Football’s Ultimate Game Day is coming to New Orleans in February 2025. Is your business ready to score big with the surge of tourists flocking to the city?
Jeff Schwartz, Director of Economic Development for the City of New Orleans, says “Super Bowl LIX will draw hundreds of thousands of fans to our city and generate millions in economic impact across the city and region.”
If your business wants to share in the economic impact, now is the time to start preparing your website and marketing efforts for the big game. Everything from ensuring a mobile-friendly website, to boosting your local SEO and staying legally compliant will be important in the coming months. But don’t worry, your efforts aren’t a one-time win. Our marketing playbook has long-lasting effects, attracting tourists and locals alike for the big game and far beyond. Let’s tackle what your business needs to succeed.
Get Your Website Into Game-Ready Shape
Your website is your business’s 24/7 marketing channel, and it’s the best place for tourists to get information about your business when visiting New Orleans. An optimized website can mean the difference between gaining or missing out on these valuable new customers. Here are our recommendations for New Orleans businesses to focus on before the big game:
Mobile-Friendly Website Design
“You’d be amazed at how much traffic comes to websites from mobile phones,” says our Marketing Manager Allison Schmidt. “Across all different industries, we see mobile traffic at more than half of all visitors, and typically much higher for consumer goods and services.”
Most visitors will be using their phones to search for local spots to eat, drink, and shop, so having a mobile-friendly website is essential. A mobile responsive website design ensures that your website looks great and functions smoothly across all devices. This makes it easier for tourists to get the information they need to visit your business.
Landing Pages for Special Promotions
If you’re planning game day-related promotions, such as events, special menus, or discounts, create dedicated landing pages to promote them. These pages can act as information hubs that allow visitors to easily find information about what you’re offering. Make sure to include a strong call to action and to include all relevant contact information. Remember, you should start building out these pages at least a month in advance to give search engines time to index them.
ADA Compliance
Your website should be ADA-compliant, ensuring it’s accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. “Not only is ADA compliance a legal requirement, it’s just the right thing to do,” says Wendy Dolan, our president and founder. “ADA compliance means that everyone can use your website, which can only be a good thing for your business.”
At Get Online NOLA, we offer accessibility software that can help bring your site up to standard without a complete overhaul. ADA compliance not only broadens your audience but also protects your business from potential legal issues.
Local SEO Touchdown: Drive Traffic for the Big Game
With the big game only months away, there’s not enough time to make an impact with traditional organic SEO strategies. Schmidt says, “Traditional organic SEO can take months or longer to have an impact, and these searches will be extremely competitive. Instead, we recommend focusing on Local SEO to drive customers to your business.”
Local Search Results
Local search results are listings displayed by search engines in response to queries that have local intent. Examples include “sports bar near me” or “best souvenir shops in New Orleans.” A local SEO strategy can deliver quick results by ensuring your business appears in search results for nearby products or services. Since 70% of consumers use Google Maps to look for nearby businesses*, an optimized local listing profile can mean huge returns for the big game. The first step is to claim your Google My Business profile. For next-level optimization, check your NAP score. Get Online NOLA’s Listing Amplifier ensures your business’s NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information is consistent across all relevant directories, helping you rank higher in local search results.
Boost Your Reviews
Positive reviews don’t just make you look good. They help improve your Local SEO ranking and encourage more foot traffic. 90% of consumers use reviews and ratings to evaluate local businesses*, so making sure your online reviews paint a great picture of your business is especially important in the lead-up to big events. Our Review Generator software helps ensure that your business builds a strong online reputation by encouraging satisfied customers to leave positive feedback. This will help drive more revenue while tourists are in town, and long beyond too. Building a compelling review profile takes time, so you’ll need to start now to boost your star rating.
Avoid a Marketing Fumble: Legal Tips for Game Day Promos
We’ve all heard stories about what you are and aren’t allowed to do when it comes to marketing your business around trademarked events such as the Super Bowl. To get to the bottom of what is and isn’t allowed, we spoke to Richard A. Montgomery II, Senior Associate at Transcendent Law Group, for insights on how to promote your business during the big game without crossing legal lines.
Potential Legal Consequences
The NFL is known for aggressively protecting its intellectual property. Montgomery warns, “The NFL has a dedicated trademark infringement department that can pursue anything from demand letters to litigation.” In some cases, the NFL may seek monetary damages if businesses are found to be in violation of their intellectual property rights.
Protected Phrases, Logos, and Images
When it comes to the big game, Montgomery stresses the importance of avoiding the NFL’s most visible brand markers. “Logos for the NFL, AFC, NFC (or their spelled-out versions) are absolute no-gos,” he explains. Additionally, businesses should avoid phrases like “Super Bowl” or “Super Sunday” in marketing campaigns as it’s difficult to use these terms without implying an association with the NFL.
Many businesses make this mistake. “Use of the brand often implies to the consumer that an association exists,” Montgomery says. “Unless you have paid the big bucks for that authorized and licensed association, you cannot market something like “Shop here for all your Super Bowl needs.”
Safe Alternatives to “Super Bowl”
To stay legally compliant, Montgomery suggests using alternative terms like “The Big Game” or “Football’s Favorite Sunday.” These terms allow businesses to ride the wave of excitement without infringing on trademarks. He adds, “You can even be tongue-in-cheek with something like, ‘the game that shall not be named.”
On social media, businesses should avoid hashtags directly tied to the event, such as #SuperBowl or #SuperSunday. However, creative alternatives like #BigGameBigSavings are perfectly acceptable and can still capture the attention of customers. Montgomery emphasizes, “The key is to avoid any phrasing that would lead someone to believe your business is officially affiliated with the NFL.”
Jeff Spansel runs Royal Praline Stores, a souvenir and gift shop with two locations in the French Quarter. He avoids trademark issues by offering customers “Super Specials” via email, social media, and in-store.
Can You Mention Teams or Players?
In general, businesses cannot reference specific NFL teams, players, or coaches in their marketing without risking infringement. The NFL Players Association also protects the rights of players. However, Montgomery notes that businesses can reference cities or player numbers, offering a creative workaround. He advises, “While you can’t reference the Saints v the Chiefs, you could reference the Big Game between New Orleans and Kansas City. Or say something like ‘Score a touchdown like No. 21.”
Score Big on Social: Engage Fans Around the Big Game
Keeping your business hyped up on social media around the big game can be key to getting tourists in the door. Create posts that focus on your business offerings during the Super Weekend to reach a larger audience and create excitement around your brand.
New Orleans has so much to offer and a well-deserved reputation for being a cultural tour-de-force. Don’t be afraid to lean into the city’s unique culture in your marketing. “New Orleans does special events like no other city, which is why we are hosting our 11th Super Bowl,” said Jeff Schwartz, Director of Economic Development for the City of New Orleans. “We are excited for NFL fans to experience our city’s unique culture, including our world-renowned cuisine, our acclaimed art and music, and our diverse small businesses, many of which are walkable from the Ceasar’s Superdome.”
Game Day Specials
David Broussard owns The Upper Quarter. He says that as the closest French Quarter bar to the Superdome, they make sure to offer game-day specials. For example, they give out pudding shots for all black and gold touchdowns. Broussard says, “Our bar is a neighborhood or local place for regulars and tourists to watch a game or watch after work. We would love to reach more out-of-towners because of our chill atmosphere and low drink prices.” Inviting tourists to your bar, restaurant, or store can be done easily on social media!
Make sure your social media accounts are active and engaging. Post in advance about any promotions for the weekend, like game day discounts, watch parties, or food and drink specials. This helps to get the word out about plans before the game actually starts. Local businesses have a unique advantage when it comes to the big game, especially those located near the French Quarter and the Superdome. Our social media content calendar can help you plan your posts and avoid overwhlem.
Spansel emphasizes the long-term benefits of big events in New Orleans, “These types of events are very much looked forward to. They have a long-lasting positive effect on the city and the French Quarter in particular. The lead-up to the actual event keeps us in the news and on the minds of potential visitors.”
The Big Game presents an enormous opportunity for businesses in New Orleans, but preparation is key. By optimizing your website, engaging with customers through social media, and focusing on Local SEO, you can ensure your business is ready to welcome the influx of visitors.
Getting your website and marketing in shape is essential to making the most of the big game. At Get Online NOLA, we specialize in helping local businesses enhance their websites, marketing strategies, and SEO performance. Contact us today to schedule a free strategy session and discover how we can help your business shine online!
Contact Our Community MPVs:
- City Of New Orleans – Jeff Schwartz
- Royal Praline Stores – Jeff Spansel
- The Upper Quarter (The UQ) – David Broussard
- Transcendent Law Group – Richard A Montgomery II
- Get Online NOLA – Wendy Dolan and Allison Schmidt