For most tour operators, their top priority for their website is turning clicks into customers – in other words, having a high conversion rate. A fundamental part of driving conversions is analyzing your current performance…

Marketing your tours and activities is one of the top ways to be successful. It leads to more visibility online and new and retained business.  Whether your goals are lofty (like starting a blog and…

Social media community management is a strategy used to create an authentic community across your various internet platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, and more. It’s a way for you to interact with your audience and…

Diversifying where you advertise your company is an important step to reaching as many customers as possible. YouTube is one of the most trafficked media sites worldwide, with well over 2.2 billion active users (Visual…

Collecting customer feedback is a great way to improve your business. The individuals that have already experienced your tour or activity are able to give you real answers and suggestions about the aspects they enjoyed…

A logo represents a company and its brand identity. As with all of your marketing assets, your logo should be on brand with your chosen color scheme, fonts, and images. This will help distinguish your…

Are your marketing emails going unnoticed – or being totally ignored? The answer for a lot of companies is yes.  The average open rate for marketing and newsletter emails in the travel, hospitality, and leisure…

Travelers and locals alike are flocking to your business and enjoying the experiences you offer. Business is booming, and you’re spending every minute of the day ensuring that your tours or activities are running smoothly. …

We will always recommend a diverse marketing strategy to maximize results. Although you may be using Instagram or Youtube already, a LinkedIn profile can also be a great tool for marketing if used effectively.  This…

How did you decide what to do on your last vacation? Maybe you researched the top-ranked activities on Tripadvisor or you got a recommendation from a local friend.  Choosing which tour or activity to add…

Do you have a good understanding of how far in advance your customers typically book? How about which activity start times are most popular? Eliminate the guesswork by running three quick and easy reports right…

We’re all competing for followers’ attention on social media. And while you should be focused on the unique value and point of view that your business offers on these platforms, there are many benefits to…

We’re all about using free tools to enhance your marketing strategy. One of our favorites is Google Alerts, a tool that lets you track the web for mentions of your business name or any other…

Developing successful content doesn’t happen overnight. From researching your audience to analyzing search intent and choosing the right keywords, there’s always room for improvement when creating content for your website.  When you spend a lot…

Social media can be as time-consuming as you allow it to be — both as a user and as a marketer. But as a business owner, you might feel like it’s not worth the time…

Writing is an art – one that can certainly feel hard to master. It’s also an essential part of marketing your tour or activity business, which likely makes you even more enthusiastic to get it…

Our Compass digital marketing guides often highlight the importance of marketing to your target audience. Whether that’s families with kids, solo travelers, or Gen Z, understanding the ins and outs of your main customer base helps…

Your PPC competitors are those that are bidding for the same keywords as you. (Be aware that they may not be the same competitors you have offline!). A PPC competitor analysis will help you make…

Your YouTube channel is an opportunity to show viewers what your company is all about. With so many channels on the platform, it’s important to stand out and attract more viewers who could turn into…

Traveling alone is a unique and exciting experience that everyone from Baby Boomers to Gen Zers is eager to have, creating a valuable opportunity for tour and activity operators. Marketing to solo travelers is a…

In the past few years, Google has been putting more emphasis on machine learning for PPC ads, with tools like Smart Bidding that rely on the algorithm to optimize ad strategy. In 2020, Google made…

If you’ve spent some time perusing FareHarbor Compass, you’ve likely noticed us using anchor text. Anchor text is the text used in a link. It might say “learn more,” “our favorite kayak routes,” or “find…

Reporting can feel like a very daunting task. Updating sheets every month and pulling out important insights takes up a lot of time. If you identify with those statements, we encourage you to start using…

When it comes to your content strategy, you’re doing everything right: conducting keyword research, writing evergreen content, and performing regular content audits. But your content still isn’t earning backlinks. What’s going on? No matter your…

Creating a winning PPC strategy takes a lot of planning and data to ensure you’re targeting the right audiences with impactful messaging. While narrowing down your target audience can seem daunting at first, you can…

Doesn’t it feel great to get a 5-star review? Whether on Tripadvisor or Google, those awesome reviews boost your star rating and prompt potential customers to book with your business.  You can make your website…

An effective way to encourage followers to engage with your brand and increase their interest in your offerings is by running a social media giveaway. Giveaways give your followers a chance to try out what…

Is SEO for YouTube really relevant? You bet it is! Apart from being an opportunity to showcase your brand, videos that rank well on YouTube get more views and more exposure for your business.  YouTube…

YouTube is a useful medium to connect with your audience and show off what makes your tours and activities worth booking. The second-most visited website after Google, YouTube is a search engine unto itself, giving…

As a quick refresher, Google My Business (GMB) allows business owners to claim their listing on Google so that their business shows up in search results when someone searches for a service they offer. Beyond…

Blogging is an opportunity to get creative with your content strategy while giving readers another touchpoint to get to know your business. In addition to helping your website rank for long-tail keywords and inspiring readers…

Remarketing is an important strategy to bring back customers who have shown interest in what you have to offer. This tactic specifically targets users who visited your website and didn’t complete a conversion. On average,…

You might already be familiar with creating ads on social media, but boosting your social media posts is a simpler paid tactic to get your content in front of more people. You don’t even have…

Words are powerful. We’ve all experienced their potential for persuasion in some form or another. And when it comes to your marketing efforts, choosing the right (or the wrong) word could make all the difference…

One of the most important steps of link building is finding websites or bloggers whose content resonates with you – or better yet, with your audience. But before you take the leap and reach out…

In recent years, Google has implemented a variety of policies and features that aim to improve consumer safety on the SERP. This includes features like “About this result” — which creates greater transparency around ranking…

Gen Z is well on its way to becoming the largest generation in the world, and we’re starting to see their influence on different industries and platforms. For example, this generation has driven a surge…

If you do any tracking on your website or social media profiles (using tools like Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel), you’re probably familiar with tags. These snippets of code help you collect data by specifying…

Creating high-quality content takes time, whether it’s for social media, marketing emails, or your blog. The last thing you want is for that content to get lost in the barrage of media users receive every…

Google Ads relies more and more on machine learning to optimize ad bids and help advertisers meet their goals. While some marketers prefer to have more control over their data and bidding strategy, the truth…

Are you in need of some new ideas for your next blog post? We certainly know the feeling. If you’ve exhausted the topics in this blogging guide, try your hand at writing a “Know Before…

It goes without saying that generational differences are reflected in everything from fashion and food choices to financial and family planning — and it is no different when it come to how generational groups choose…

Since March of 2020, we’ve all been waiting to get back to “normal.” While the road hasn’t been linear, and some new practices are here to stay, the world is opening back up again. Different…

If you’ve browsed our digital marketing guides, you might have noticed that many of our resources focus on email marketing. That is in part because email is one of the most cost-effective ways to market…

Tourism is about bringing people of different identities and backgrounds together to share in a common experience — often one that exposes them to new cultures and ideas — and when selecting tours and activities…

Social media can feel like an unruly animal that constantly needs to be fed, but with the right tools, your social media strategy can become organized and easy to manage. It’s important to maintain a…

Millennials travel more than any other generation, and as Gen Zers begin to graduate from college and branch out on their own, they’re following in millennials’ footsteps. The travel habits of these groups are changing…

Successful engagement on social media (and elsewhere) includes creating and sharing high-quality, compelling content and visuals. You’re already doing the right thing by posting regular business updates, sharing fun videos and memes, and creating ads…

You’ve put considerable time and effort into crafting your latest outreach email, and now you want to make sure that people actually open it. You need an enticing email subject line to hook your audience…

You’ve set up the most important social media accounts for your business – your profile pictures are added and you’ve already picked out a few funny memes or GIFs to share with your following…your following…the…

We’ve spent a lot of time apart this past year, so call us crazy optimists but we anticipate a Valentine’s Day boom in 2021, with people going above and beyond – and getting creative –…

The underlying goal for every operator in the tour, activity, and attractions industry is simple: transform enjoyable experiences into positive memories. Our industry is equal parts adventurous and personal, so why should our digital marketing…

As a business owner or marketer blogging probably isn’t a totally new idea to you – but whether you’re just getting started or are looking for inspiration to take your blog to the next level…

When you run a small business, you often find yourself wearing many hats, including designer and marketer. This can be especially stressful when you don’t have the funds to purchase expensive software or the time…

Email continues to produce an exceptionally high ROI as compared to other marketing channels, and email newsletters are one of the easiest ways to stay in front of your audience and to nurture both existing…

Keywords are a major focus in SEO — keyword research helps us to identify what searchers are typing into the search bar, and from there we work to include those keywords on web pages, social…

Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) or Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) play a key role in the long-term development of a destination by leading planning, management, and marketing efforts. They bring together governmental authorities, respected professionals,…

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual experiences seemed like a temporary measure that would get us through a few months. But now that we’ve adjusted to doing many things from home — including…

One of the most important steps in the lifecycle of any marketing campaign is the act of measuring your performance – you want to make sure that the efforts you are taking, and the money…

Truly understanding your audience is crucial to effective marketing, and there’s no better way to get to know your potential customers than by directly asking them what you want to know. Surveys are a great…

The first half of 2020 has seen virtual experiences quickly emerge as a popular way for businesses to connect with their customers while their doors were closed and people were looking for ways to stay…

Proximity marketing is a marketing strategy that’s all about delivering highly relevant and personalized content to your target audience at the opportune time. It’s a technique that enhances the customer experience, leading to increased bookings…

Determining your marketing objectives is a delicate balance. The dollar signs add up and it can be challenging to decide where to spend your resources to have the most impact. When putting together your marketing…

User-generated content (UGC) is quickly becoming the cornerstone of building audience engagement and trust in your brand. If you’re looking for a way to boost your content strategy and enhance your reach, user-generated content is…

It’s easy to lose track of time at a time like this when our routines have shifted dramatically, but Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and just like in any other year businesses are…

There’s a lot of chatter across the travel and tourism industry right now about capturing the local market and pivoting your business to attract local bookers. We shared reasons why people travel locally as well…

What Is Remarketing? You’ve probably been in this situation before: You’re browsing a website for a product, maybe a pair of hiking boots, and a few minutes later you get an advertisement for those same…

With the air of uncertainty that has followed these past few weeks and months, it can be challenging for many tour operators and business owners to decide what to do next with their business. Admittedly,…

The new normal created by the novel Coronavirus is starting to settle in, and among worrying about other things it can feel scary to have your business’ doors closed or be running at a much…

Travel is an exciting and ever-evolving industry and those are just some of the many reasons those of us in the industry were initially drawn to the work in the first place. From emerging travel…

You’ve heard the saying before: Never put all your eggs in one basket. This saying is especially true in business and in the world of digital marketing. With such a diverse range of tactics and…

Developing an effective video marketing strategy is an incredibly impactful way to promote your business. Video is no longer just a component of marketing strategies, it has become part of the core. According to a…

Marketing your tour and activity company is the most common way to spread the word about your business, engage with past customers, and draw in new guests. But if you really want to drive conversions…

By the end of 2019, a whopping 2.7 billion people will be using social media, according to Statista. This makes social networks like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter essential locations for reaching a wide audience of…

Social media is a necessity for any modern tour business, and there are many ways to leverage social media to increase online bookings. Running a social media giveaway or contest is a great way to…

One of the most important aspects of marketing is determining who your target audience is and understanding their behaviors. If families make up a significant portion of your bookings and tour groups, then it’s crucial…

The only way to make sure your email marketing strategy is working for you is to look at the numbers, but it can be a bit overwhelming when you’re faced with a lot of data and…

Digital marketing is driven by data. Which image will increase an email’s click-through rate? Which subject line will get more people to open an email? These are the types of questions marketers ask themselves to…

The digital world is full of terms like SEO, PPC, SSL, SERP, and many more. With countless terms and topics to process, digital marketing jargon can sometimes make you feel like you’re reading a different…

If you’ve been reading our SEO guides, you know there are plenty of tools out there that business owners can use to refine their SEO strategy. But especially for small businesses, paid premium tools can…

Emerging as one of the tourism industry’s biggest trends, video should be a central piece of your digital marketing strategy in 2020 and beyond. Video has become a dominant and valuable type of social content…

Booking vacations is an exciting experience, but it also requires a lot of research from the traveler’s perspective. Customer journey maps are a great tool to visually represent your customers’ experiences from beginning to end,…

There are so many ways to use email campaigns to achieve your marketing goals – whether you’re looking to promote brand awareness, increase conversions, or grow your revenue – that it can be difficult to…

Email marketing is one of the most efficient ways to reach your customers and contacts without sacrificing your time or budget. This is a year-round tactic that you can use to engage previous customers, encourage…

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a quick way to generate traffic to your website, in addition to other tactics like search engine optimization. Through PPC, it’s easy to target an audience with advertisements across several platforms,…

With over 90% of the global search engine market share (SEO Tribunal), Google continues to revolutionize the way people find websites like yours. One of the most useful tools to get more bookings right from…

When you purchase a product or booking a service online, where do you typically start? Chances are, you start with a search. Today, 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine (imForza). This is…

Social media plays a big marketing role for any business, with 3.196 billion active social media users in the world today, and it has quite an impact on the travel and tourism industry. Today, 30%…

Creating a digital marketing strategy from scratch can seem time-consuming, and you might be tempted to start implementing tactics before developing a full plan, but having a clear strategy is the first step toward achieving…

Why should you write a business blog? Looking for an extra boost in organic traffic or hoping to create more engagement with your website? Blogging drives more traffic to your site and is a fun…

A call to action, or CTA, is a statement that directs readers to take a single action by prompting them or telling them exactly what to do next. If you have a website, you already…

Email marketing is one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to engage with your customers and contacts and to develop your brand. This is a year-round tactic that you can use to encourage repeat…

What is digital marketing? With the number of internet users constantly increasing, it has become even more important for small businesses to reach their target audience online. That’s where digital marketing – any marketing efforts…

While you might associate social media with pictures of food and videos of teenagers doing dangerous challenges, it’s actually an important marketing tool for businesses, particularly in the travel and tourism industry. For starters, it…