How the Bludot Business Directory and Open Rewards empower local business communities

Local businesses are the backbone of any city’s economy. Helping them thrive means not only showcasing what they offer but also creating incentives for residents to shop locally. Two Bludot products—the Business Directory and Open Rewards—work together to deliver these key outcomes. These tools help communities increase business visibility, deepen engagement with residents, and drive real economic impact.

The Bludot Business Directory: a centralized hub for local discovery

An interactive business directory does more than list businesses online. It elevates their visibility in a way that is easy for residents and visitors to access and businesses to maintain.

Bludot’s directory is browser-based and mobile-friendly, allowing consumers to quickly find information such as hours, contact details, and online ordering links in one central place.

For communities, that means:

• Local businesses are easier to find and promote

• Residents can explore services and offerings without guesswork

• Events and campaigns can be tied directly to business listings

Southern Miami’s Taste of SoMi: directory as a promotional engine

When the City of South Miami, FL launched its Taste of SoMi event, it used Bludot’s Business Directory as the central digital hub for all participating restaurants and food vendors.

Brandon Diaz, Communications and Marketing Manager for the city, highlighted the directory’s community value:

“The Bludot Directory has strengthened our connection with the local business community by offering a centralized platform where businesses can be easily discovered and promoted. Having a tool that allows businesses to update their own profiles also empowers them to take ownership of their presence, which builds trust and collaboration.”

By enabling businesses to manage their own listings and providing a single point of access for event attendees, South Miami increased promotion efficiency and boosted engagement without relying on custom-built web solutions. As Diaz added:

“Bludot has made setup and ongoing promotion incredibly easy. This reduced the need for custom-built webpages or manual outreach, saving our team time and allowing us to focus on strategic promotion rather than logistics.”

Residents and business owners also praised the directory:

“Visitors love how easy it is to explore restaurants, get directions, and access menus all in one place… Businesses appreciate the added exposure and the fact that they’re included on the official city website tied to local promotions like Taste of SoMi.”

Open Rewards: incentivizing local spending with measurable results

Bludot’s Open Rewards product offers communities a tech-driven shop local program that encourages residents to spend at local businesses by providing rewards that can be redeemed directly for cash back. Unlike traditional paper vouchers or discount coupons, Open Rewards integrates with everyday transactions—making rewards seamless and easy for users and requiring no action from small business owners.

Across communities, Open Rewards has generated meaningful economic activity and strengthened consumer-business relationships.

Indio, CA: boosting economic activity and shifting behavior

The City of Indio, CA's Open Rewards program generated over $1.28 million in local economic activity just months after launch, engaging nearly 1,700 residents and influencing 90% of participants to shop locally.

City economic development leaders shared clear goals and outcomes:

“Our goal for the program was to encourage residents to shop locally, boost sales and foot traffic for small businesses, and foster a sustainable, community-driven economic cycle that supports long-term growth in our city.”

Local residents echoed the impact on spending habits:

“This app has encouraged me to only shop in Indio… Thank you city of Indio. This app is a nice incentive.”“I live in south side of Indio next to La Quinta and normally shop there but this app is making me consider driving a little further to shop Indio.”“I only shop with stores that are signed up with Open Rewards.”

City leaders also highlighted the strategic advantage of Open Rewards:

“This combination of technology, accessibility, and community-driven incentives made the program a standout model for supporting small businesses in a modern, scalable way.”

El Paso, TX and Orange, CA: shaping local loyalty and business growth

In cities like El Paso, TX and Orange, CA Open Rewards has been used to unite businesses and consumers around the shared goal of increasing local commerce.

Klarissa Mijares of the City of El Paso noted:

“When we launched Buy El Paso, we knew we needed to make it simple and accessible for both businesses and consumers. The Open Rewards app allowed us to achieve that—providing businesses with a low-cost, high-reward tool that promotes growth and sustainability. The feedback from local businesses has been incredibly positive, with many seeing increased foot traffic and higher sales.”

And in Orange, Danielle Milloy shared how the program has influenced community connection:

“Experience Orange was designed to create a thriving local economy by fostering a culture of loyalty. The Open Rewards app has helped us connect residents with local businesses in a way that feels personal and rewarding. We’ve seen a clear uptick in local engagement, with more people excited to shop locally and support their favorite businesses.”

These firsthand experiences show how Open Rewards can strengthen the emotional and economic ties between residents and their local business community.

Why these tools matter for local economic development

Together, the Bludot Business Directory and Open Rewards create a complementary system for community-wide economic support:

• Unified visibility + easy engagement: A searchable, interactive directory increases online presence and allows consumers to discover local options at a glance

• Seamless incentives: Open Rewards makes local spending financially rewarding, encouraging residents to return again and again

• Low burden for businesses: Business owners are automatically included and do not need to adopt new POS or training requirements

• Actionable insights: Communities gain insight into where residents spend, helping inform future development strategies and promotions

Conclusion

From showcasing businesses in South Miami’s Taste of SoMi event to generating millions in economic activity in Indio, Bludot’s Business Directory and Open Rewards products prove themselves as strategic, data-backed tools for local commerce. By improving discoverability and rewarding local shopping behaviors, these solutions help communities strengthen business resilience, drive repeat visits, and cultivate long-term growth.

If you’d like to explore how these tools could support your community’s economic development goals, contact us for a demo.