Everyone who gets off a cruise ship this summer will have access to free Wi-Fi in Guernsey. This is a staggeringly forward-thinking strategy by Guernsey, and its tourist board should be applauded. My concern is that they may well have forgotten to tell any of the local businesses about it!
Let’s do some crude maths very quickly… 120 cruise ships are due to visit the island in 2016. Let’s assume that, on average, each boat has circa 1,000 people on board. Let’s imagine only 75% of the passengers will tear themselves away from the buffet. On that basis, we are talking about approximately 90,000 visitors. That is 90,000 hungry, thirsty, shopping-craving and cash-rich customers which Guernsey local businesses should be able to profit from.
Now let us add free Wi-Fi into the equation, and suddenly we are enabling these visitors to search and find everything they need on their phones. Search and find… that is, if Guernsey’s local businesses are ready for them. At the present time, I am not convinced they are. Here are just some areas to consider.
Local Search
Making sure you appear within Google’s local listings is step one in making sure your business is found by local searchers. There are some fundamental boxes to tick here to make the most of this.
Local PPC Campaigns
Paying to appear at the top of a specific search term, but only if that search is made in Guernsey. This strikes me a perfect opportunity for all businesses.
Targeted Social Campaigns
Local businesses can serve adverts to social users visiting the islands. Again, targeting those who are here means that you can get your message across to the right people.
Website Optimisation
With so many visitors relying on a mobile device to access the internet, it is vital that local businesses have mobile-optimised websites. Make sure information is easily found and phone numbers are clickable.
We truly believe that offering free Wi-Fi to Guernsey’s visitors is a step in the right direction. If the island’s local businesses get their online presence right, then the rewards could be massive. Clicksmith is a Digital Marketing consultancy based in Guernsey, and prides itself on its ability to offer digital marketing advice to local business of all sizes and budgets. To find out how your business can benefit, please get in touch with us.
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