As of 2022, there are 33.2 million small businesses in the United States.

Small businesses were hit the hardest during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of them were forced to close or have suffered huge financial losses over the last few years. This is why many people do their best to support local businesses rather than chain stores. Local businesses help build communities, creating hubs where people can live, work, and get their goods and services all in one place.

If you’re in the Fort Wayne area, here are some ways you can support local businesses.

1. Engage with Marketing

Local businesses don’t have as big of a marketing budget as other major corporations. This means they stick to cheaper means of marketing, like cultivating a social media presence.

You can support them on social media by following them and engaging with their content. This refers to likes, comments, and sharing of content. When accounts and posts get more engagement, they are prioritized by the algorithm, meaning they get shown to even more people.

If you’re wondering how to support local businesses without spending any money, this is the easiest way to do it.

2. Buy their Products

If you can afford it, buying the products or services is the most efficient way to support a small local business. This way you contribute to their profits and form part of their customer base.

Keep an eye out for local business events so you can find ones that might be selling something you’re interested in. Check out some local businesses and give them financial support.

Remember, you don’t always have to buy things for yourself. You can hire or buy vouchers for services from local businesses that you know your friends or family will enjoy. You can get your gifts from local stores.

3. Leave Reviews

Reviews are a great way to support your local small business favorites. This is a more personal way to let other people know that you enjoyed your experience with the business and recommend that others check it out.

You can also contact the company directly to give them your review. This way they have the option of using it as part of their marketing content.

Writing a review also boosts the rating of the business on search engine result pages. As with social media, ranking prioritizes businesses with lots of engagement.

Support Local Businesses

If you’re going to buy the products anyway, you may as well support local businesses in the process. And if you don’t have a lot of extra money to spend supporting local businesses, you can still help them by engaging with their online presence and leaving reviews.

These small steps help keep local businesses afloat and build communities.