SEO
Blackpool Illuminations Marketing Checklist for Local Businesses
The Illuminations bring visitors to Blackpool every night until early January. Here is a simple checklist to make sure they find your business, not the one next door.
On this page
- 1. Get your Google Business Profile ready for the evenings
- 2. Make your website work on a phone in the dark
- 3. Collect reviews while it’s busy
- 4. Plan your social posts before the season, not during it
- 5. Use paid ads for the nights that matter
- 6. Don’t forget the locals
- Quick checklist
- Frequently asked questions
The Illuminations are Blackpool’s longest busy season. In 2026 the lights were switched on on 4 September. The full six-mile route from Starr Gate to Red Bank Road runs until 1 November, then a shorter stretch between the Pleasure Beach and Gynn Roundabout stays lit until 3 January 2027. That is months of evenings with visitors on the Promenade looking for somewhere to eat, drink, stay and spend.
Most of those visitors decide on their phones, on the spot. This Blackpool Illuminations marketing checklist covers the things that decide whether they find you or the business next door. It works just as well for businesses in Lytham, Fleetwood and Poulton who want a share of the visitors.
1. Get your Google Business Profile ready for the evenings
When someone on the Promenade searches “fish and chips near me” or “bar open now”, Google Maps shows a handful of businesses. Your Business Profile is what gets you into that list.
- Opening hours. Many businesses stay open later during the lights. Update your hours, and use special hours for bank holidays and event nights, so Google doesn’t show you as closed.
- Photos. Add recent photos of your food, rooms or shop front, ideally some taken in the evening. People choose on what they see.
- Attributes. Tick the ones that matter to visitors, such as family-friendly, dogs welcome, outdoor seating or wheelchair access.
- Posts. Use Business Profile posts to share what’s on, set menus or offers for Illuminations visitors.
2. Make your website work on a phone in the dark
Visitors are standing outside, often in the cold, on a small screen. If your site is slow or the phone number is hard to find, they move on.
- Put your opening hours, address and a tap-to-call button at the top of the page.
- Make the menu, prices or rooms easy to see without downloading a PDF.
- Check the page loads quickly on mobile data. Our guide to website speed explains why it matters.
3. Collect reviews while it’s busy
The busiest weeks are the best time to build your reviews, because you have the most happy customers. Ask every customer, not just the ones who seem happy, and make it easy with a QR code or short link on the table or receipt. Google’s rules don’t allow you to offer anything in return for reviews. Our guide on getting more Google reviews covers how to do it properly.
4. Plan your social posts before the season, not during it
When you are flat out, posting falls by the wayside. Plan and schedule a few weeks of posts in advance:
- What you offer visitors, with real photos
- Opening hours on event nights
- Short videos of the lights from near your door
- Offers for locals on quieter weeknights
5. Use paid ads for the nights that matter
If you have a clear offer, local Meta or Google ads can put it in front of people who are in or travelling to Blackpool. Keep the area tight, run them on the evenings you want to fill, and send people to a page that matches the ad. See our guide to Meta ads for local businesses.
6. Don’t forget the locals
After 1 November the full route switches off and visitor numbers fall. Locals keep you going through the winter, so use the season to grow your email list and social following, then look after those people when the visitors have gone.
Quick checklist
| Task | Done? |
|---|---|
| Google Business Profile hours updated for event nights | |
| New evening photos added to Google | |
| Phone number and hours at the top of your website | |
| QR code or link for reviews on tables or receipts | |
| Two to four weeks of social posts scheduled | |
| Offer and landing page ready if running ads |
Frequently asked questions
When should Blackpool businesses start Illuminations marketing?
A few weeks before the switch-on, so your Google listing, website and posts are already working when visitors start searching. If you are reading this mid-season, start with your Google Business Profile today: it has the quickest effect.
Is it worth running ads during the Illuminations?
It can be, if you have a clear reason for people to choose you, such as a set menu, a family offer or late opening. Keep the target area small and only run ads on the nights you want to fill.
Do businesses outside Blackpool benefit from the Illuminations?
Yes. Visitors stay in Lytham St Annes, Fleetwood and across the Fylde, and eat and shop there too. The same checklist applies.
