Get More Local Foot Traffic To Your Business In 3 Steps

Web traffic isn’t the number one priority for everyone. Some businesses rely on foot traffic to make most of their money, but what can you do to drive more people through your doors?

It’s extremely achievable - just follow these three steps: 

1. Set up a Google Business Profile

Start things off by setting up a Google Business Profile, which ensures your business is listed on Google. Full disclosure: it’s borderline impossible to get more local foot traffic if people can’t find you on Google Maps.

A Google Business Profile is the first step in achieving better visibility - it literally puts you on the map so people will see your business when searching for nearby things to do. 

2. Improve local SEO

Creating a Google Business Profile isn’t nearly enough to elicit the results you’re hoping for. It’s the first step; the next involves optimising your listing and website to improve local SEO.

This is the hardest part in trying to draw in more foot traffic, but the goal is to make your business listing one of the first people see when Googling businesses like yours within your geographical area. 

A few top tips to improve local SEO involve: 

• Filling your Google Business Profile with as much information as possible - this includes opening hours, pictures, contact details and so on. 

• Gathering plenty of customer reviews - the more reviews you get, the better. Google sees businesses with lots of positive reviews and pushes them to the front because four or five-star companies are seen as better ones to promote to users. 

• Optimise your website with local keywords so the right people find it when searching. 

• Use link building to acquire backlinks from local sources. This can include local news websites, local bloggers or online directories for your local area. 

3. Invest in clever street signage

The first two steps take care of your digital marketing approach to boosting local foot traffic, but you need to take action in the real world, too. Think about how many people walk passed your business every day without knowing it’s there. You’re missing out on thousands of potential customers - and all they need is some encouragement.

If you visit this website, you’ll see a wealth of signage options that would work well outside any local business. Signs draw attention to your brand, and they can also be used to direct people to your premises or draw them in. 

For eateries, bars and restaurants, outdoor signs displaying your menu or some specials will attract foot traffic. For all types of retail stores, a sign with an arrow can be enough to generate foot traffic - or signs with important information, like a special discount for anyone who walks in today. Street signage will do so much to promote your local business and help you capture foot traffic that won’t be impacted by your digital marketing efforts. 

Granted, you may only see three steps here, but each one requires a bit of effort (especially the second step).

Follow all three and attack things from both angles - online and offline - to see the greatest improvements in your business’s foot traffic. 

Need a smarter way to keep your business visible on LinkedIn? I rate ContentSwarm* — and you can save 20% on your subscription with the code GEMMA.

Let me be your Virtual Digital & Marketing Support, helping your business with website updates, social media content creation & getting found online for the products/services you offer.

If you’re looking for help or support for a marketing project to help your business grow by improving your online presence, please check out the Digital Marketing Services I Provide.

Not sure or want to have a chat about this in more detail then please Contact Me directly.

Are you looking to upskill and learn more about AI, Business Analysis, Data Protection?

Check out these Online Courses now.