You know what's funny? Just when I thought I had seen every possible twist on local marketing, something comes along that makes me sit up straight in my chair. The folks at The 9x12 Method just rolled out this pretty incredible platform called Our Local Spotlight, and honestly, it's solving one of the biggest headaches in local marketing.
The End of the 'Are You Even Real?' Era
Let's be real for a second - if you're in local marketing, you've probably had that awkward moment when a potential client looks at you like you're trying to sell them snake oil. I mean, how many times can we hear "So... is this actually legitimate?" before we lose our minds, right?
Well, that's exactly what caught my attention about this new platform. It's basically creating this nationwide network of verified marketing partners. Think of it like Google Maps meets LinkedIn, but specifically for local marketing pros.
How It Actually Works (Without the Fancy Marketing Speak)
Here's the thing - it's surprisingly straightforward. You can jump in two ways:
- Get a free listing (shows up as a circle on their map)
- Grab a premium spot with your own directory landing page for $33/month (perfect compliment to the 9x12tools.com instant site) (shows as a star on map)
What's cool is that when local businesses visit the site, they can literally see all these different partners across the country doing the same thing. It's like instant credibility - "Oh look, this isn't just some random person, there are hundreds of others doing this too!"
The Really Interesting Part (That Nobody's Talking About Yet)
You might be thinking, "Okay, great, another directory." But hold up - there's more cooking here. The platform's creator mentioned they're planning to start driving organic traffic to these listings. They're talking about creating content, maybe even a YouTube channel, and running targeted ad campaigns in areas where they have multiple partners.
I've got to say, that's pretty smart. Instead of everyone trying to market themselves individually, they're building this collective powerhouse that benefits everyone involved.
The Territory Thing (This Is Important)
Something worth noting - if you're thinking about joining, don't wait around too long. They've got this interesting setup where premium members (the ones with landing pages) basically get dibs on their territory. If you're sitting there with a free listing and someone comes along willing to pay for a premium spot in your area... well, let's just say you might find yourself bumped off the map.
My Take on All This
Look, I've seen a lot of platforms come and go in this space, but this one feels different. It's not trying to reinvent the wheel - it's just making it easier for legitimate marketing partners to prove they're the real deal.
What really got me thinking was how this could change the game for new people getting started in local marketing. Instead of spending months building credibility from scratch, you can basically plug into this existing network and hit the ground running.
A Few Quick Tips If You're Thinking About Jumping In
- If you're serious about your territory, spring for the landing page. The $33/month is probably worth it just to lock down your spot.
- Keep an eye on their content plans - sounds like there might be opportunities to get featured and grab some extra visibility.
- Use their platform link in your email signature and marketing materials. It's an easy way to show you're part of something bigger.
The whole thing reminds me of what happened with real estate agents back in the day - individual agents became way more credible once they could point to being part of a bigger, recognized network.
I'm actually pretty curious to see where this goes. The platform's just getting started, but if they pull off everything they're planning... well, let's just say local marketing might look very different a year from now.