Marketing Your Local Business Online

You have a running list in your phone or in your head of all the content ideas. Things you want to post, things you want to share, customer success stories you want to tell. The ideas are there. You know what you want to say. But here's the thing. You're struggling to actually implement it because life throws things at you and truth be told you'd rather be spending your time serving customers and doing what you love than filming or creating content. You're not alone, and the instinct is to hire someone. But when you start looking at what that actually costs? A social media manager can run pretty steep because there's a lot that goes into managing and executing a social media strategy today. And right now, that's just not where your budget is or maybe your a business that operates off of small profit margins. So you're stuck in this 'Catch 22.' You don't have the time to do it yourself, and you don't have the budget to hand it off. You need more visibility to grow revenue, but you need more revenue to afford the help that creates that visibility. In this episode, Sydney breaks down how to escape this 'Catch 22' and get your local business visible every single day on social media without having to be present posting every day. Interested in joining the Local Ads Accelerator? This course is built specifically for local business owners to help with this Catch 22 local business owners find themselves in. It's designed for the busy business owner who needs a sustainable strategy they can implement and use over and over again even when the algorithm changes, even when a new trend comes along. Learn more and register today!

Right now, the instinct for a lot of local business owners is to pull back, cut expenses, and go quiet. And honestly? In an uncertain economy, that feels like the safe move. But in this episode, Sydney makes the case for why going quiet on your marketing is actually the riskiest thing you can do for your business right now and what to do instead. Drawing on a real client story from COVID, Sydney breaks down the compounding cost of invisibility, why your customers are still out there spending money, and how the businesses that come out stronger on the other side of tough times are always the ones that kept showing up. If you've been thinking about pulling back on marketing, listen to this episode first. In this episode: Why uncertain economic times are actually the worst time to go quiet The hidden cost of being invisible in your community What happened when one local business kept running ads during COVID and why it paid off How to stay visible without breaking the bank Ready to stop being the best-kept secret in your community? The Local Ads Accelerator, a Facebook and Instagram ads course built specifically for local business owners, opens April 17th. Join the waitlist for the access to exclusive pricing when it launches.

You have a great product or know you provide a great service, you have a list of happy customers who love you. So why do you still feel like the best kept secret in your community? In today's episode we're diving head first into the real reason new customers aren't finding your business. And it has nothing to do with your quality, your prices, or how long you've been open. What's really at the root of this challenge with getting visible in your community so you're the go-to for what you offer? Many local business owners believe that if they do good work that people will talk and new customers will find them but that's not how it works anymore in this day and age of the internet and social media. In this episode, Sydney shares where local businesses can focus their attention so they start getting more visible in their communities to ultimately see new customers walking through their doors. Free Resources mentioned in this episode: 3 Common Ad Mistakes Draining Your Budget and How to Fix Them Ready to stop feeling invisible online and start seeing more customers walking through your doors? Join the waitlist for my upcoming course teaching local businesses how to thrive using Meta Ads on a budget that won't break the bank. This is the same Meta Ads strategy I use to help my clients grow!

There's something costing your business money every single month and it never shows up on your bank statement, your credit card, or your profit and loss report. Most local business owners have no idea it's even happening. In this episode, Sydney pulls back the curtain on one of the biggest hidden drains on your revenue, breaks down exactly how much it's costing you, and shares what you can do about it starting today. Using real numbers, Sydney walks you through exactly how much revenue you could be leaving on the table every single month by staying invisible while your competitors build brand recognition and capture your potential customers. From new movers in your area to repeat customers who simply forgot about you, doing nothing has a very real price tag. You'll also get a simple homework assignment to calculate your own missed revenue so you can see what inaction is actually costing your business. In this episode: Why "doing nothing" isn't free and how to calculate what it's really costing you A breakdown of realistic ad spend vs. potential revenue for local businesses The compounding cost of losing customers to competitors who are showing up How to stay top of mind with both new and existing customers Special Announcement: Sydney's first-ever Meta Ads course for local business owners launches April 17th! Join the waitlist for exclusive access to enroll first and lock in the lowest price it will ever be. Only the first 25 students will receive the discounted pricing.

Sydney Chakalos shares proven tactics for local business owners to attract more customers quickly using social media, paid ads, and email marketing. She discusses organic reach challenges, effective ad targeting, and her upcoming Meta ads course. If you want to be the first to know when the course launches and get exclusive pricing, join the waitlist today! *Note: By joining the waitlist, you are not committing to the course just simply being the first to know about it. You'll walk away from this episode understanding how to: Use engagement ads on your most popular content on a small budget. Create custom audiences of your followers and those who engage with your accounts for better targeting. Build and nurture an email list to drive repeat visits and sales. Focus on targeted paid ads over boosting posts for quick results. Need an email service provider? Try out Constant Contact.

In this episode of the Marketing Your Local Business Online podcast, host Sydney Chakalos discusses how local businesses can effectively utilize Facebook and Instagram ads to enhance visibility, engagement, and customer loyalty. She emphasizes the importance of using Meta Ads Manager for better control and targeting, and outlines three essential ad campaigns: brand awareness, engagement, and traffic campaigns. The episode provides insights into maximizing ad performance and avoiding common pitfalls, encouraging business owners to invest in these marketing strategies for substantial returns for their local business. Download my free guide the 3 Facebook Ad Mistakes That Drain Your Budget & How Local Businesses Can Fix Them Fast. Just getting started with Meta Ads Manager? Download my free guide Stop Flying Blind with Your Facebook Ads: How to Set Up Your Meta Pixel.

In this episode of the Marketing Your Local Business Online podcast, host Sydney Chakalos discusses the critical importance of consistency in marketing for local businesses. After a brief hiatus from podcasting in previous years, Sydney reflects on her own struggles with maintaining consistency, especially while managing client work and personal responsibilities. She emphasizes that consistency is not just a marketing tactic but a foundational element for business success. Sydney shares her insights on how being consistent can lead to better marketing outcomes and ultimately, business growth. Throughout the episode, Sydney provides practical advice for local business owners on how to cultivate consistency in their marketing efforts. She discusses the challenges many face, such as time constraints and self-doubt, and encourages listeners to adopt positive self-talk and create structured marketing plans. By sharing her personal experiences and offering actionable strategies, Sydney aims to empower local business owners to overcome obstacles and achieve their marketing goals with confidence. Takeaways Consistency is the foundation for marketing success. Self-talk matters; be your own biggest cheerleader. Creating a marketing calendar can help maintain consistency. It's okay to seek help if marketing feels overwhelming. Success is not linear; bounce back from setbacks. Resources Download Sydney's free marketing calendar template. This is the same calendar template that Sydney uses to organize her own marketing and her clients.

In this episode, Sydney Chakalos discusses three common mistakes local businesses make when running Facebook ads that can drain their budgets. She emphasizes the importance of trusting your instincts over Meta's recommendations, the necessity of running ads for a sufficient duration, and the need for effective ad copy and images that resonate with the local audience. The episode provides actionable insights to help businesses improve their ad performance and avoid costly pitfalls. Download the free guide that summarizes the 3 common mistakes with Facebook ads and how to fix them. Register for the 1-hour Drive More Foot Traffic Workshop!

In this episode, Sydney Chakalos discusses the critical differences between boosted posts and running ads using Meta Ads Manager. This episode discusses the importance of understanding these tools for local business marketing to avoid wasting money on initiatives that don't support your marketing goals. She explains how ads manager offers better targeting, audience control, and analytics compared to boosted posts. The episode also covers when to use each option, the significance of the Meta pixel for tracking, and shares real-world success stories to illustrate the effectiveness of ads. Sydney encourages listeners to embrace ads manager for better marketing results and offers resources for getting started. Download my free guide to set up your Meta pixel! Join my upcoming workshop to get step-by-step guidance to set up your first Facebook ad campaign!

Get prepared for what's to come in the world of marketing in 2026. In this episode, Sydney shares her 6 key marketing predictions for the year ahead. These are the shifts that will help you strengthen your brand and its visibility, connect more deeply with your audience, and stay competitive in a constantly evolving digital landscape. From how quickly you'll need to grab attention, to what's replacing hashtags, to why personalization is about to matter more than ever, Sydney breaks down the shifts every small business needs to prepare for. Tune in to hear Sydney break down what's changing and how you can use these changes to your advantage, especially as a local business owner. What You'll Discover in This Episode: Why capturing attention quickly will help your message land more effectively The growing importance of personal connection and why your face, your team, and your customer experience matter more than ever A shift in trust online and how you can strengthen your credibility How upcoming changes around AI will make authentic, human-centered content even more valuable Why focusing on keywords (not hashtags) will help your posts get discovered The role a thoughtful paid strategy can play as competition increases on social This episode is all about understanding where marketing is headed and how you can confidently adapt without doing more, spending more, or feeling like you have to be everywhere at once. If you're looking for a clear, encouraging guide to navigating 2026 with purpose, this is the episode for you. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Found this episode helpful? Leave a review!

Ready to feel inspired? In this episode, Sydney pulls back the curtain on real success stories from local businesses that transformed their results using Facebook and Instagram ads. Bonus: you won't believe how little they spent to see massive returns. From a jewelry store that had one of their busiest holiday seasons ever, to a nonprofit that finally solved their recruitment crisis, to a restaurant that had to make dough three times in one day because of overwhelming customer turnout. These stories prove that social media ads work for local businesses across every industry. What You'll Discover: Sydney shares detailed case studies from five different local businesses, including: A retail store that maximized holiday foot traffic A volunteer fire department that brought back a recruitment class they hadn't offered in years (with just $100/month in ad spend every month!) A restaurant that brought in over $2,000 in catering orders for Thanksgiving The customer appreciation event that had a line out the door A garden center that had to order more Christmas trees for the first time ever But here's what makes this episode truly valuable: Sydney doesn't just share the wins. She breaks down the strategy behind each success. What images they chose, how they crafted their messaging, and why these campaigns worked so well. You'll learn the common threads that made each of these campaigns successful, regardless of industry. The best part? Most of these businesses spent between $50-$150 per campaign. You don't need a massive marketing budget to see real results. You just need the right approach. Key Takeaways You'll Learn: How to identify which photos and imagery will perform best in your ads Why understanding your customer personas is crucial One of the biggest mistakes business owners make that causes their ads to "fail" How to give your ads enough time to actually work Why planning ahead makes all the difference in your results Whether you own a retail store, restaurant, service business, or nonprofit organization, this episode will show you what's possible when you leverage social media ads strategically. If you've been on the fence about trying ads or felt like they "don't work," these real-world examples might just change your mind. Connect with Sydney: Instagram: @MarathonMarketingBranding (DM Sydney with your questions!) Love this episode? Leave a five-star review to help other local business owners discover this podcast or share this episode with a friend! New episodes drop every Tuesday. Subscribe so you never miss one!

Welcome back! After some time away, Sydney is back behind the mic with a game-changing episode that every local business owner needs to hear especially if they want to increase foot traffic. If you've been feeling frustrated with your social media reach lately, you're not imagining things. Sydney breaks down exactly what's happening with the algorithm and why your amazing content is only reaching a tiny fraction of your followers (hint: it's worse than you think). In This Episode: The shocking truth about how many of your followers actually see your posts Why "going viral" isn't a business strategy you can count on A real-world case study: How one local pizza restaurant increased revenue by 30% using Facebook & Instagram ads The marketing principle that explains why visibility matters more than you realize Plus: Sydney shares details about an upcoming live workshop where she'll walk you through setting up your first Facebook and Instagram ad without the tech overwhelm, no guesswork, just step-by-step guidance from someone who's been doing this for 10 years. This episode is perfect for you if you're tired of spending hours creating content that nobody sees, or if you've been curious about ads but are overwhelmed by where to start. Connect with Sydney: Instagram: @MarathonMarketingBranding Register for the workshop taking place on Tuesday, November 18th at 10AM EST. A recording will be available if you can't make it live. In this one-hour workshop you'll set up your first Facebook & Instagram ad to start driving more foot traffic. New episodes drop every Tuesday!

Where is marketing heading in 2023? In this episode, I'm sharing my predictions for where marketing is heading in 2023 and how you can apply these trends to your advantage and grow your business. We're talking social media, email marketing, text messaging, and automation.