15 ways to increase traffic to your small business

September 20, 2022 2 min read

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Almost every business will struggle to increase foot traffic, online traffic – or both – at some point. Here are 15 online and in-person ideas to attract more customers. You may already be implementing some of these best practices, while others may just spark the “aha” idea you were looking for.

1. Reach out to media outlets

You don’t need to be a big business to get a journalist interested in your story. Reach out to local newspapers, broadcasting stations or industry journals to see if they're interested in telling your story. People love a good small business anecdote as much as (or more than) a Fortune 500 company.

2. Team up with an expert or influencer

Teaming up with industry leaders or local influencers is a great way to tap into thousands of new eyes. These prominent figures could post on their own platforms or come to your business and host an event. Beyond just eyes and awareness, consider implementing exclusive deals for influencers' followers to use with your products and services.

3. Advertise from the outside in

OK, this one may be obvious, but outdoor signage and “stunts” are some of the top ways to pull prospective customers in. Your everyday signage soon blends in for local residents. Ever-changing sandwich boards, sidewalk chalk, window displays or even bringing products outside are affordable and simple ways to catch new eyes. Lighting that can feature your store at night is another great way to hit different traffic patterns.

4. Add photo ops

Creating an “Instagram-worthy” space where people will want to take photos and post about your business is the sweet spot. If you don’t sell a pretty product, a space in your store that people can’t resist snapping a photo of can really help boost your social visibility – and, in return, foot traffic!

5. Have a community presence

People care about your contribution to the community now more than ever. Finding a way to be active in the community that is authentic to your brand is both a good look for your business, and it gets new eyes on your brand. And don’t be afraid to share your goodwill – customers like to hear about the good that brands are doing.

6. Make room for customers’ plus-ones

Whether they’re kids or furry friends, creating a space where all visitors feel welcome and comfortable while in your store can be a big motivator in your customers choosing you over the competition next time around. Even a comfy chair or dog treat can go a long way!

7. Track your traffic

How do you know your advertising efforts are paying off? By tracking your traffic! Retail analytic software can measure the increase and decrease in foot and online traffic. It can even track your busiest times of day to help you plan accordingly. Plus, linking or comparing this software data to your sales system can help you see how many visitors made a purchase. That way, you can discover trends and areas of improvement

8. Ensure your location and hours are accurate online

Not all businesses need to have a website, but at the very least, you need to ensure your location, contact info and hours of operation are accurate. You can control this by creating a Google Business Profile. There are so many easy-to-use business advertising opportunities that this profile can provide. One example is pulling up your business when someone nearby searches “_____ near me.”

9. Reward your current customers

Existing customers are so important and often bring in new visitors by word of mouth. Make sure they feel valued by sending thoughtful email communications and special loyalty offers. Don’t keep all the best deals for new customers!

10. Make sure your content has variety

Though people can latch on to content you may produce every week, it’s important to also include variety. A few ideas to keep content fresh are to make blogs, customer testimonials, newsletters, behind-the-scenes videos, case studies and spin-offs of pop culture moments like trending memes or TikTok videos.

11. Keep your social media active

Making posts and stories with a call to action like “New product,” “Now available in store” or “Only a few left” can entice viewers to take action. You can poll followers to see what they want more of. Plus, an active social media account makes you more trustworthy. If you’re not posting, viewers may question your credibility. Posting twice a week is a great starting point. Sprout Social can help you schedule posts ahead of time and see how many people engaged with them.

12. Ensure your advertising looks like your customers ­– and your business

Stock images are great, especially when looking to create a uniform aesthetic for your company. However, it’s important to keep diversity and authenticity in mind. If you’re posting photos that don’t rightfully represent your business, customers may be disappointed when they visit. Including actual customers in your communications, though less polished, could go a long way and even create some brand loyalty if customers feel they're a face of your business.

13. Make sure your website is mobile friendly

According to Google Analytics data, more than half of website traffic is done on mobile devices these days. So, it’s important that your website is optimized for viewing on a small screen like a cell phone. Creating a “responsive” website, meaning the content will automatically fit to the device it’s being viewed on, ensures potential customers can easily browse the information you’re providing.

14. Add SEO best practices

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the number one way to increase traffic to your website, according to the digital wizards of the world. Title tags, meta descriptions, targeted keywords, image alt tags and internal page linking probably all sound like jargon, but all these terms relate to ways a digital professional can boost your business’ internet search page rankings . Some down-and-dirty DIY advice is to ensure your website uses words that someone would search. We recommend having a professional optimize SEO for your site if online traffic is important to you, but if that’s not within your budget, this article is a great place to start.

15. Make sure your website is secure

Search engines like Google have begun favoring secure websites. Secure websites have “https,” which stands for “Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS),” at the beginning of their URL. If your site doesn’t have this stamp of approval, not only will Google likely bury it in a search, but your cautious customers won’t click! Your web host provider may offer HTTPS security. If they don’t, you can get an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security) from a certificate authority. Google recommends this site.

We hope one, two or all 15 of these traffic tips sparked some inspiration for your business.

Know you’re not alone in implementing these ideas. Hiring a freelancer, advertising agency or content manager may be a good way to help execute ideas efficiently. Let’s flip that “Closed” sign to “Open” and bring more possibilities through your door!