Increase your surf camp bookings with use of social media (Instagram)
Some say social media is dead. However, if you want to reach potential guests, a social platform like Instagram is still worth your time and effort as 32% of all internet users are on Instagram. Let’s have a look at how your online social media presence can have a positive influence on your surf camp bookings and how it helps build customer engagement.
Hang out where your audience is although social media platforms become more and more of a commercial environment for businesses to promote their products rather than a social platform for users, a platform like Instagram has 500 million active daily users to-date, compared to 25 million company users. Another interesting fact when looking at these Instagram statistics, is that more than half of the active users (59%) are between the age of 18 and 29 - the ideal target group for your surf camp.
To grasp the potential of this large group of potential holiday bookers, you will need more than just a company Instagram profile. We’ll discuss the creation of interesting content to attract your audience, engagement with customers and advertisement for your surf camp on social media.
Create inspiring content to attract people to your website
When you have an idea of what interests your potential customers, you can start connecting with them through inspirational content. Not just any content, but relevant to your target audience. Think about the fact that your potential customers might not even be searching for a mind-blowing surf camp holiday yet, how would you get their attention?
Show them what they want to see - great photos of your location, the killer waves, nights at the bonfire, the delicious food they can get at your location, anything that makes them want to go on holiday with you. Right now!
Next to photos, and maybe even videos, publishing inspiring posts on things happening in your area can also help grow your credibility and recognition. The best bars to get cheap, but great cocktails and beers; or the best deal for booking a flight to your surf camp destination - to give you some ideas. Make sure your Instagram profile contains a link to your website where they can find more information related to your post: when posting about a great surf session you can direct readers to that link and you can adjust the link to lead it to booking a surf session on your website. The message here is: link to information on your website that is relevant according to what you post.
Engage with your customers
In general, sharing relevant, topical content makes people want to follow you on social media, which then makes it easier for you to get in contact with them a second, third or fourth time. As booking a holiday does not follow a one-stop-shop kind of process, this is a very good way to get these people more engaged with you over time and ultimately become happy customers. You can make your followers feel special by doing a promotion from time to time, e.g. make it possible for them to win a surf holiday with you.
Besides getting in contact with your audience yourself, your fans and customers are also able to get in contact with you via commenting options and posting about their own experiences with you. The way you handle your customer service on social media is therefore an important factor in keeping a good reputation. Promise yourself to manage all your social activities. Always respond to any questions or remarks from your visitors or fans, good or bad, and try to do it within the first hour. This might seem like a lot of work, but think about this; no response is also a response, but not the one you want to give your audience. It gives them the impression you do not care.
Also do a search for your company name on Instagram every once in a while to see if and how people are talking about your company and services. If you see customers promoting you in their network; great! If not, still give them a reply. Keep it personal and friendly at all times.
Advertise through social media to get more bookings
Another way to use Instagram for your business marketing is to use their advertising services. You can run an ad campaign on your profile, or make use of Instagram stories to run short-term campaigns. To understand how this works, read our blog on Instagram advertising for surf camps. Bookinglayer is booking software for surf camps.
Bookinglayer, a surf camp owner can manage accommodation, activities and rentals, all in one system. It’s designed to simplify your operations, so you can enjoy more time in the water. Get a quick walk through and trial account!
