What is Digital Marketing and why should you do it?

If a tree falls in the middle of a forest but no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Did it even fall? Who’s to say if no one can hear it? 

If the sound of the tree falling was loud enough, someone would undoubtedly notice, they may even go check out the commotion. This same principle can be applied to your campground or RV park. You may currently be rolling your eyes and wondering how this actually relates to you. Well, read on….

Every campground or RV park is unique and worth a visit, but even if you have the most beautiful, secluded getaway, if no one knows about you, you’re missing out on reservations, and revenue.

Digital marketing for campgrounds is like a megaphone to the falling tree. With so much noise and distractions surrounding us in our modern age, it takes more and more to break through the clutter. Digital marketing is for those who want their business to be heard.  

There are many methods and digital marketing strategies out there, making it easy to get lost. Here are a few starting points and ideas on how to make your campground or RV park heard.

Make a Website

This one is crucial. Having a website where people can find you and your business is the first step to any digital marketing strategy.

Think of your website as your online home base. This is where most people will first interact with your campground or RV park and in most cases, decide if they want to stay with you or not. 

According to KPMG’s Global Consumer Report, 55% of people look at online reviews and recommendations before making a purchase, with 47% visiting the business’s website, 26% check out the physical location, and 23% learning by word of mouth.

But having a site is only half the battle, it has to look good too. According to the web credibility research done by Stanford, 75% of users judge a business based off the content on their website. The best way to make sure people are making good judgments about your campground or RV park is to make sure your blog and photos are of quality and show off what your park has to offer. 

Having a presentable website is like having a firm handshake. A good website means a strong first impression.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Now that you have a good looking website, it’s time to bring prospective campers to it. When you are searching for anything online, you most likely are using a search engine, like Google, to get to what you’re looking for. Chances are you used a search engine to find this very article. 

Search Engine Optimization, more commonly referred to as SEO, is a digital marketing strategy that optimizes your website to be easily found when people are searching for a campground or RV park. 

There are several strategies to enhance your website ranking on Google.  

Two of the most common are:

1. Following best practices in designing your website by adding relevant keywords, meta tags, and search schema, and 
2. Developing credibility by securing links to your website from other, higher-ranking sites, also known as backlinking. Getting listed on campground or RV park directories like RoverPass is a great example of a good backlinking.

Doing both of these tells search engines that your site has something to offer people looking for camping and RV parks, and will list you closer and closer to the top of search result pages.

Digital Advertising

While improving your park’s SEO may show you improve organic search results, you will always be below the paid ads.

Buying ads through Google is the quickest way to get your campground in front of people looking for a place to stay. That said, it can be easy to spend thousands of dollars with no return, especially if you are being upsold by Google’s sales representatives. Properly maintained Google search ad campaigns can drive lots of business but require constant attention to the best and worst performing keywords.

Where do I start? 

The digital landscape can be a rough one if you’re left on your own. If you ever decide to step up your campground or RV park’s marketing efforts, you will not be alone, give us a call.