Digital Marketing Strategy for Montreal Businesses: Where to Start

Montreal isn't a monolith: Demographic splits: - 50% primarily French-speaking - 30% bilingual (comfortable in both) - 20% primarily English-speaking - Varies significantly by neighborhood Online behavior: - 78% mobile browsing - High social media usage - Platform preferences differ by language - Price-conscious compared to Toronto Seasonal considerations: - Summer: Slower (vacations, festivals) - Fall: High engagement (back to school/work) - Winter: Peak online activity - Spring: Recovery period Your strategy must account for Montreal's bilingual, multicultural reality.

Start with local search optimization: Google Business Profile: - Complete profile in both languages - Montreal-specific categories - Regular posts and updates - Photos of actual Montreal location - Respond to reviews (both languages) Local keywords: - "[service] Montreal" - "[service] near me" (location-based) - Neighborhood names (Plateau, Mile End, etc.) - Quebec-specific terms Citation building: - Montreal business directories - Quebec business registries - Industry-specific local listings - Chamber of Commerce profiles Content strategy: - Blog about Montreal topics - Local event participation - Montreal customer case studies - Neighborhood guides Local SEO delivers customers ready to buy now—prioritize it.

Platform usage differs from rest of Canada: Facebook: - Still strong in Quebec (despite decline elsewhere) - Particularly with 35+ demographic - French content performs better - Local groups very active Instagram: - Visual content for younger audiences - Montreal's creative scene thrives here - Bilingual captions work well - Local influencer partnerships LinkedIn: - B2B essential - English dominates - Montreal business community active - Good for tech and professional services Twitter/X: - Declining usage - More English than French - News and tech focus TikTok: - Growing rapidly - Younger demographics - French content opportunity - Behind-the-scenes works well Content strategy: - Create content in both languages - Tailor to platform audiences - Show Montreal personality - Engage with local community Don't spread too thin—focus on 2-3 platforms done well.

Maximize ROI with targeted campaigns: Google Ads: - Separate campaigns for EN/FR - Montreal geotargeting - Different keywords by language - Landing pages match ad language - Budget allocation: 60% French, 40% English (adjust based on your market) Facebook/Instagram Ads: - Strong Quebec performance - Detailed demographic targeting - Language-specific creative - Retargeting works well - Lower CPC than Toronto LinkedIn Ads: - B2B campaigns - Target Montreal companies - English generally fine - Higher CPC but quality leads Montreal-specific considerations: - French ads generally cheaper (less competition) - Mobile-first creative essential - Test both languages even if English is primary - Seasonal adjustments (summer slowdown) Budget guidance: - Minimum $1,000/month to see results - $3,000-$5,000/month for meaningful impact - Allocate 20% to testing - Monitor and adjust monthly

Build authority through valuable content: Blog strategy: - Montreal-focused topics - Bilingual content (separate articles, not translations) - Local keywords - Answer questions your customers ask - Case studies from Montreal clients Content types that work: - How-to guides - Local market insights - Industry news (Quebec angle) - Customer success stories - Behind-the-scenes content Distribution: - Email newsletters (segment by language) - Social media sharing - Local news outlets - Industry publications - Montreal business groups Video content: - Growing importance - Subtitles in both languages - Show your Montreal presence - Customer testimonials - Educational content Content calendar: - Plan 3 months ahead - Account for Quebec holidays - Festival season content - Winter-themed content - Seasonal business cycles

Direct channel to your audience: List building: - Website signup forms (both languages) - Lead magnets relevant to Montreal market - Event attendance - Customer transactions - Never buy lists Segmentation: - Language preference (critical) - Location (Montreal vs regions) - Customer type/industry - Engagement level - Purchase history Content strategy: - Personalized content - Separate campaigns by language - Montreal-relevant offers - Local event invitations - Customer stories Frequency: - B2C: Weekly or bi-weekly - B2B: Monthly or bi-weekly - Don't over-email - Quality over quantity Compliance: - CASL (Canadian anti-spam law) - Clear unsubscribe - Privacy policy link - Business address required Email remains one of highest-ROI channels—don't neglect it.