Whether you sell pizza or jewelry, there’s a demographic you’re likely overlooking. This week we’re going to explore how to attract gamers into your brick and mortar location. Gamers?! Those pasty folk who roll weird dice and don’t leave the house? Well, let’s start with breaking down misconceptions about games and gamers. Then we’ll move into the why and how to get their attention.

Today’s Gamers Aren’t Yesterday’s Gamers

With a smartphone in his pocket, your local gamer isn’t what you picture. Instead he’s out with his kids, running in your community, or searching for weather-proofed boxes in the park on the corner. She might be training for her first 5k or getting out during her lunch hour to gather resources. Basically: gamers are not just kids in front of consoles or in the basement playing Dungeons and Dragons. They are professionals, college kids, aspiring athletes and others taking advantage of location-based games that meet their needs for challenge, motivation and entertainment. Remember them — and the games they’re playing — when strategizing around local SEO.

Local SEO Tips to Attract GPS Game Players

Here are our favorite local SEO tips for getting those playing location-based games into your business.

Start With GeoCaching

Probably the longest-running location-based game that many people play on their cell phones, but also with hand-held GPS receivers is Geocaching. The game uses GPS coordinates to get players to a location where there is something hidden in the physical world. They remove this cache, trade small items, and sign a log book. The cache is then rehidden for others to enjoy. Players also leave a log online to gain a point for finding the cache.

Chances are you pass multiple Geocaches every time you head out of your home. They are hidden in parks, attached with magnets to road signs, on difficult hiking trails — there are even caches underwater and hidden on the International Space Station!

Anyone can visit the Geocaching website and generate a map of nearby caches. Consider doing this for your local business and posting a page about all of the great local caches and include a link to the map and list of caches. Here’s the map for caches within a mile of the old Digital Firefly Marketing headquarters.

Research Other Popular Local Games

Ask people in your community what they’re playing or visit various sites for these location-based games and search for locations near your storefront. SEO optimize your page for popular terms in the game, your business and town name and see who starts coming in.

Location-Based Games to Research for Local SEO Purposes

Here are some popular GPS-based games people from all walks of life are playing as well as ideas for keywords.

Pokemon Go – Hugely popular with everyone from kids to seniors players are called trainers and seek gyms, battles and pokestops.

Ingress – Players are members of one of two teams (Resistance or Enlightened) and attempt to control more area. They look for portal, portal MOD, mind units and exotic matter.

Zombies, Run! – A little different from games that have specific real-world locations, this is a training app to keep runners motivated and enjoying their runs. Great for places that sell bottled water or healthy snacks for post-run recovery!

How Can Digital Firefly Marketing Help?

Interested in attracting gamers to your business? Contact DFM to learn how to build an SEO and content strategy that lets gamers know you’re open and ready for them.