You bring more people into a store by being easy to find online, giving them a reason to come now and making the visit worth repeating. The quickest wins are a complete Google Business Profile, an in-store-only offer and a store locator that points people to the nearest location. This guide covers 25 strategies, from quick wins to systems that compound.
Related: Local marketing guide | Visual merchandising | Retail marketing | Geofencing marketing | Nonprofit marketing guide
The short answer
- Be easy to find: a complete Google Business Profile, correct hours and, with several locations, a store locator.
- Give a reason to come this week: an in-store-only offer, an event or a limited drop.
- Make the visit worth repeating: a good window, a calm entrance, helpful staff and a reason to return.
- Connect online and offline: pickup in store, reserve online and try in store, and a locator linked from your ads, emails and social posts.
- Measure a baseline so you know whether changes work. Count visitors for a week first.
What is foot traffic and why does it matter?
Foot traffic is the number of people who enter your store in a period. Everything else flows from it: sales, customer acquisition and awareness.
Revenue = foot traffic x conversion rate x average transaction value
Raise any one and revenue goes up. Foot traffic is the only one that puts new people in front of your products. Conversion and basket-building work on existing visitors.
How to measure it
Know your baseline before you try to raise it:
| Method | Accuracy | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Manual counting | Low | Small stores, spot checks |
| Door counters (beam sensors) | Medium | Single-entrance stores |
| Wi-Fi analytics | Medium to high | Traffic patterns and dwell time |
| Camera-based people counters | High | Precise counts |
| Store locator analytics | Indicates interest online | Online interest by location |
At minimum, track daily visitors next to daily sales to see your conversion rate. If visitors rise and conversion holds, sales rise with no change to what happens inside the store.
Digital strategies: get found online, visited offline
1. Optimise your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is one of the strongest local traffic drivers. When someone searches "shoe store near me," it decides whether your store appears. Shopify's foot traffic guide covers listings and local search in more detail.
Do this now:
- Complete every field: hours, categories, attributes, services and description
- Add plenty of photos: exterior, interior, products and team
- Post regular updates on products, events and offers
- Reply to reviews, positive and negative
- Add products and services with descriptions
- Use Google Posts for sales and events
With several locations, each needs its own listing, managed with its own photos and posts.
2. Make your store findable online
- Store locator. With several locations, a store locator on your website lets visitors search by postcode, filter by service and open a route. Point every ad, post and email to a way to find the nearest store.
- Location pages. Give each store a page on your own website with address, hours, phone and directions. They help local search.
- Directory consistency. Keep your name, address and phone number identical across Google, Yelp, Apple Maps, Facebook and every directory.
3. Run local Google Ads
Location targeting puts your store in front of people searching for what you sell, near you.
High-intent keywords:
- "[Product] near me", for example "running shoes near me"
- "[Product] in [city]"
- "[Store type] near me"
Use location assets (formerly location extensions) to show your address, distance and a directions link. On mobile this is one tap from search to navigation. Start with a small daily budget per location, measure store-visit conversions (Google's estimate, for accounts that qualify) and scale what works.
4. Use social media to drive store visits
Social builds awareness. You have to deliberately turn followers into visitors.
- In-store-only offers: "Show this post for a discount, in store only."
- Behind the scenes: show your store, team and process.
- Location tags on every post and story.
- User-generated content: repost customer photos from your store.
- Stories with location stickers, which reach people nearby.
For several locations, Meta's location targeting can aim ads at people near each store. Believe Advertising's guide to Meta ads for in-store traffic covers the tactics.
5. Email with location awareness
- Segment by location, so customers hear about their nearest store
- Include "Find your nearest store" with a link to your locator
- Promote in-store exclusives
- Send new-arrival alerts by location
- Invite people to local events
A "Visit us this weekend" email with a specific offer and a directions link is concrete in a way generic promotions are not.
6. Local SEO
- List your business in local directories: Yelp, Apple Maps, Bing Places and industry directories
- Build local links by sponsoring an event or being featured locally
- Write location-specific content
- Use local keywords in page titles and descriptions
- Make sure your site works well on phones, where most local searches happen
See the local marketing guide and the near me SEO guide.
In-store strategies: make them stay, buy and return
7. A window display that works
Your window is an advertisement for everyone who passes.
- Change it regularly
- Tell a story
- Feature a few hero products with clear focal points
- Light it well, especially in the evening
- Include a clear call to action: "New collection inside"
See the visual merchandising guide.
8. Improve the storefront
People judge a store in a moment from outside.
- Is the signage clear, clean and lit?
- Is the entrance inviting and uncluttered?
- Are the pavement and parking area clean?
- Can people see inside?
- Does anything say "this is worth entering"?
Better signage, lighting and a clean entrance are modest changes that can help.
9. Optimise the layout
- Decompression zone. Keep the first few steps open and uncluttered.
- Right-turn tendency. Many shoppers turn right on entering. Watch your own customers before relying on it.
- Eye level. Put high-margin products and new arrivals there.
- Speed bumps. Featured displays slow shoppers at key points.
- Sightlines. Let people see deep into the store from the door.
10. Train staff to be the experience
- A genuine greeting soon after entry, not a sales pitch
- Active listening to what the customer needs
- Product storytelling, not just features
- Solving problems on the spot
11. Offer try-before-you-buy
Each barrier between customer and product is a reason not to visit.
- Product testing stations
- Sample stations
- Fitting rooms with good light and mirrors
- Demo areas for complex products
- Test rides and trial classes
Events and experiences: a reason to visit
12. Host regular events
Events build community and bring new people in.
- Educational: workshops and classes
- Social: tastings, book clubs, meet-ups
- Seasonal: holiday events and launch parties
- Exclusive: VIP previews and early access for loyalty members
- Collaborative: local artists, creators or complementary businesses
Make them regular and predictable, such as "first Friday workshops", so they become a habit.
13. Create moments worth photographing
- A branded photo wall or installation
- A display that changes with the season
- An architectural feature or art piece
- An interactive element, such as a photo booth
When customers share your store, it is advertising to their network.
14. Pop-up collaborations
Invite a complementary brand or local business in. A clothing store hosts a local jewellery designer. A bookshop brings in a coffee roaster. A fitness store invites a yoga teacher. Each partner brings its audience. See the pop-up shop guide.
15. Community programmes
- Sponsorships of local teams, schools or charities
- Meeting space for community groups
- Local creator spotlights
- Charity partnerships
Promotions and incentives: create urgency
16. Time-limited promotions
- Flash sales, promoted by SMS and social that morning
- Weekend specials
- Happy-hour pricing for slow periods
- Seasonal clearance
Do not discount constantly. If every week is a sale, none of them feels like one.
17. In-store-only offers
- "Available in store only, not online"
- "Show this post or email for a discount, in store only"
- "The first customers today get a free gift"
- "In-store shoppers get free gift wrapping"
Especially useful if you also sell online.
18. Loyalty programmes that reward visits
- Visit-based rewards, not only spend-based
- Check-in bonuses
- Tiered experiences such as early event access
- Birthday rewards
The aim is to make visiting a habit.
19. Bounce-back coupons
Give a coupon at checkout for the next visit, with a clear expiry. It turns a one-time visitor into a repeat customer.
Online-to-offline strategies
20. Buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS)
BOPIS turns an online purchase into a store visit, and many shoppers add something while there.
- Offer same-day pickup as an alternative to shipping
- Create an easy-to-find pickup area
- Train staff to suggest complementary products at pickup
- Show which stores offer pickup, with a pickup filter on your locator
Live stock per store comes from your online store and point of sale. See the BOPIS guide, curbside pickup and click and collect.
21. Reserve online, try in store
Let customers reserve online and come in to see the product. It suits high-consideration items, items where fit matters and products people want to see in person. The customer has shown intent and the store closes the sale.
22. Use your store locator as a marketing tool
Everyone who searches your locator tells you where demand is.
- Send traffic to it from every ad, email and post
- Make it searchable by place and by service, with directions
- Show offers and details for each location, in custom fields or buttons
- Review the data to see where people search
StoreRocket supports search, filters, custom details for each location and a route that opens in Google Maps. On plans that include analytics, it records views, searches (with a map of where people searched and searches that found nothing nearby) and clicks per location. See pricing.
23. Geofencing and location-based targeting
- Geofence your store to show ads to people nearby
- Geofence competitors to reach people visiting similar stores
- Retarget store visitors
- Trigger ads by weather, such as a warm drink on a rainy day
See the geofencing marketing guide.
Multi-location strategies
24. Cross-location promotions
- Referrals: "Our other city store just got a shipment of this"
- Regional events coordinated across locations
- Transfers: check other stores if something is out of stock and offer to transfer it
- A consistent experience at every location
25. Data-driven location optimisation
Compare foot traffic, conversion and performance across stores:
- Which locations have the most visitors, and what is different?
- Which convert the most visitors, and what do they do inside?
- Where do people search on your locator, and does it match where your stores are?
- Which promotions bring the most visits in which markets?
See the retail analytics guide.
For retail stores specifically
- Visual merchandising is your silent salesperson. The view from the pavement is the first impression.
- Product discovery drives impulse visits. Show new arrivals and drops on social media and link your store locator in your bio.
- BOPIS brings pickup visitors in, and many browse while they are there. See the BOPIS guide.
- Loyalty perks for in-store visits give a reason online-only competitors cannot match.
- Local partnerships multiply reach. A boutique partners with the cafe next door, and a sports shop with the local gym.
Common mistakes
- Not being findable online. Check that your Google Business Profile is complete, your hours are right and your address is easy to find before you spend on anything else.
- Neglecting the experience. More traffic does not help if the store is messy, staff are inattentive or checkout is slow. Fix the experience first.
- The same strategy everywhere. A college-town store needs different tactics from a suburban family store. The centre sets the framework and local teams adapt it.
- Discounting as the default. Customers who learn to wait for sales only come during sales.
- Not measuring. Track visitors alongside every campaign and change.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I increase foot traffic to my store quickly?
Complete your Google Business Profile, run a time-limited in-store-only promotion and post it on social media. A complete profile with current photos and hours helps local search, and a short offer gives people a reason to come this week.
What drives the most foot traffic to retail stores?
For new customers, local search and a complete Google Business Profile matter most for many stores. For repeat visits, loyalty programmes, events and location-aware email help. Measure which source brings visitors to your stores.
Does digital marketing increase foot traffic?
It can, when it ends in a physical call to action such as directions or an in-store coupon. Google Ads with location assets, social posts with in-store-only offers and emails that link to a store locator all point people to a visit. Track visits to see which works for you.
How do I measure foot traffic in my store?
Manual counts and door beam sensors give basic counts. Wi-Fi analytics and camera-based counters show dwell time and movement. A store locator's analytics show online interest by location (views, searches and clicks), not visits. Directions requests and calls are reported in your Google Business Profile.
How does a store locator help increase foot traffic?
It lets customers search by place, filter by service and open a route to the nearest location. On plans that include analytics, it shows where people search, including searches that found nothing nearby, which helps with marketing and expansion decisions.
Getting started this week
- Audit your Google Business Profile. Is it complete, accurate and active?
- Walk your storefront as a stranger would.
- Plan one event for the coming month.
- Create one in-store-only offer and post it.
- Add a store locator if you have several locations, so customers find the nearest one from any device.
- Measure your baseline by counting visitors for a week.
StoreRocket gives multi-location retailers a store locator for their own website: import your locations from a spreadsheet, match it to your brand and paste one embed code. Create your locator with a free trial, no credit card needed.