Drive tourist traffic with geolocation
By Kathy Cruz

Drive tourists to your store with geolocation tools.

Brick-and-mortar businesses, especially those in tourist-heavy areas, rely on local foot traffic for revenue, even if they have an e-commerce presence.


Geolocation targeting offers a powerful solution to help these businesses maximize their reach to tourists and locals alike. It involves delivering content and ads based on a user’s real-time location through data such as IP addresses, GPS or Wi-Fi signals.


Geolocation can be a game changer in targeting nearby customers who are ready to make impulse purchases.


Benefits of geolocation targeting

While the term “geolocation” may seem intimidating to some store owners, there are plenty of user-friendly ways you can integrate it into your marketing strategies. Many advertising platforms, including Facebook and Google, offer easy-to-use tools for setting location-based targeting.


"Geolocation can be a game changer in targeting nearby customers who are ready to make impulse purchases."


Geolocation helps users to attract relevant prospective customers. Souvenir shops can target individuals currently near major landmarks or tourist attractions, increasing the likelihood of converting foot traffic into sales. These marketing efforts can also be tailored to local attractions, festivals or events to ensure they are more engaging and relevant to tourists’ experiences.



Five geolocation strategies

Here are five ways geolocation strategies can attract more customers to your souvenir and gift shops.



  1. Targeted ads: Use Google or Facebook Ads to reach tourists who are within a certain radius of the shop.
  2. Local SEO (search engine optimization): Make sure your shop’s website ranks well in local searches for tourists looking for nearby shops. This includes using location-specific keywords in website content, meta tags and business listings.
  3. Social media engagement: Encourage visitors to check in or tag your store on platforms like Instagram or Facebook, which can increase visibility among other tourists. Research and use location-based hashtags relevant to your shop’s area in your social media posts.
  4. Local partnerships and events: Collaborate with nearby restaurants, hotels and attractions to co-market or participate in local events that attract tourists.
  5. Mobile apps: Use a mobile app to offer personalized promotions or easy-to-follow directions from key landmarks, helping tourists find the store.



By leveraging location-based tools and strategies, souvenir shops in tourist areas can increase foot traffic as well as drive sales in a targeted, efficient manner.


Kathy Cruz is a retail business coach and host of the Savvy Shopkeeper Retail Podcast. Reach her via email at: kathy@savvyshopkeeper.com. Learn more on her website, www.savvyshopkeeper.com and Instagram @savvyshopkeeper.