At foreUP’s recent Virtual Summit, our expert presenters covered everything a golf course operator would need to know—from tee sheets to predictable revenue, and much more.
And if you missed it, foreUP’s Director of Marketing Amy LaVange gave an excellent presentation entitled, “Three Ways to Build a Strong Online Presence.” Amy is our resident marketing expert, and she knows that many golf businesses are behind when it comes to digital marketing.
The golf industry has been rapidly changing over the past decade, and the “Yellow Book Generation” is adopting technology that makes running a business easier, more efficient, and more lucrative, and marketing is just another aspect of business that is becoming fully online.
Whether your online presence is completely nonexistent or is already going strong, Amy provides three practices that can strengthen any company’s digital marketing approach.
1. Use Google My Business
No one wants to sort through pages upon pages of Google search results when they’re trying to find your golf course. Using Google My Business guarantees that your business’s information is accessible and available on the first page, without a potential customer having to click a single extra link.
Plus, you can ensure your course shows up in a Google Maps search and directs golfers how to get to your green. And, if you’ve got a great facility, customers can leave reviews through Google.
Setting up your Google My Business makes your business visible and your customers’ lives easier. Amy also covers GMB best practices in her presentation, because your account can do a lot for your business, from advertising to analytics and more.
Not sure how to use Google My Business? Check out this blog for a step-by-step guide to getting your account set up and making the most of your GMB account.
2. Implement Search Engine Optimization
You’ve got your website built and published, but you’re not getting any traffic. That’s likely because you haven’t implemented SEO—search engine optimization. SEO is a practice that makes your website show up on Google searches through meeting certain requirements of Google’s algorithm.
SEO sounds intimidating, but you can start on your own through practices like making sure every page you publish has links that lead to your website and away from your site. SEO also benefits from customers having positive experiences on your site.
As Amy says in her summit presentation, “Know what people want to see when they come to your website. Then, give it to them.” The more time a customer spends on your website, the better it is for your SEO.
Search engine optimization can be intimidating, but it’s not as complicated as it may seem. We’ve got an entire blog centered around SEO for golf courses that cover the basics and a guide to getting started.
Or maybe you’re struggling to keep your website fresh. If so, consider building a blog. We’ve got resources that will help you start your blog and keep it up to date, which will boost your SEO in the long run.
3. Be Active on Social Media
Facebook specifically is a huge area for digital golf marketing. Amy covers all of the best reasons to be using Facebook: it has great SEO, it’s a communication channel, it’s easy to use, and it’s another place for your business to be seen.
She also covers best practices for making the most of your business Facebook page, including how your page should look and the best ways to interact with your golfers online.
Social media may not be your specialty, but we’ve got a step-by-step guide to getting your page set up in the best way possible.
Or maybe you’ve got Facebook in the bag already—a great next step to consider may be paid social advertising, which we’ve got a blog that provides a guide and covers the benefits.
Digital marketing is the new frontier, and if your course hasn’t embraced it yet, it’s not too late. We’ve got a great resource guide on our blog and our YouTube channel.
Maybe you don’t want marketing on your plate. Check out foreUP Marketing Services and request a demo to see how we can make your life easier and your business more successful.