’t have a physical presence, advertising in relevant neighbourhoods, cities or areas can help you effectively reach your target audiences. Starting with comprehensive market research will allow you to leverage local events, or give customers hyperlocal offers and deals to support your campaign.

FINAL THOUGHT

To get hyperlocalization right, you need to start with robust market research and in-depth insights. Then, work with in-market experts to ensure your strategy, whether it’s in physical shops or online, is watertight and relevant to your audiences. 

An effective creative localization process will help your campaign run smoothly from start to finish. 

Measure success and optimize your content further to drive results. These elements together are a winning combination for your hyperlocalization strategy, boosting your relevance as a global but local brand – and driving conversions and sales in your international markets.

Thinking about getting started with hyperlocalization? Discover our range of services then get in touch, we’d love to help. 

Photo by Conrad Alexander on Unsplash