Brookdale Golf

Golf is a game full of tradition, but this doesn’t mean you have to become encumbered with dated marketing plans. If you have noticed that your tee sheets are falling low, merchandise is not selling, and your tournaments are attracting a saddening fewer people with each event, it may be high time to take drastic measures.

The oddest thing many marketing experts have noticed is that despite the advent of social media, Pay per click marketing information and prices, networking and search engine optimization, the golf industry has shown little interest in jumping on the band wagon with new and original marketing approaches.

There are still more golf ads on television ,and magazine ads than online ad campaigns, and this is disturbing in the era of digital marketing. But never fear, this following article includes some of the hottest marketing practices from top-notch golf business from around the globe, that your business could take advantage of.

Golf and Social Media Marketing

You may or may not have noticed that a vast majority of your clients and potential clients are active on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and many other social media networks. There is an increasing amount of evidence that suggests these social media networks are the first source of information most consumers seek when looking for a good product, service or golf resort. If you and your options are not displayed in pomp and splendor, you can bet tee time will be lonely at your club.

If you don’t believe this, just type a search query into your Facebook search box (You or your golf business has Facebook, right?), you will see a sad few options available for golf courses and probably not many in your area.

This is a crying shame; Facebook in particular is one of the best options for displaying the quality and advantages of your golf club. With a little attention to design and planning you can mount a formidable Facebook campaign and generate a following of avid golfers from around the globe.

All of your dedicated fans and clients will be able to receive instant updates about tee time cancellations, tournaments, special events and more right at the convenience of their mobile devices. The best part is that social media marketing won’t cost you a penny, just a hefty investment of creativity and innovative practice.

Online Presence and Advertising for Golf Courses

Look around you, unless you are working with one of the smaller golf courses in a slightly obscure travel destination, there is a good chance your golf club is one in 40+ other golf clubs in the area. How exactly is one golf club supposed to be heard above the racket of advertising?

Well, first off we can all agree that traditional marketing approaches like magazine ads, TV spots and Billboards are all becoming less effective by the minute. Today advertising has become a matter or precision over mass marketing.

It will be essential to use methods that narrow down your audience to the clients that matter the most. This could be by using Google Adwords to target those mid-afternoon tee lulls, LinkedIn ads for generating more corporate clients or even Facebook ads to fill up that Men’s Open tournament.

By taking a new look at your clients and what drives them (no pun intended) you will have a better idea of what to offer and who to.

Another idea that is gaining ground is offering a diverse array of membership options that suit the needs of your customers better. Believe it or not, golf is a social event and most people enjoy this engaging activity in the company of friends, colleagues and even family members. So, it makes sense to offer packages that are best suited for families or even couples. Prices are a sore spot, but by making packages more accessible it’s easier to gain the attention of those who would otherwise end up at the driving range.

Search Engine Optimization for Golf Courses

This in itself can be a disputable point for the golf industry. Statistics show that more and more consumers today are looking for their options online and gathering their opinions on quality from online sources. With this in mind it is important for golf courses and clubs all types to consider what they have posted for their online visitors.

This will mean asking if your web sites is set up for success. Does your website provide the best images of your service? Does it look professional? Can all of your content, images, text and video be easily access over mobile devices? Does your site provide valuable content for your target audience? Do you even know what type of content your audience finds engaging?

Taking the time to research the interests of your visitors and customers will provide important insights into this subject. For instance, time is one of the biggest factors that prevents a person from taking up this time-consuming hobby. Providing solutions to these issues is one way to provide this valuable and appealing content.

Articles, infographics and even video content on how golfers can use their time effectively is a good example. Posting the average round times on your course can help your customers be more time conscious. There is probably a huge difference between the average round times on a Wednesday and a Sunday. Providing your clients with the information they need to make the best decisions about your course helps them to know what’s in store.

In closing — if you feel your golf business could use a healthy influx of customers, it’s time to take action. This begins by looking over the marketing techniques you are currently employing and finding ways to improve.

Addressing the online presence of your business by making it more professional, easy to access and consistently up to date, will hold the interest of your clients while generating a fan base. Your clients will want to know what makes your golf course stand out from the rest, and lots of top quality content is the best route to this goal.

Finally, the best advantage of focusing on digital marketing rather than conventional means is the best way to corner a portion of the golfers’ market. Once you have made your own options standout from the rest, don’t forget to fully employ your social media campaign to continue building a loyal following.