insights | 10.09.2025

Taking off online: Digital marketing for Luton businesses

Article topics

Carry out keyword research for relevant, airport-related keywords
Remove the friction and provide a great experience
Partner with other websites to get backlinks
Focus on targeted PPC advertising
Build trust in your business with reviews
Encourage repeat customers
Don’t forget traditional marketing

Did you know that Luton Airport welcomes over 16 million passengers every year?

And with the Government recently approving the request for the airport to expand, this figure is only set to grow even more in the future.

If you’re a relevant business in the nearby area, like a hotel, taxi service, or restaurant, you can take advantage of the number of people making their way to Luton Airport.

Here’s how to see your business take flight with some savvy marketing techniques.

(Of course while this guide is geared towards Luton-based businesses, you can use it no matter which airport your business is nearest to!)

1. Carry out keyword research for relevant, airport-related keywords

The majority of people will find your business through a search engine like Google. And given that three out of four people don’t scroll past the first page of the search results, it’s essential to make sure you rank as high as possible.

Good keyword research is your first starting point. This is when you identify the words and phrases your ideal customers are most likely to use to find you.

If people are looking for services near Luton Airport, it’s likely that ‘Luton Airport’ will feature heavily in their searches. Let’s say you run a hotel – you may want to consider keywords like:

Luton Airport hotel
Hotel near Luton Airport
Overnight stay near Luton Airport

If you have unique features that make you stand out from the competition– include them too:

Hotel with free shuttle to Luton Airport
Hotel with a short drive to Luton Airport
Hotel near Luton Airport with early check-in
Hotel near Luton Airport with a restaurant
Hotel near Luton Airport for business travellers

There are lots of tools to help you find relevant keywords – free and paid-for. For example, AnswerThePublic lets you search autocomplete data from Google, Bing, and social media platforms, with three free searches a day.

Once you know which keywords you want to target, weave them into your web pages. You can add them to your content, as well as your headings, page titles and meta descriptions, page URL, and image alt text.

However don’t use them too much or add them in where they don’t feel natural. This can result in a poor user experience and can even lead to the search engines penalising your site.

2. Remove the friction and provide a great experience

Travelling, whether for business or pleasure, can be incredibly stressful. 63% of travellers worry that they’ll not get to the airport on time, while 61% fret that they’ll lose their luggage on the way to their destination.

So the easier you can make your website to use, the better for potential customers.

A website that’s easy to search, navigate, and check out of doesn’t just make your visitors happy – it makes Google happy too. A good user experience tells the search engines that your site is reliable and credible, potentially giving you a boost in the search results.

Here are some ways to ensure a fantastic user experience for airport travellers:

Optimise your website for mobile – a large proportion of your potential customers may be using your site while they’re out and about
Make sure your most popular pages are as easy to find as possible, with clear links in the navigation bar, on the homepage, and in your site footer
Ensure fast loading times – 40% of people will leave a website if it takes more than three seconds to load
Reduce stumbling blocks at the checkout – for example by offering more than one payment platform or guest checkout

3. Partner with other websites to get backlinks

Backlinks on popular, high-quality sites that are relevant to your industry act as votes of confidence in your website. This shows the search engines that your site provides value, meaning you’re more likely to rank well.

Of course, getting backlinks can be tricky. This is because unlike other SEO techniques, the final result is beyond your control – you can’t force people to link to your site.

However, getting a great link can make the hard work worthwhile!

Here are some ways to get backlinks for your site.

Send press releases to local publications covering the Luton area. For example, Luton Today and Luton News. It’s always worth connecting with journalists on platforms like LinkedIn and X to see what they’re planning on covering – you may be able to help with a quote
Create editorials for relevant magazines and journals. Most sites have ‘forward features’ which advise what topics they’re writing about and when
Create good content that other sites want to link to. For example, if you’re a vegan restaurant, create a guide to the ‘top ten Vegan restaurants in Luton’ or a video about how to create the perfect vegan burger
Offer testimonials and case studies to your suppliers
Sponsor local events and partner with local sports teams
Consider working with local influencers. While most influencers work across social media, some have their own websites

If you’re finding it hard to get backlinks, consider getting links on local directories. Posting your name, address, and phone number (also known as a NAP citation) across multiple websites shows the search engines that your business is active and local, which can improve your search results.

However it’s vital that your citations are consistent across the board to get the best results.

Looking for more ways to get backlinks? Check out this guide: 10 out-of-the-box ways to get backlinks for your website

4. Focus on targeted PPC advertising

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising may not be the right option for every business. But if you want to increase brand awareness, it’s great for pushing people towards your website.

The great thing about PPC advertising is that it’s highly targeted. So if you have a specific customer in mind, you can set it so your ad, whether on social media or across the search engines, only appears for them. You can also target (or exclude) specific cities, towns, and locations.

Another good way to use PPC advertising is by taking advantage of retargeting ads.

Let’s say you have a hotel near the airport. A prospective customer visits your website but doesn’t book. You can use retargeting to serve ads across websites they visit as well as on social media, reminding them to come back to your site and make a reservation.

5. Build trust in your business with reviews

There’s a lot of competition for your products and services. Type ‘coffee shops near Luton Airport’ into Google and you’ll get nearly 2.5 million results!

Showing that your business is trustworthy and high-quality is one of the best ways to stand out from the crowd.

According to Bright Local, three-quarters of people check at least two review sites before making a decision. So the more positive reviews you can get, the better for your business.

Plus, positive, recent reviews are a ranking signal in the search engines, which can help improve your position in the results.

Here’s how to make the most of your reviews:

Choose the right review platform for your needs. For example, Google is a good all-rounder, while Trip Advisor is ideal if you work in tourism or hospitality
Don’t be afraid to ask customers for their feedback – whether by email, on their receipt, or by SMS message
Review recency is just as important as your rating or the number of reviews you get – 44% of customers want to be able to see reviews written within the past month
Don’t panic if you don’t have a perfect score – research shows that shoppers are most likely to buy a product ranked between 4.2 and 4.5 stars
Reply to all reviews, both positive and negative. This shows you appreciate your customers, and in the case of negative feedback, are willing to take steps to put things right

Customer feedback – how to use it to grow your business

6. Encourage repeat customers

Some of your customers will use your services once, and you’ll never hear from them again. However, the trick is to encourage regular custom.

Many people fly from Luton airport regularly, whether that’s because it’s their local airport or they like what the airport has to offer. By targeting these people every time they fly, you can increase your revenue.

After all, it’s easier and far more cost-effective to advertise to an existing customer than it is to a completely new one.

One of the best ways to attain repeat custom is through a loyalty programme. This is when you give customers incentives or rewards when they buy from you more than once. This could be free products, discounts, cashback, or even non-financial benefits like free Wi-Fi and late checkout if you run a hotel.

It’s also important to remind existing customers that you’re still around, so that when they plan their next trip, they know to pay you a visit. You can do this through remarketing adverts, mobile phone messages, and email marketing campaigns.

7. Don’t forget traditional marketing

We’ve looked at digital marketing in this article, but traditional marketing, like billboards, posters, and telephone box ads, can drive brand awareness too.

The benefits of out-of-home (OOH) advertising are that a lot of people see them, a lot of people can recall them, and a lot of people act after seeing them. Four out of five people say they have taken action after seeing an OOH ad.

Think about the routes people may take to the airport (whether by foot, bus, train, tube, or car) and place ads for your business there. You can even advertise inside the airport, for example, on digital screens, banners, wall wraps… even on luggage trolleys!

Find out more about advertising at Luton Airport

Don’t wing your digital marketing – let Xigen pilot your business to success

With nearly 9,000 businesses across Luton, it’s vital to stand out from the crowd if you want to appeal to travellers.

Get your marketing right though, and you’ll gain loyal clients for life.

If you want to make your website the number one destination for customers but you’re not sure where to start, we’re here to help.

Our team of web designers, developers, and digital marketing specialists will create a bespoke plan of action to help you stand out in the search results and boost sales.

From innovative website design to search engine optimisation, all the way through to email marketing, we’ll make sure you take off in style.

(Plus as we’re based in Bedford, we’re well-acquainted with everything Luton has to offer.)

Get in touch today and get ready to elevate your business!

Sources:

Tags: eCommerce, Luton Businesses

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