3 Tips To Attract More Local Customers To A Website

• By Sarah
• General News
• 1216 Views
• 10th December 2022

If you run a business with a physical local presence, or you want to attract more local custom to your online business, it’s important that your website is visible to people making searches in your area. Here are some simple steps you can take to boost the volume of local traffic to your site.

 

 

List your business on online directories

One of the easiest steps you can take is to set up a Google My Business page. About 80% of internet searches in the UK are made through Google, and it’s free to set up a My Business page. Your profile will then be included in all searches with the relevant keywords, and customers can instantly see your business name and contact details.

Treat your My business page as a store front, adding some relevant photographs which show what products or services you offer, or a photo of your bricks-and-mortar site if you are a shop or café owner. Make sure that you verify your page, and respond to any comments and questions in the reviews section. 

Even if you haven’t already set up your account, chances are your business will appear on Google Maps, because business profiles are automatically added to the site. Therefore, if you haven’t already done so, make sure that your profile is set up with the correct information, otherwise you could be losing valuable local custom.

There are other local directories such as Yell.com, which can help to boost your local profile. Some small businesses are wary of doing this because of the potential for customers to write negative reviews. However, research shows that people are more likely to trust a listed business which responds politely to all reviews, whether negative or positive.

 

Optimise your content with local keywords

Carry out some research into which are the most popular keywords for your site, using a tool such as Google Analytics. Most people won’t search for your business name, but will enter a few words such as ‘estate agents near me’ or ‘sportswear shops Manchester’. Include some relevant keywords in links, page titles, and content, but don’t overdo it.

If possible, try and use some of the more specific but less popular terms if you have a business with a lot of competitors, because it can be impossible to compete if you are one of hundreds of similar businesses in the area. For example, if you are a takeaway, are there any menu items which are your signature dish, or other unique features?

 

Reach out to local media sites

Local media often has an online presence which includes articles such as ‘Top ten things to do in Manchester this weekend’ or ‘The best five country pubs in Lancashire’ and so on. It is unlikely that they will include your business without any prompting, but you could reach out to the editor of the site and request a review, or a mention in a Top Ten style list.

 

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