Ways for Campgrounds to Stay Engaged with Guests During the Off Season

Our industry comes with inevitable changes through high and low seasons, but it’s important to keep guests connected all year long through your hospitality marketing strategies. 

Here are three ways to engage with your campground’s guests and inspire them to book their next getaway at your property: 

1. Content is always key

Content is a great way to connect with your guests — but it has to be engaging! Here are some tips to make sure your guests want to engage with your campground’s posts: 

• Follow the trends. Recently, videos have become more popular among users and algorithms alike on social media platforms. Find out what’s working well for others and implement those for yourself. The most important part? Don’t be afraid to try something new! 
• Curate relatable content with User Generated Content. Many of your guests are already making incredible content, so don’t miss out on it. Create a canned comment or message asking for permission to use their content so you’re ready when the time comes. Be sure to check for content from the people who have tagged your social media accounts, mentioned the name of your property, and used relevant hashtags or location tags. 
• Make it relevant and timely. Your platform can be the go-to source of knowledge for local events — all you have to do is start posting about them. Through blog posts highlighting your town’s 5Ks, festivals, and other events, your audience will start to check in with you for the latest news around town. (It’s also a great way to give your SEO a boost!) 

2. Research your campground’s audience activity 

Your audience’s online activity changes with the seasons, so researching those changes is important for implementing your peak-season and off-season marketing strategies. 

In the busy season, you might find it feels harder to connect with your audience online between your intense schedule and guests being on-the-go a bit more, enjoying their time with friends and family. But don’t worry — there are still a number of ways to connect with your audience in the summer, including giveaways, implementing rewards programs, and involving the local community. 

In the off-season, however, you might find your audience online more often. Use this time as an opportunity to implement hospitality marketing strategies, show off your campground’s amenities, and make sure they know all the benefits of staying with you. 

Whether the change is in the medium they’re using or the times of day they’re most active, it’s important to know and account for these differences to amplify your platforms and create a powerful digital experience for your audience. 

3. Create meaningful, two-way conversations

Effectively and authentically communicating with your audience is a great way to get their attention. When your guests feel you care enough about them to take time and create meaningful conversations, they are more likely to remember and engage with your brand in the future. 

Responding to your audience is the key to meaningful conversations. Don’t make your audience feel like they’re posting into the digital void. Ensure that when people leave comments, emails, reviews, and more, you respond to them timely, consistently, and authentically. 

Ask your audience about themselves. We all love to talk about ourselves and our experiences — and your guests are no exception! By asking your audience about themselves, you get the opportunity to learn about them individually and find trends throughout their experiences. 

Creating a conversation with your guests will teach you more about them, which allows you to update and refine your hospitality marketing strategy to better reach and connect with them. 

Looking to learn more and level-up your campground’s marketing techniques? 

The off-season does not have to be a gap in guest connections. Through content, by researching your audience’s digital trends, and in creating meaningful conversations, you’ll be able to engage with your guests all year long and entice them to book their next adventure with you! 

Want to learn more about engaging your guests? Watch our on-demand webinar featuring Marketing Best Practices for your campground. You’ll learn about hospitality trends, the importance of quality media, and how to grow and sustain your customer base.