How a Cardiff Café Used Local SEO to Double Its Foot Traffic in 6 Months

For many small businesses, attracting more local customers can feel like a constant challenge. Local SEO, when done right, can bring a steady flow of new visitors through the door. This case study shows how a café in Cardiff managed to double its foot traffic in just six months by focusing on the right local SEO strategies.

This example isn’t just about one café. It offers practical insights for anyone running a small business in a town or city. By understanding the steps this café took, other local businesses can apply similar tactics to boost their presence and reach more customers nearby.

If you want to see how local SEO can make a clear difference, keep reading to discover what worked well and how you can start applying it today.

Understanding Local SEO and Its Impact on Small Businesses

Local SEO is the strategy that helps small businesses, like cafés, stand out when people near them are searching online. It narrows the focus of traditional SEO by putting location front and centre, making it easier for nearby customers to find your business. For local cafés aiming to increase foot traffic, understanding and applying local SEO is key.

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO is a specific form of search engine optimisation that targets geographically-related searches. Unlike traditional SEO, which tries to rank your website for a broad audience nationwide or globally, local SEO zeroes in on your business’s area. For example, while traditional SEO might try to place your café on page one for “best coffee,” local SEO aims to get you noticed for “coffee near me” or “best café in Cardiff.” This focus on location ensures that when someone is searching for a nearby place to eat or drink, your café appears prominently.

It’s all about optimising your online presence so locals can find you quickly and easily. This often includes managing profiles on platforms like Google Business Profile, making sure your website uses local keywords, and earning trust signals from other local websites.

Key Components of Local SEO for Cafés

For cafés aiming to attract more local customers, some elements need particular attention:

Google Business Profile (GBP) Optimisation: Claiming and updating your GBP is essential. Keep your address, opening hours, contact info, and menu up to date. Add tempting photos and encourage customers to leave reviews here. This profile appears in local search results and Google Maps.
NAP Consistency: Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) must be exactly the same everywhere your café is listed online. This consistency builds trust with search engines and helps avoid confusion.
Local Citations: These are mentions of your café’s NAP details on local directories, blogs, news sites, and social media. Listings on platforms such as Yelp and TripAdvisor reinforce your local presence.
Backlinks from Local Sources: Links from other local businesses, community websites, event pages, or local media boost your site’s authority and signal to search engines that you’re part of the local scene.
Local Keywords on Your Website: Use terms like “Cardiff café,” “coffee near Cardiff city centre,” or “best breakfast spot in Cardiff” in your page titles, headers, and content to target customers nearby.
Mobile Optimisation: Since many local searches happen on mobile devices, your website should load quickly and display properly on phones and tablets.
Reviews and Reputation Management: Positive reviews build trust and improve ranking. Responding to reviews shows engagement and care.

Why Local SEO Drives Foot Traffic

Local SEO doesn’t just improve how your café looks on search engines; it actively drives more people through your door. Here’s how:

Higher Search Rankings for Location-Based Queries: When people search for cafés “near me” or within Cardiff, local SEO helps your business rank above competitors who haven’t optimised locally.
Visibility in Local Pack and Maps Results: Your café appears on Google’s “Local Pack”—the group of three top local business listings shown with a map. These spots get the most clicks because they come with customer reviews, location info, and contact details upfront.
Increased Consumer Trust: Listings with detailed info and positive reviews feel more reliable. Customers are more likely to visit a café with strong social proof and accurate, easy access to details.
Improved User Experience on Mobile Devices: Faster, mobile-friendly websites mean potential customers don’t leave your site frustrated but instead find what they need and head to your café.
Better Local Engagement: Active Google Business Profiles with posts, offers, and interaction signal your café is lively and welcoming.

With local SEO, a small business isn’t just an option on a search page—it becomes the obvious choice for anyone nearby looking for what you offer.

By focusing on these local SEO basics, small cafés can quickly connect with their community and turn online looks into real visits.

Case Study Overview: The Cardiff Café’s SEO Journey

Before the café began its local SEO journey, it was tucked away in a busy part of Cardiff but struggled to attract the steady stream of local customers it needed. Despite offering great coffee and a welcoming atmosphere, the café’s online presence was nearly invisible. It had no clear profile on search engines, and when locals searched for nearby cafés, it rarely appeared in results. This left the café facing two major challenges: low foot traffic and weak local recognition. Without being easily found online, the business was missing out on potential visitors who were actively searching for a place like theirs.

Initial Situation and Challenges

The Cardiff café’s starting point was common for many small businesses new to online marketing:

A barebones website with outdated information and limited usability.
No optimised Google Business Profile (GBP), leading to poor visibility on Google Maps.
Inconsistent or missing mentions of key details like address and opening hours across local directories.
Little to no local keyword focus in their website content.
Few customer reviews or interactions on online platforms, which hurt trust signals.

These gaps made it hard for new customers to discover the café, especially in a competitive city centre with many alternatives. The café owner recognised that relying on walk-ins and word of mouth wasn’t enough to grow the business sustainably.

Goals and Objectives for Local SEO

The café set clear, measurable goals to guide its local SEO campaign:

Double foot traffic within six months by improving local search visibility.
Increase online engagement through more Google reviews and social media interaction.
Build a strong, consistent online presence to stand out against local competition.
Enhance the website to provide easy access to menu, opening hours, and contact details.
Capture a larger share of local searches like “best Cardiff café” or “coffee near me.”

These goals helped focus the strategy on practical steps that would bring people through the door, not just boost website numbers.

Strategic Local SEO Plan

To turn things around, the café adopted a focused local SEO plan based on proven strategies:

Google Business Profile optimisation: Claiming and fully completing their GBP listing with accurate info, enticing photos, and regular posts to keep the profile active.
Keyword targeting: Researching and using local, intent-driven keywords throughout the website, such as “Cardiff café close to city centre” and “fresh coffee in Cardiff.”
Website improvements: Redesigning their site for speed, mobile-friendliness, and clear calls-to-action like booking a table or ordering online.
Content creation: Publishing blog posts and event updates that connected with community interests and featured local landmarks, helping to improve local relevance.
Review management: Encouraging customers to leave honest feedback and promptly responding to reviews to build trust and engagement.

This plan established a solid foundation for local search success, ensuring the café appeared in front of customers exactly when and where they were looking.

Step-by-Step Local SEO Strategies Used by the Cardiff Café

The Cardiff café’s success in doubling foot traffic wasn’t by chance. Each step in their local SEO journey was carefully planned and executed to capture local interest and build trust. Let’s break down the exact strategies they put in place and how each tactic played a role in attracting more visitors.

Optimising Google Business Profile

The café started by claiming and fully optimising their Google Business Profile (GBP), a critical hub for local visibility. Without this, many potential customers wouldn’t find them on Google Maps or in the prominent local pack results. Here’s how they nailed it:

Claimed the Profile: They claimed the listing to gain control and access.
Enhanced Descriptions: They wrote clear, inviting business descriptions that included key phrases like “Cardiff café” and “fresh breakfast near Cardiff city centre.”
Up-to-Date Photos: High-quality photos showcased the cosy interior, colourful dishes, and friendly baristas, helping customers visualise their experience before visiting.
Business Hours: Regular updates kept opening times accurate, including special holiday hours.
Engaging Posts: Weekly posts about new menu items, daily specials, and local event sponsorships kept the profile active and relevant.

Being active on GBP meant the café appeared more trustworthy and appealing. Customers searching “coffee near me” saw current images and fresh content that encouraged them to choose this café.

Local Keyword Research and Optimisation

The café invested time in researching local keywords to connect directly with nearby visitors. They focused on phrases people were already typing into Google, such as:

“Best Cardiff café”
“Coffee near Cardiff city centre”
“Breakfast spots in Cardiff”

They used tools and local search insights to identify these terms and integrated them naturally into:

Website titles and headers
Menu descriptions
About page and blog content
Meta descriptions

This strategic placement allowed search engines to link the café firmly with Cardiff-related searches. It also ensured that when locals looked for somewhere nearby, the café’s website rose toward the top of results.

Creating Localised Content and Landing Pages

To stand out from competitors who only had generic pages, the café created localised content tailored to Cardiff’s community. Some examples include:

Blog Posts about Local Events: Articles covering nearby festivals, sports matches, and seasonal markets encouraged readers to come by before or after attending.
Area-Specific Landing Pages: Separate pages targeted customers in different Cardiff neighbourhoods like Roath and Cathays, with content mentioning local landmarks and directions.
Community Spotlights: Features on local suppliers and partnerships showcased the café’s connection to the area.

These pages weren’t just keyword-stuffed but offered genuine value to locals, improving engagement and search rankings.

Encouraging and Managing Customer Reviews

Reviews became the café’s social proof, crucial for drawing in curious customers. The team:

Asked happy customers in person and via table receipt prompts to leave Google reviews.
Made it easy by providing direct links to their review page.
Responded politely and promptly to all reviews, thanking supporters and addressing concerns.
Highlighted standout reviews on the website and social media.

This approach boosted trust and showed potential visitors the café cared about customer experience. Over time, positive reviews helped lift the café higher in Google’s local rankings.

Building Local Citations and Backlinks

To further reinforce their local presence, the café built citations and earned backlinks from credible local sources:

Local Directories: The café ensured their Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) were consistent across Cardiff directories like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and local business listings.
Partnerships: They partnered with Cardiff food bloggers and community groups who linked back to the café website or mentioned it in event write-ups.
Local Media: The café connected with small news sites and sponsored local charity events, earning mentions and links.

Each accurate citation and backlink signalled to search engines that the café was a real, reliable part of the Cardiff local scene, pushing their authority and rankings higher.

By following these clear, step-by-step local SEO strategies, the Cardiff café transformed from a hidden gem into a buzzing local favourite, proving that consistent, focused SEO work can bring real foot traffic growth.

Results Achieved and Lessons for Other Local Businesses

The Cardiff café’s local SEO campaign wasn’t just a theory tested in isolation. Real changes showed up clearly in both foot traffic and online engagement. These outcomes offer valuable insights for small businesses looking to follow a similar path.

Quantifying the Increase in Foot Traffic and Engagement

The café’s carefully crafted local SEO efforts led to impressive growth in just six months:

Foot traffic doubled, confirming that more people were finding and visiting the café.
Google Business Profile views increased by over 70%, showing that many more locals saw the café when searching nearby.
Customer interactions, including calls and direction requests, rose by 60%, signalling higher intent to visit.
The café received more than 150 new Google reviews, building social proof and trust.
Website visits climbed by nearly 80%, with a noticeable surge in mobile users looking for up-to-date menus and opening hours.

These numbers paint a clear picture: properly optimising local search presence drives tangible customer visits, not just clicks or impressions.

Effect on Brand Awareness and Community Engagement

Local SEO did more than attract visitors—it helped the café grow its reputation and stronger ties with the local community:

The café quickly became known as a trusted, go-to spot for quality coffee in Cardiff, reflected in many positive and detailed customer reviews.
Regular Google Business Profile posts and local blog content fostered a feeling of connection, making customers feel part of the café’s story.
Collaborations with local suppliers and event sponsorships, promoted through SEO content, raised the café’s profile within Cardiff’s social circles.
Community trust translated into repeat visits and word-of-mouth recommendations, essential for small business longevity.

This case highlights that local SEO isn’t just about ranking. It builds local brand loyalty by showing up consistently and engaging authentically.

Key Takeaways for Small Businesses Implementing Local SEO

The Cardiff café’s experience offers a practical roadmap for businesses ready to boost their local presence. Here’s what worked best, along with pitfalls to avoid:

Claim and fully optimise your Google Business Profile. Complete and accurate information, regular updates, and eye-catching photos make your listing trustworthy and clickable.
Focus on consistent NAP across all directories and citations. Mismatched addresses or phone numbers confuse search engines and customers alike.
Use specific local keywords naturally. Phrases people actually use, like “café near Cardiff city centre” attract the right visitors.
Create localised content that adds value. Write about local events, neighbourhoods, and partnerships to connect genuinely with your audience.
Encourage customers to leave reviews and engage with them. Positive reviews boost rankings and customer confidence. Responding quickly builds goodwill.
Invest in a mobile-friendly, fast-loading website. Many local searches happen on the go, so a smooth mobile experience is crucial.
Build local backlinks and citations from trusted sources. Links from local blogs, directories, and partners increase your authority with search engines.
Avoid overloading pages with keywords. Search engines and customers prefer clear, natural language.
Don’t neglect regular profile updates. Outdated info can lead to lost visits.
Don’t rely solely on SEO. Combine efforts with social media and genuine community involvement.

Following these tips can help small businesses convert online searches into real-world customers, just like the Cardiff café did. Focused, consistent local SEO work makes your business easier to find and builds connections that last longer than a single visit.

Conclusion

The Cardiff café’s story shows how focused local SEO can directly boost foot traffic and build stronger community ties. By optimising their Google Business Profile, using local keywords, and engaging with customers through reviews and content, they became easier to find and more inviting to locals. This wasn’t about quick fixes, but steady work on the details that matter.

Local businesses in Cardiff and beyond can use these same tactics to stand out in their neighbourhoods and grow in a sustainable way. Taking steps to improve online visibility with accurate information and real community connections will keep customers coming through the door.

If you run a local business, start small but be consistent with local SEO. It makes a difference you can see, visit by visit. Thank you for reading—feel free to share your experiences with local SEO or how you plan to apply these lessons.