You know what big corporations can’t compete with? Your local connection.
While they’re spending millions on national campaigns, you can become the go-to authority in your neighborhood with simple video content that showcases your local expertise and community involvement.
In today’s Video Lion, I’m sharing the local business video playbook that’s helping small businesses dominate their markets without competing against massive budgets.
Come with me!
So what’s the big advantage that you, as a local business have?
The Local Advantage
Local businesses have superpowers that big corporations envy: personal relationships, community knowledge, and authentic local presence.
Video amplifies these advantages like nothing else.
When someone searches for “best pizza near me,” they want to see real local people, not corporate marketing.
Your video content can capture that authenticity in ways that written content simply can’t.
Now let’s take a look at the type of video content you should be creating
Location-Based Content That Works
Start with hyperlocal content.
Create videos about your neighborhood, not just your business. “Hidden gems in downtown Springfield” or “Best family activities in our area this weekend.”
This positions you as a local expert, not just another business.
Feature local landmarks, events, and partnerships in your videos.
When someone recognizes their favorite coffee shop or local park in your content, instant connection.
You should make your customers the stars of your videos.
The Community Showcase Strategy
Feature local clients, highlight community success stories, and showcase how your business impacts real neighbors’ lives.
Create “Local Spotlight” videos featuring other businesses you work with or recommend.
This builds valuable relationships and often leads to reciprocal promotion—they’ll feature you too.
Another great asset for you are events that happen in your community
Event Documentation
Attend local events with your phone camera.
Document festivals, charity drives, school events, or community meetings.
Even 30-second clips showing your participation builds trust and visibility.
Host your own events and document them.
A customer appreciation BBQ or educational workshop becomes multiple pieces of video content while strengthening community ties.
Behind-the-Scenes Local Flavor
Show your local sourcing.
If you use ingredients from the farmer’s market or materials from local suppliers, tell that story. People love supporting businesses that support their community.
Feature your team members who live locally.
When customers see employees they might know from soccer practice or the grocery store, your business becomes part of their extended community.
Seasonal and Timely Content
Create content around local seasons and traditions.
“Preparing for hurricane season” in Florida, “Best snow removal tips” in Minnesota, or “Surviving summer heat” in Arizona.
Address local issues and current events relevant to your business.
If there’s construction affecting access to your store, create a helpful video showing alternative routes.
SEO for Local Video
Your SEO needs also to be local, of course. Use local keywords naturally in your video titles and descriptions.
“Best coffee shop in downtown Miami” performs better locally than “Best coffee shop in America.”
Include local landmarks and neighborhood names in your content.
This helps with “near me” searches and location-based SEO.
Add location tags to your videos and post them on Google My Business. This directly impacts local search rankings.
Platform Strategy for Local Businesses
Now, you should be strategic about what type of content you post on different social media platforms.
Facebook remains powerful for local businesses. Local community groups and neighborhood pages often share great local content.
Instagram Stories and Reels work well for behind-the-scenes content and quick updates about daily specials or inventory.
YouTube is perfect for longer-form content like tutorials, tours, or educational content that establishes expertise.
TikTok can work for younger demographics, especially for restaurants, fitness centers, or entertainment businesses.
Building Local Partnerships Through Video
You can and should build partnerships through video.
Collaborate with other local businesses on video content. Joint live streams, business spotlights, or collaborative how-to videos benefit everyone involved.
Partner with local influencers or community leaders.
Even micro-influencers with 1,000 local followers can be more valuable than national influencers for local businesses.
Measuring Local Success
Finally, how do you measure local success?
Track local engagement: comments from recognized community members, shares in local Facebook groups, and mentions by other local businesses.
Monitor foot traffic increases after posting local content.
Many businesses see direct correlation between community-focused videos and store visits.
Pay attention to local keyword rankings and Google My Business insights to see how video content impacts local discoverability.
Remember: your goal isn’t to go viral nationally—it’s to become indispensable locally. When your neighbors think of your type of business, they should think of you first.
That’s it for today. Before you go, don’t forget to give us a like or leave a comment, and, if you haven’t done it yet, subscribe to our channel to stay informed about everything related to video for business.
See you in the next Video Lion!