“You only have to do a few things right in your life so long as you don’t do too many things wrong.” – Warren Buffett
As a business owner, you know that one of the most critical aspects of your success is driving foot traffic to your store. But what are the best ways to do that? Here are three quick and easy tips to help get more people through your doors!
In this blog, we will discuss how the following 3 tips will increase traffic to your retail business:
- Creating a Google Business Profile (formerly, Google My Business)
- Claiming your business on Yelp.com
- Register your business with Tripadvisor.com
Tip # 1 – Create a Google Business Profile
In today’s highly digital world, having a solid presence online is essential for any local business, especially if your goal is to increase retail store foot traffic. Whether you are a brick-and-mortar store or an online shop, you must have a Google Business profile so that customers can easily find and connect with your online store or physical stores. GBP is a proven way to increase your business’s brand visibility and credibility and increase customer loyalty. It also allows you to target key demographics through search engine optimization (SEO).
Benefits of a Google Business Profile
- Over 50% of Google Business Profile (GBP) Interactions Produce Website Visits (MediaCaptain)
- 97% of users learn about local companies online, with the majority of those users learning about them through GBP panels.
- More Than 5% of GBP Views result in a sales conversion.
- 16% of GBP Listings Receive More than 100 Calls Per Month
- Average GBP Receives 33 Clicks Per Month – They come from those who have a product or service in mind and have a strong intent to buy
- 64% of Consumers Have Used Google Business Profiles to Find Contact Information
From your GBP, potential customers will have access to all of the following information:
- Your retail store location
- Your phone number
- Your website
- Your hours
- Your average rating
- Your reviews
- And maybe even a few photos.
Creating a Google Business Profile
In sum, GBP can help attract customers by allowing them to conveniently find your online and brick-and-mortar store. Customers will see your store on maps and be more likely to visit a GBP verified business. To get the best results, you should fill out every section of your profile, including updated hours, a verified address, a website, and a current phone number. Google Insights can show you what users searched before clicking on your page. GPB has proven to drive foot traffic and increase online shopping traffic.
How long does it take to set up and verify a GBP?
Google advises 5-14 working days to set up and verify a GBP, but it can take 20 days. After 14 days, you can request another postcard, and it’s free, or you can follow this procedure to verify your listing manually.
Key Takeaway: if you are an online retailer or brick-and-mortar retailer, good reviews and an accurate profile will attract customers to your in-store location, create loyal customers, and increase foot traffic. GBP will also increase traffic to your social media platforms, increasing your business’s overall exposure.
Tip #2 – Claim your Business Listing on Yelp.com
People use Yelp to research business ratings and reviews as part of their decision-making process. Therefore, it’s critical for your business to secure high-quality reviews from its customers. Many people go to Yelp first when looking for a restaurant, auto repairs, or even a digital marketing agency for local businesses. Having a high-quality Yelp page can increase the chance of your business being found. Yelp was founded in 2004.
The benefits of using Yelp
- 178 million unique visitors monthly across mobile, desktop, and app platforms (Review42)
- 45% of customers will start by visiting Yelp before making a buying decision. (SeattlePPC)
- 97% of Yelp users make a purchase from a business within a week
- 50,000 job requests are sent to companies from potential customers every day through Yelp.
- 97% read reviews for local businesses, with 90% of viewers claiming that positive online reviews influence buying decisions.
- A one-star increase in Yelp rating leads to a 5-9% increase in revenue. Therefore, getting those five stars is critical. People want to know that they will be treated with respect and excellent customer service, and Yelp is respected.
Yelp attracts a broad demographic (SeattlePPC):
- Up to 31 of all Yelp users are aged between 18 years and 34 years.
- 36% of yelp users are aged between 35-54 years
- 33% of all yelp users are over 55 years old
Yelp has been connecting people with local businesses since 2004. With trusted local business information, photos, and review content, Yelp provides a one-stop local platform for consumers to find, connect and transact with local businesses of all sizes by making it easy to:
- request a quote
- join a waitlist
- make a reservation
- make an appointment
- purchase an item
- locate retail stores
Yelp offers a way for customers to learn about your business, where it is located, and read customer experience reviews. Most importantly, Yelp gets about 178 million unique visitors per month, which provides a significant opportunity to increase foot traffic to your store and online traffic to your website.
Key Takeaway: if you are an online retailer or owner of a brick-and-mortar retail store, good reviews on Yelp will lead to more retail foot traffic, social media traffic, and online shopping purchases. If you have a business that relies on hosting in-store events, Yelp will assist in generating more foot traffic to your location through reservations and appointments.
Tip #3 – Register your Business with TripAdvisor.com
TripAdvisor is an online platform that helps users collect travel-related information, create reviews, and book flights, hotel rooms, restaurant seats, etc. TripAdvisor makes money from click-based advertising, subscription services, commissions, sponsored placements, listing fees, and reservation fees. Business Listings subscription was initially launched in 2000.
The website was immediately popular and, within a few years, was generating millions of page views per month. Over the years, it has grown into a fully-fledged travel website that offers:
- Accommodation, flight, cruise, and rental car booking services
- Package holidays
- Travel forums
- Travel-related content, including “Things to Do” guides
- User-generated reviews for hotels, restaurants, bars, national parks, tourist attractions, retail shops
The TripAdvisor website has about 315 million reviewers (active and inactive) who have created about 500 million reviews of hotels, restaurants, attractions, and other travel-related businesses.
If your business is in the travel, retail, or tourism sectors, it probably already has a presence on the TravelAdvisor website. Since the website’s reviews are primarily user-generated, you could have dozens of studies on the website without even lifting a finger.
Benefits Of Tripadvisor
- It tells people your business exists.
- TripAdvisor reaches some hard-to-reach consumers.
- TripAdvisor helps you promote your brand.
- You can prove you are great at what you do.
- An opportunity to engage with customers.
- Listing your business on TripAdvisor is 100% free.
- Attracts customers to retail and other business locations
Measurable Benefits
- 490 million monthly active users
- 884 million reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses,
- TripAdvisor is available in about 49 markets and 28 languages
- 83% of respondents indicated that reviews help them pick the right hotel
- 68% of respondents say reviews help them know about attractions
- 64% read reviews to find better restaurants
The advantages of utilizing TripAdvisor to market a business greatly outweigh the negatives. Moreover, to get the most out of TripAdvisor, you must keep an active presence and consistently interact with clients.
Key Takeaway: if you are an online retailer or owner of a brick-and-mortar retail store, good reviews on Tripadvisor will help drive in-store traffic, social media traffic, and online shopping purchases.
Online and in-store traffic are the lifeblood of any retail business. We’ve given you three tips to increase online and store traffic to your business. The first tip is to create a Google Business Profile. A GBP is a free and simple tool for small and medium-sized businesses to manage their online presence. Second, claim your Business Listing on Yelp.com. Yelp is one of the most popular review sites on the internet, and research shows that consumers use it to make decisions about where to spend their money. Finally, registering your business with TripAdvisor will help potential customers find your store when planning their next vacation or weekend getaway.
