Raymond Case Study: Driving Footfalls with Google My Business and hyperlocal campaigns is a proven example of how local SEO fuels retail sales

 

Overview

From 1,500+ fragmented listings to a unified, ROI-driven local digital ecosystem – led during Gaurav Bhaskar’s tenure as Head of Digital Marketing at Raymond.

 

Introduction – Why Local Digital Matters for Retail

In today’s “near me” economy, local search is the new storefront. More than 30% of all mobile searches have local intent, and over 50% of those searches lead to a store visit within 24 hours. For a retailer like Raymond, with 1,500+ stores across 600 towns in India, this presented both a massive challenge and a massive opportunity.

The question was simple: Can local digital be scaled to drive measurable offline sales?

The Business Challenge

Raymond’s retail footprint is enviable, but managing 1,500+ Google My Business (GMB) profiles revealed gaps:

• Inconsistent or unverified listings → lost trust.
• Limited use of GMB features like posts, photos, Q&A.
• No unified link between search clicks and store sales.
• No ability to adapt content hyperlocally (festivals, launches).

Without solving these, “near me” shoppers were being lost to competitors.

 

How Raymond Drove Footfalls with Google My Business

The Strategic Approach (5-Pillar Framework)

This initiative, which I spearheaded as Head of Digital Marketing at Raymond, followed a five-pillar framework:

1. Centralized GMB Management
   • Verified and standardized all 1,500+ listings.
   • Created a single source of truth for data (hours, NAP, photos).
2. Dynamic Store Pages
   • Linked each GMB to a localized microsite on branches.myraymond.com.
   • Gave shoppers a seamless path: Search → Store Page → Visit.
3. Hyperlocal Campaigns
   • Launched Google Local Campaigns across Search, Maps, YouTube, Display.
   • Targeted store-level radii (10–20 km) to capture real shoppers in proximity.
4. Localized Messaging
   • Designed campaigns for regional relevance (Durga Pujo in East, Wedding Collection in North, etc.).
   • Supported product launches like Vibez with store-centric creative.
5. Measurement & ROI
   • Used tracking dashboards to monitor calls, direction clicks, visits, and revenue.
   • Benchmarked against control stores to isolate incremental sales impact.

 

Results of Driving Footfalls with Google My Business –

Key Outcomes & Wins

Macro Results

• +114% increase in store footfalls from Maps & GMB.
• 72% lower cost per store visit vs. other digital channels.
• 5% uplift in festive sales in East India during Pujo pilot.

New Store Launch – Rajouri Garden

• +28% incremental sales vs. control stores.
• +44% contribution from new customers.
• ROAS achieved: 18.79.

New Product Launch – Vibez Collection

• +19% category growth in shirting.
• +187% Vibez sales uplift in targeted outlets.

 

What Leaders Said

“Local campaigns help us build deeper connect with the consumer — tracking behavior from awareness to store visit, all at lower cost per conversion. This is the future of retail marketing.”
— Chief Retail Officer, Raymond Limited

“To support the shirting category, cross-product local campaigns gave measurable growth in both engagement and in-store visits.”
— Chief Marketing Officer, Raymond Limited

 

Why This Case Matters for Retailers

This case demonstrates how local SEO + hyperlocal ads can transform physical retail:

• Scalable: Works for 10 or 10,000 stores.
• Measurable: Connects search to offline sales with real ROI.
• Category Impact: Doesn’t just drive traffic — it shifts product/category performance.
• Cultural Relevance: Campaigns tailored to local calendars drive stronger resonance.

For CMOs and retail decision-makers, the lesson is clear: local digital isn’t optional anymore — it’s a category growth lever.

 

Leadership Note

As Head of Digital Marketing at Raymond, I had the privilege to lead this transformation — turning fragmented store data into a growth system at scale. Today at GB Digital Hub, we apply these same proven frameworks to help lifestyle, retail, and franchise brands achieve measurable impact.

 

Take  Action

Is your brand ready to turn ‘near me’ searches into measurable sales? Let’s build your growth story 

📩 Contact: Gaurav Bhaskar
🌐  GB-Digital Hub

 

Disclaimer

This case study highlights an initiative led by Gaurav Bhaskar during his tenure as Head of Digital Marketing at Raymond. The campaign was subsequently featured by Google as a retail success story on its official platforms. The content here is shared for knowledge and experience purposes only, reflecting the role and learnings now applied at GB Digital Hub

 

Additional Resources:

For deeper insights into SEO and digital growth strategies, explore our latest blogs:

• Why SEO is an Investment for Your Business – Learn why SEO is a long-term strategy, not a one-time effort.
• SEO for Small Business: A Beginner’s Guide – A step-by-step roadmap for small businesses to boost search rankings.
• The Future of Search: A World Beyond Keywords – Discover how search is evolving beyond traditional keywords.
• Local SEO: The Only Game You Need to Win – Master local SEO to dominate search results and drive traffic.

Outbound References:

For more insights into local search optimization, explore external resources:

• Google My Business Help – Official Google guide on managing your business profile.
• Moz Local SEO Guide – Comprehensive guide to improving local search rankings.

By integrating strategic GMB optimizations, your business can achieve remarkable growth, just like Raymond Limited.

Ready to get started? Contact Us today!