Today, many of us rely on the internet for perfecting our travel plans. We Google search “things to do” and let others tell us their favorite attractions. We look up destination photos and the best times of the year to visit. We use traveler reviews to determine the best lodging. 

Undoubtedly, people are finding and vetting your campground online. In fact, 75% of consumers admit to making judgments on a company’s credibility based on the company’s website design. In addition, 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive.

Websites are a key factor in getting leads and customers. Providing a friendly and easy experience for web visitors can go a long way in turning website sessions into reservations, and visitors into customers. Really “wow” new campers in 2022 with these web design trends, specific to your industry:

1. Don’t Forget the Basics

Show Off Your Reviews

Prospective campers are interested in seeing how others enjoyed their experience at your campground, but sometimes we forget that reviews aren’t only important on third-party review sites and social media platforms. You can also showcase great reviews right on your own website in a sliding banner. Adding a visual bar of testimonials across your website on special pages acts as instant social proof. 

Link Your Social Media Pages

If your brand has been investing more time in building your social media presence, then your active channels are definitely worth showcasing on your website. Consider adding icons of your Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or other popular platforms in the header or footer of your site. 

We recommend only showcasing them if you are active —  if a prospective guest sees you haven’t posted in months, they may question your relevance in the campground space. 

Remember our advice to “show” and consider embedding widgets of your social media feed directly onto your website as well. For instance, you may only filter Instagram photos on your homepage tagged with a special hashtag — or feature Facebook Events on your website’s Upcoming Events page. 

2. Show and Tell with Visuals

When people travel, they snap pictures and shoot videos of their adventures. These are prime content pieces to share on your website with their permission. In addition to sharing customer photos from their stay or travels around the area, trends are revealing that 2022 will be all about visuals and interactions that surprise and engage, so think of eye-catching ways you can capture their attention. 

For example, high-definition videos of your property can help campers experience a tour of the facility and lodging before they book their stay. Virtual reality technology is becoming increasingly popular as well. Is it possible to offer a virtual walkthrough or an interactive map experience right on your website? Brainstorm a few ways you could give web visitors a preview of your property ahead of time.

3. Focus on User Experience and User Interface (UX/UI)

Make Reaching Out Easy with Forms

Your website should be more than just an informational resource. Guests should also be able to interact with it! Does your current website include user-friendly forms to request more information? A user-friendly form is one that’s functional across all devices — including mobile and tablet, in addition to desktop — and asks for a realistic amount of information. 

You wouldn’t want a form that requires 10 fields  just to request information on your Contact Us page.  In situations like this, guests may not think the information they wanted is worth the effort. Ask them for a name, contact information such as a phone number or email, and the reason for their request.

Opt for Mobile-friendly Online Booking

You’ll also want to ensure your website design allows for online booking functionality. By asking users to leave your website to book their trip on a third-party site, you may lose their trust. They might not recognize this external booking engine and feel uncomfortable sharing their personal or credit card information online. By choosing a booking engine feature that matches the design of your current site, you’re giving web visitors confidence in online booking. Two-thirds of the travel market (66%) book their travel online — so if your website doesn’t currently offer booking functionality, 2022 is the time to consider it. 

Additionally, keep in mind that most visitors use their mobile devices to look up properties prior to booking. That means focusing on a mobile-responsive and “thumb-friendly” experience for users by placing your navigation menu and main buttons in a space your thumb can reach. Think about adding a “hamburger” menu to your mobile version of your site or reducing some of the noise by restricting images or visuals that take longer to load.

4. Optimize for Search Engines

Decades ago, it was as simple as making a website and the search engines served you at the top of their results pages — but in today’s modern age, you have to work for your ranking. Google and other search engines use algorithms to determine the most relevant source for every single thing a person types into the search bar, and if you aren’t privy to search engine optimization (SEO) best practices, you could be outranked by your competitors. When it comes to campgrounds, having a strong local SEO presence is a must.

SEO can sound like a very technical and intimidating thing to manage, but it doesn’t have to be. There are a few things you can do on your own to improve your website’s search engine-friendliness. For example, you can learn how to claim and use your Google My Business account, how to find and weave your keywords into the copy on your webpages, and more. Or, you can turn to a partnering agency to optimize your campground’s website for you!

Don’t Stress Over the Design Alone

We know you have a business to run, but your website shouldn't get left behind. Leave the website design to the experts with RMS Web, who will make sure your site is user-friendly and optimized for maximum booking. 

Simply download our step-by-step ebook, Taking Your Website to the Next Level, to see the improvements our team can help you make, straight away.