Attract Local Customers: Get More Customers to Your Business

How to Attract More Local Customers to Your Business

Struggling to get more customers in your area?

This article breaks down proven, practical ways to attract local customers, boost your online presence, and turn nearby browsers into paying customers.

Whether you're a shop, tradesperson, or service provider, this guide shows how to improve visibility, build trust, and grow your business locally—without wasting time on generic advice.

Article Outline - What You’ll Learn

1. What Actually Matters to a Local Customer?

2. Why Local SEO Still Wins

3. Is Your Google Business Profile Doing Its Job?

4. Attract Local Customers by Optimising for Local Search

5. Focus on Local Content That Builds Relevance

6. Get More Customers With Targeted Marketing Campaigns

7. Build Trust Through Online Reviews and Reputation

8. The Role of Business Cards and Offline Materials

9. Support Local Causes and Be Seen

10. Use Local Influencers and Community Figures

11. Email Marketing to Your Existing Customers

12. Introduce Your Business in Local Forums and Groups

13. Use Local Directories and Listings

14. Don’t Forget About Your Existing Customers

15. What Makes Customers Choose One Business Over Another?

1. What Actually Matters to a Local Customer?

Local customers want convenience, trust, and speed. If your business delivers those three things well, you’ll already stand out.

Are you solving a genuine problem in the area? Are you close enough to be a practical choice?

Can people get what they need from you quickly, without hassle? If the answer to any of these is no, your competitors are likely winning by default.

Understanding customer behaviour in your local market is the foundation. Study what they search, where they spend, and what annoys them. Match your offer to those signals.

2. Why Local SEO Still Wins

Local SEO isn’t a buzzword - it’s how potential customers find you. When someone searches "locksmith near me" or "business mobiles in Weston-super-Mare," they’re in buying mode. If your business doesn’t appear, you miss the sale.

Improving your visibility in local search starts with:

• Claiming and verifying your Google Business Profile

• Using location-based keywords naturally on your website

• Adding your site to relevant local directories

• Earning backlinks from other local businesses

• Encouraging reviews from local customers

Search engines want to return relevant results. Help them understand your location, your offer, and your connection to the area.

3. Is Your Google Business Profile Doing Its Job?

Your Google Business Profile is one of the most important tools in local SEO.

Customers use it to check reviews, get directions, confirm your hours, and even see photos of your location. A neglected profile sends the wrong message.

Make sure yours includes:

• Accurate business name, address, and phone number

• Business hours (including holidays)

• Services and categories clearly defined

• Photos of your premises or products

• Posts with updates, offers, or announcements

Respond to reviews. Upload new photos every month. Treat your profile like a shop window - because online, it is.

4. Attract Local Customers by Optimising for Local Search

Getting listed isn’t enough. You also need to optimise your site for local intent.

Use page titles and headings that include your location. Add schema markup that confirms your business address. Write content that answers questions specific to your area.

Let’s say you run a yoga studio. Rather than just "Yoga Classes," your site could feature "Beginner Yoga Classes in Bridgwater" or "Pregnancy Yoga Near Taunton."

The more specific your pages, the more likely customers searching online will land on them.

5. Focus on Local Content That Builds Relevance

Search engines reward relevance, and one way to build that is through local content.

Write blog posts or updates that mention local events, trends, or customer stories. If you sell SEO, you could publish a guide like "Best SEO Businesses in Somerset."

These posts show both Google and your customers that you understand your local area. It also gives you a reason to use local keywords naturally.

Content doesn’t have to be lengthy. It just needs to be helpful, specific, and tied to your location.

6. Get More Customers With Targeted Marketing Campaigns

Generic advertising rarely works locally. Your marketing campaign needs to be focused and personal.

Use social media ads targeted by postcode. Send mailers to nearby postcodes. Offer time-sensitive deals that encourage quick action.

If you offer a product or service that solves a seasonal or weather-related problem, create a campaign around that. For example, a roofing company might run a "Winter Roof Check" promo in October.

The goal is to make local people feel like the offer is for them, not for everyone.

7. Build Trust Through Online Reviews and Reputation

Most people check reviews before they buy or book anything. Local customers are no different.

Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google, Facebook, or specialist platforms. Don’t overthink it - just ask. A quick email or text message with a review link is usually enough.

Also respond to your reviews. Thank the good ones. Handle the bad ones calmly and quickly. How you respond is part of your online reputation and matters as much as the review itself.

Positive reviews not only influence decisions, they also help your site rank better in local search results.

8. The Role of Business Cards and Offline Materials

Digital isn’t everything. Business cards, flyers, posters, and vehicle signage still do a lot of heavy lifting in a local market.

Think of every physical customer touchpoint as a way to drive online action. Add a QR code to your flyer that links to your site. Use "Leave us a Google review" on your receipt.

Offline doesn’t mean outdated. It just needs to be smart.

9. Support Local Causes and Be Seen

Being visible in the community helps you gain trust.

Sponsor a kids’ sports team. Donate prizes to a school raffle. Help with a local litter pick. These things get your name out in front of people and show you care about the area.

When customers have two similar choices, they'll pick the business that feels part of their community. Show up. Be useful. Be remembered.

10. Use Local Influencers and Community Figures

Micro-influencers - people with small but loyal local followings - are often more effective than big-name accounts.

Partner with them for shoutouts, giveaways, or honest reviews. Choose people whose audience matches your target customer.

Likewise, local community group admins and event organisers can become advocates. Build genuine relationships, not one-off transactions.

11. Email Marketing to Your Existing Customers

Repeat customers are easier to sell to than new ones. Use email to stay in touch.

Send:

• Promotions that feel exclusive to locals

• News about local changes or store updates

• Anniversary or birthday vouchers

Don’t email too often. And keep messages short, useful, and focused on local relevance.

12. Introduce Your Business in Local Forums and Groups

Facebook groups, neighbourhood apps, and local forums are where people go for recommendations.

Be helpful, not salesy. Answer questions. Share tips. Recommend other local businesses.

When someone asks, "Can anyone recommend a good gardener?" - being the first helpful answer (even if it's not a plug for you) helps build awareness and trust.

13. Use Local Directories and Listings

List your business in every relevant local directory you can find.

Start with:

• Google Business Profile

• Yell

• Yelp

• Bing Places

• Local news or town websites

Check that your business name, address, and phone number are consistent across all listings. This is a key factor in local SEO rankings.

14. Don’t Forget About Your Existing Customers

Your existing customers are your best promoters. They already know your service. Give them a reason to come back or refer others.

Try a "refer a friend" discount. Offer a bonus for repeat bookings. Send a personal thank-you message now and then.

Loyal customers generate word of mouth, reviews, and steady income. Don’t neglect them in your push for new ones.

15. What Makes Customers Choose One Business Over Another?

When customers search online or compare options, they make snap judgments. What can tip the balance in your favour?

• Clear and updated online information

• Local photos and reviews

• Fast response to enquiries

• Convenient location and hours

• Strong community presence

Your job is to remove doubt and friction. Make the choice feel easy, obvious, and trustworthy.

Summary - Key Ways to Attract Local Customers

• Focus your local SEO efforts with the right keywords and location signals

• Optimise your Google Business Profile and keep it updated

• Use local content to attract nearby search traffic

• Run a targeted marketing campaign that speaks to local needs

• Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and respond to them

• Distribute smart offline materials like flyers and business cards

• Get involved in local causes and support community events

• Work with local influencers for authentic promotion

• Use email marketing to reconnect with existing customers

• Be helpful in local forums and groups, not pushy

• Keep your listings consistent across directories

• Appreciate and reward your loyal customers

• Make it easy for customers to choose your business

You don’t need every trick. But you do need to consistently do the right ones for your area, your audience, and your offer.

Want to attract more local customers? Get help with Local SEO from SEOJet today.