Mobile Near Me: Attracting Consumers on Vacation

How do you find new businesses when you’re on vacation? If you’re like most people, you search on your phone for specific types of businesses near you. In fact, from 2014 to 2015, “near me” searches increased 130%, with 88% of those searches happening on mobile devices.

With summer and summer vacations right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start preparing to attract vacationers who may be searching for your business when they’re visiting your area.

Here are five ways to get in front of and attract mobile consumers in your area.

1. Geofencing

When it comes to targeting mobile users in a specific area, geofencing is a no-brainer. Geofencing works by serving your ad to those who have entered a virtual geographic fence you draw around a specific area. If you’re looking to specifically target vacationers, your geofence could encompass nearby hotels, gas stations, or tourist attractions. Or, you could simply target those near your business or a competitor’s business.

Learn more about how geofencing works by checking out this infographic.

2. Local SEO + a Mobile-Friendly Website

You want your website to show in search engine results pages for queries relevant to both your business type and location, and SEO is essential in making sure that happens. Without a successful local SEO strategy, local consumers searching on their mobile devices could be finding information about your competitors instead of you. And, an important component of any SEO strategy includes a mobile-friendly or responsive website so those visiting your site on their mobile devices are having a positive user experience.

Check if your website is mobile-friendly here.

3. Accurate & Updated Local Listings

When searching for a business while on vacation, potential customers may use the Google Maps app (or other map apps) on their phones to search for a business type in the nearby area. If your business doesn’t have a listing, like a Google My Business page, they’re probably not going to find you. Or worse, if your business’s listings are inaccurate, they could go to your business when it’s closed or call the wrong number, neither of which will make them excited to visit your business or recommend it to others.

Updated, accurate, and consistent listings can help you get seen by local searchers actively looking for your business type and can help your local SEO strategy.

4. Positive Online Reputation

For most vacationers, the only information they may have about your business, other than the information listed on your website, is what they find about you on review sites. Positive reviews on sites like Google My Business and Yelp can help drive new consumers to your business.

Read our tips for managing your online reputation here.

5. YouTube Ads

YouTube ads may not seem like an obvious choice for reaching mobile consumers, but we know that the majority of those who watch YouTube are doing so on their mobile devices. Imagine a user watching videos of area attractions or things to do in your town – you could target them with an ad and increase awareness for your business.

Learn more about how you can target YouTube users on our blog.

Just like it’s never too early to start planning your summer vacation, it’s never too early to start thinking about how you can attract new mobile consumers in your area or visiting your area. For more tips for boosting your local SEO to reach mobile searchers, download our free on-demand webinar.

Stephanie Heitman

Stephanie is the Sr. Marketing Manager for USA TODAY NETWORK | LOCALiQ. She has experience in digital marketing, social media management, and content creation for SMBs. Stephanie specializes in helping businesses improve their online reputation and appreciate the impact social media and digital marketing can have on their brand. When she isn't researching the latest online marketing tips and trends, she enjoys watching reality TV with her husband and her dogs.

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