5 ways to grow your visitor attraction’s local audience

1. Offer something local people need right now

Obviously, even though you’re targeting locals, a one-size-fits-all approach to reaching this audience won’t work. You still need to identify your key visitor segments and be creative when coming up with ways to appeal to each local target market.

Ask yourself, what can your attraction offer that local people need right now?

• If you’re an historic house or a museum, can you offer national curriculum-inspired (socially distanced) tours for schoolchildren and their families, to help fill gaps in education caused by the lockdown earlier this year?

• Or you could take inspiration from the pubs offering ‘pub desks’ to people bored of working from home. Perhaps annual members get to work from your attraction’s café with free tea and coffee on tap, for a small fee.

• Local clubs might need convenient outdoor or larger indoor spaces to meet in under the new restrictions. Could your attraction provide a suitable spot, with reduced entry fees for the group?

2. Invest in local PR and advertising

Once you’ve established how you’re going to appeal to your key local visitor segments, use local PR and advertising to spread the news. Yes, that means traditional local media platforms such as newspapers, radio stations, billboards and bus posters, but consider advertising on active local Facebook groups, hyper-local networks such as Nextdoor and in parish and council magazines, too.

Or, you could partner with local influencers to promote your attraction. Find an influencer with a relevant, super-engaged local following and approach them about working together to place your offer in front of your target audience. This could be as simple as a sponsored blog or Facebook post, or as involved as an Instagram take-over for a weekend, with a promotion running alongside.

It almost goes without saying that it’s well worth investing in up-to-date, seasonal images of your attraction. Having a bank of top-quality images means you’re able to respond quickly to requests for images from journalists, either made direct to you or via your local tourist office. Speaking of which, if you’re not already, get on your local DMO’s radar and stay there. Keep them updated with everything to do with your attraction, from seasonal events and new offers to any changes to website links, opening hours and so on. You want to be front of their mind as a reliable source when PR opportunities arise.

3. Collaborate with other local attractions and tour operators

People may not be taking as many overnight trips as usual, but that doesn’t mean they want to stay home all the time. Consider working with other local attractions and tour operators to create themed package deals for locals who want to do something different on a day out on their doorstep.

You could create a romantic package featuring reduced entry and a private tour of your attraction followed by a meal in a local pub. Or a bundle for families that includes a ticket to the zoo and a guided nature walk – for less than you’d pay if you bought them separately. A degree of flexibility in when the tickets are used is a bonus for locals; it’s easy for them to split the activities over a weekend or longer.

4. Get locals to do the hard work for you

Mobilise local visitors to be brand ambassadors for your attraction by running a regular competition for the best image taken at your attraction and shared on social media. Use a dedicated hashtag for local members and visitors. The prize should appeal to locals and encourage them to return: a free meal in your on-site restaurant, free entry for a friend or a free annual membership, for example.

If your attraction is particularly photogenic, it might be worth getting in touch with your local Instagramers, or IGers, group. There are active groups all over the UK, from Cambridge to Coventry. They might be interested in holding an Instameet at your attraction if you can offer them for free entry for a specific number of IGERs members. A good turn-out could guarantee a boon of beautiful UGC for you, as well as increased reach if the group uses your attraction’s hashtag.

5. Run promotions for local visitors

Don’t forget the appeal of a straightforward promotion targeting local residents. Tried-and-trusted offers include discounts on annual membership for visitors who live within a certain radius of your attraction, ‘bring a friend for free’ days and priority booking for annual pass holders. You could also try running special behind-the-scene tours for locals and locals-only events.

Finally, make sure local people know you’re open for business and that you’re safe. And whatever you do, use your location in your keywords!