Many businesses set up by British and Irish expats in Spain start by serving the English-speaking community. It makes sense: you share a language, you understand their needs and the community is quick to recommend businesses it trusts.
But relying solely on the expat market has risks. Competition can be fierce, numbers fluctuate with exchange rates and politics, and demand can be highly seasonal. Meanwhile, the local Spanish population — far larger and present all year round — is often under-served by businesses offering what you do.
Here is how to start reaching Spanish customers.
Understand that it is a different market
Marketing to Spanish customers is not just a matter of translation. Expectations, habits and buying behaviour can differ:
- Communication: WhatsApp and phone calls are often preferred to email. See why WhatsApp matters in Spain.
- Relationships: personal relationships and recommendations carry great weight.
- Timing: daily rhythms, meal times and holiday periods differ from the UK and Ireland. August, Semana Santa and local fiestas affect demand.
- Platforms: Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook and TikTok are all widely used, but the mix may differ from your expat audience.
- Payment: Spanish customers often expect card payments and Bizum.
- Information: customers may expect to see your NIF, legal notice and clear terms on your website (see website legal essentials in Spain).
Language: do it properly
Spanish customers will notice clumsy machine translation immediately. If Spanish is not your first language:
- Work with a native speaker or professional translator for key materials.
- Localise rather than translate: use the words and expressions Spanish customers actually use, which may not match your English terms.
- Make sure you can serve Spanish-speaking customers when they contact you — a bilingual team member, a partner or improving your own Spanish.
Even imperfect but genuine effort in Spanish is usually appreciated in person. Written marketing, however, needs to be polished.
Your online presence in Spanish
- Google Business Profile: write your description and posts with Spanish searches in mind. See our Google Business Profile guide.
- Website: at minimum, translate your homepage, main service pages and contact page. See should your website be bilingual?
- Social media: bilingual posts or separate Spanish content. See posting in English, Spanish or both.
- Directories: list your business in Spanish directories and platforms relevant to your sector.
- Keywords: research how Spanish customers search for your service — “fontanero”, “reformas”, “diseño web” — and use those terms. See our keyword research guide.
Build local relationships
- Join local business associations and attend events.
- Partner with Spanish businesses that serve complementary needs.
- Support local causes: sponsor a youth football team, a fiesta or a charity event.
- Use local suppliers and say so — it builds goodwill.
Use your difference as a strength
Being an international business can be an advantage. Spanish customers may value:
- Your experience from another market.
- Different design styles, products or approaches.
- English-language services for their own international customers — a strong angle for B2B services such as web design, translation or marketing.
Get reviews from Spanish customers
Reviews in Spanish signal to other Spanish customers that you serve them well. Ask Spanish-speaking customers for reviews, and respond in Spanish. See how to get more Google reviews.
Start small and test
You do not need to transform your whole business overnight. Choose one service, translate its page properly, run a small Spanish-language ad campaign, and see what happens. Track enquiries carefully and build from there.
Respect and patience
Building trust in any community takes time. Show genuine respect for local culture and language, deliver great service and be patient. Over time, a reputation among Spanish customers can make your business far more resilient.
We help businesses on the Costa Blanca and Costa Cálida reach both English-speaking and Spanish customers. Get in touch to explore how your business could grow beyond the expat bubble.
