Attractions thrive on guest engagement, but in today’s digital world, simply having a great experience isn’t enough. If people don’t know about your attraction, they can’t visit! Marketing helps drive awareness, increase attendance, and build guest loyalty.
Yet, many attractions are falling behind when it comes to marketing. Based on our research:
- 12% of attractions have no marketing efforts at all.
- 57% only use social media.
- 31% take a more well-rounded approach with newsletters and social media.
If your attraction isn’t actively marketing, you’re missing out on potential guests and revenue. The good news? You don’t have to be a marketing expert to see results. Here’s how you can get started today.
1. Build Your Online Presence
Your website and social media are often the first touch points for guests. If your attraction doesn’t have an optimized online presence, potential visitors may go elsewhere.
✅ Website Optimization Tips:
- Make sure your website is mobile-friendly (more than 60% of website traffic comes from mobile users).
- Include an easy-to-find “Buy Tickets” button on the homepage.
- Offer an FAQ section to reduce friction in the buying process.
- Use high-quality images and videos to showcase your attraction.
✅ Social Media Strategy:
- Use platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to highlight your experience with behind-the-scenes footage and guest testimonials.
- Example: A waterpark could post a thrilling POV video of their tallest slide on TikTok with the caption: “Could you handle this drop? 😱 Tag your thrill-seeker friends!”
- Create shareable content like countdowns, “This or That” polls, and special offers.
- Run social media contests (e.g., “Tag 3 friends for a chance to win free passes!”).
2. Utilize Email Marketing to Boost Repeat Visitors
If you’re only using social media, you’re leaving money on the table. Social media algorithms can limit how many followers see your posts, but email marketing allows you to speak directly to your audience.
✅Email Ideas to Engage Guests:
- Welcome emails for first-time visitors with a discount on their next visit.
- Birthday emails offering a free or discounted ticket.
- Exclusive previews of upcoming events or new attractions.
- Seasonal promotions (e.g., “Get your spooky thrills at our Halloween event—20% off tickets this week!”).
Example: A family entertainment center could send an email campaign promoting their holiday party packages in November, encouraging early bookings with a special discount.
Scalability
As your business grows, so do your POS hardware requirements. Commercial-grade systems are designed with scalability in mind, allowing you to integrate additional devices, expand storage, or add new features seamlessly. Personal-use hardware often lacks this flexibility, forcing premature replacements when your needs outpace their capabilities.
3. Leverage Data for Targeted Marketing Campaigns
Understanding your guests’ behavior allows you to tailor promotions and marketing efforts. With a data-driven approach, you can maximize your marketing budget and reach the right audience.
✅ Ways to Use Guest Data:
- Analyze peak attendance times and offer discounts during slow periods.
- Track which ticket types are most popular and bundle them with add-ons (e.g., “Upgrade your general admission to a VIP experience for just $10 more!”).
- Segment your audience and send personalized offers (e.g., season pass holders get early access to a new ride).
Example: If you see that families frequently visit on weekends, you could run a targeted Facebook ad campaign promoting “Family Fun Sundays” with discounted tickets and meal deals.
4. Encourage Guest Reviews & Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Guest reviews play a huge role in an attraction’s reputation. A single positive review can influence dozens of potential visitors.
✅ How to Get More Reviews:
- Set up automated post-visit emails asking guests to leave a review.
- Offer a small incentive (e.g., “Show your Google review for 10% off your next visit!”).
- Train staff to remind happy guests to leave a review.
Example: A haunted attraction could post the best guest reviews on Instagram with fun captions like, “’I screamed so loud my friends laughed at me!’ – Jessica, 5-star review.”
5. Use Data to Make Smarter Marketing Decisions
Marketing shouldn’t be a guessing game. The right tools can help you track customer behavior and make data-driven decisions that boost attendance and revenue.
✅ How to Use Data for Smarter Marketing:
- Leverage Gatemaster’s data insights to understand guest behavior, peak attendance times, and popular ticket types—then use this data to create targeted marketing campaigns.
- Use social media scheduling tools like Buffer or Later to plan posts in advance and maintain consistent engagement.
Example: A trampoline park using data from Gatemaster could identify guests who haven’t visited in six months and send them a special “We Miss You!” offer through an email or social media retargeting ad.
Let’s Take Your Attraction to the Next Level
If you’re ready to improve your attraction’s operations but don’t know where to start, we’re here to help. Schedule a FREE discovery call with a Gatemaster “TechXpert” today and learn how our solutions can streamline your operations and increase revenue.
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