If your business is near a popular tourist destination, attracting tourists is not only a way to boost sales but also a way to boost website traffic and social media engagement. Tourists do more than just eat at a restaurant near their hotel; they also buy souvenirs and experiences. Tourism, in some areas of the county, is a big business, and if you so happen to be located in a major city, here are some ideas to help capture this market and increase website traffic, social media engagement, and bring new customers to your business.
1. Optimize your website for travelers
Your website shouldn’t be optimized only for local patrons, but also people who may be coming in from out of town and come across your business in their search. With your website being a “first impression,” you’ll want to attract users right from the start with what you present on your website’s homepage. Since more and more people engage with websites on their mobile devices, especially travelers, you want to make your website mobile-friendly to make it as easy as possible for users to learn and buy from you.
You should ensure your website is effective in terms of:
- Content: Are your web pages easy to read? Do all of your images look appealing and professional?
- Message: Is your mission and who you’re about clear? What do you want your visitors to know about you?
- Functionality: Is your website user-friendly? Do all components of your website function properly?
2. Promote with social media
The next step is to get in touch with tourists on social media. Younger travelers use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to get ideas on where to dine out, shop, and tour. They base their searches based on hashtags, locations, and influences, so make sure you tag your business’s account and content accordingly.
Social media provides the perfect place to:
- Create a community of users who “like” your company and actively engage with your company with commentary, promotional testimonials, and pictures from their experience
- Provide followers with discounts and promotions
- Gain feedback about a customer’s experience and where you can make improvements
3. Know your audience
Who is your ideal audience? If they’re millennials, don’t expect them to spend a lot of money, and if they’re seniors, don’t expect them to be thrill seekers. Along with knowing your audience, you also want to build a solid relationship with them. As trust is a huge part of any relationship, you want travelers to feel they can trust your business when you’re presenting them with a product or service.
To understand who your ideal audience is, be sure to ask yourself:
- Why would they buy into your experience? What sets you apart from other tourist attractions?
- What will motivate them to choose you? How do you want travelers to feel after experiencing your business? Do you want them to feel thrilled and amazed, or relaxed and at peace?
- What are they interested in? Take a moment to analyze your website traffic to determine what your users are most attracted to. If you find a pattern among your audience, you may have found a new area to target.
Tourism is a great opportunity for your business to thrive, so while they’ll be busy strolling your city, make sure they can easily come across your business scrolling through the Internet, too.