Traders in Shrewsbury are being encouraged to sign up to the town’s ‘digital shop window’ to promote their services for free.
Original Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury BID’s promotional website, lists nearly 500 town centre business profiles and an average of 300 events (updated throughout the year).
The site is visited by an average of 46,000 people every month and is the number one destination site for people searching for the county town on Google – making it an excellent vehicle for local businesses to reach a wider audience of both residents and visitors.
The brand’s associated social channels were seen approximately 5.5 million times in 2024, with 82,000 users engaging with the channels’ content.
The invaluable service is now being extended by Shrewsbury BID with the offer of free promotional membership for traders who are not currently voluntary members, are below the rateable value threshold for mandatory BID levy payers and are located within a 15-minute walk of The Square.
With a free promotional membership, businesses can schedule up to three dedicated social posts for their business on the Original Shrewsbury channels and submit a basic business listing for inclusion on the website.
Businesses who opt for paid Voluntary Membership of Shrewsbury BID (starting at an annual cost of £200+VAT) can schedule up to six social posts and submit a more detailed business listing, as well as events and job listings, and have access to all other member benefits available to levy-paying Shrewsbury BID members.
Seb Slater, executive director of Shrewsbury BID, said: “Original Shrewsbury is an important and hugely successful site for those living and working in the town but also has much wider appeal, so we are urging consumer businesses to take advantage of this new offer to promote themselves to a larger audience.
“Original Shrewsbury is our digital shop window – the ideal showcase for traders in the town to shout about their services and talents. Shrewsbury is a thriving business hub with a wide variety of different shops and services and this is a great opportunity to put themselves front and centre.”
“Over recent months, the Shrewsbury BID team has been adding free profiles to the site and we are hoping others will now get in touch to benefit from the service,” said EJ Hopson-VandenBos, communications and engagement lead for Shrewsbury BID.
“We want to get as many consumer businesses to sign up as possible, helping us to ensure that Original Shrewsbury becomes a comprehensive, easy-to-use directory for visitors, showcasing what the town has to offer.”
Becky Rawlins, co-owner of Hopefully Made and chair of the Original Shrewsbury Working Group on Shrewsbury BID’s Board of Directors, added: “This is a great opportunity for Shrewsbury businesses looking for that bit of extra exposure.
“As a business that frequently runs events and workshops, the exposure we got on Original Shrewsbury when we were first started up made a real difference. We’re excited to see even more businesses get involved.”
To enquire about a free promotional membership, contact info@shrewsburybid.co.uk.
The Original Shrewsbury website can be found at originalshrewsbury.co.uk.
