Why Your Tourism Website Needs to Be Mobile Responsive

Why Your Tourism Website Needs to Be Mobile Responsive

Did you know that mobile devices make up two-thirds of all web usage? With the rapid advancement of smartphone technology, surfing the web on your cell is becoming more and more commonplace than doing so on a desktop. But what does that mean for you and your tourism business? It means that in order to amplify your visibility and to start reaching your clients on the devices they use, it’s imperative your company start shifting more focus onto the quality of your customers’ mobile experience.

For business owners, the goal is to always create an excellent user experience. A first-rate online user experience often leads to lower bounce rates and stronger customer loyalty, while a negative experience can easily turn off otherwise interested customers. Components such as slow loading speed, difficulty navigating or finding information, and unresponsiveness are all factors that are oftentimes neglected when thinking about a site’s mobile experience. Could you unknowingly be turning away potential clients simply because of how your mobile site is built?

Here are 8 reasons why you should invest in making your tourism website more mobile friendly:

1) Google likes mobile friendly content.

As the most popular search engine in the world, Google knows that most people use their smartphones and other mobile devices to look up their day-to-day information, and will prioritize its search results to match the needs of the user. Optimizing your tourism website and formatting your content to be more mobile friendly will improve your SEO, and in turn, may cause your website to rank higher – expanding your visibility and widening your potential audience.

2) A well-built mobile website helps to build trust.

Approximately 57% of online users won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile website. Making your tourism website more mobile friendly will help to increase your brand’s credibility with new customers and to further legitimize your brand.

3) It makes it easier than ever for potential customers to contact you.

There are many studies that prove convenience impacts consumer behavior. Today, consumers’ lives are busier than ever. Due to this, 83% of participants in a recent study decided convenience was more important now than it was five years ago when considering which companies to give their business to.

People tend to pursue the option that will save them time and effort, meaning the more convenient it is for customers to contact you, the more likely they are to do it. Why miss out on this simple way to improve your lead generation?

4) It will give you a competitive edge.

It’s easy to put off making your website more mobile friendly, but consider this –
chances are your top competitors have already made their website mobile friendly. And as we just discussed, new customers have a tendency to choose the more convenient option. If it’s easier to book a rental, contact a representative, or find more information on your competitor’s mobile site than it is on your own, you may lose out on that client even if you provide the better service. Don’t give your competitors the advantage – make the wise choice and give your business an equal chance.

5) It may help increase your sales.

With each passing year, more and more consumers are relying on their smartphones to perform everyday tasks, such as communicating, socializing, and, of course, shopping. Did you know about 79% of smartphone users have made a purchase online using their mobile device in the last 6 months? You may be missing out on dozens of potential clients everyday solely because it’s difficult to operate your site on the device they’re using.

6) Mobile friendly websites tend to garner more page views per visit and lower bounce rates.

Like with anything else related to your business, an easy and responsive user experience is the ultimate key to a higher conversion rate. If most users are looking you up on their smartphones, it’s a no-brainer to optimize your site to be as accessible as possible for them. Mobile websites that load fast, are easy to navigate, and are legible without needing to zoom in are huge deciding factors in getting a visitor to stay longer on your site and to explore more of its pages.

7) A better mobile experience contributes to customer retention.

It goes without saying that if a customer is satisfied, the higher the chances are they may return or recommend you to others. However, this works both ways – if a customer is unhappy with their experience, it becomes equally likely they’ll never work with you again and may even warn others from working with you too.

Studies show that about 62% of online consumers are unlikely to work with a company again in the future if they had a negative mobile experience. Don’t lose the chance to gain a repeat client, as it’s well known that loyal customers tend to bring in more revenue over the long run than new customers.

8) Mobile devices are typically used to research a service before purchasing.

Did you know that before purchasing from a company, approximately 69% of users (ages 18-39) will research a product or service from their mobile device? This is usually done to compare prices, to contact the company for more information, or to learn more information about a service.

While studies show that most people will complete their purchase on their desktop, they will usually do a mobile search first to help make up their mind – but if your website isn’t mobile friendly, you may lose the opportunity to win them over. How many times have you exited out of a website because it was unresponsive or difficult to use? Don’t miss out on the hundreds of potential customers who visit your website on their mobile device simply because you didn’t invest in a better mobile experience.

What We Can Do to Help

Our professional team of web developers know exactly what your tourism business needs so your customers have a successful mobile experience every time. Here at AAMP Agency, we offer two incredible web building options – both including an optimized, mobile friendly version of your site.

Our AAMPsite Template Website is available for only $750 down, with a $199/mo managed service subscription. Or for more complex sites, our AAMPsite+ Custom Website is available for $2500 down, with a $299/mo managed service subscription – an incredible deal with a great value. We provide everything your tourism business needs to create a strong online presence – from conversion focused designs to on-page search engine optimization. Whether you need 5 pages or 500, we have the skill and experience to create a site you can be proud of that will work great on both desktop and mobile. Start reaching thousands of potential customers on the devices they’re already using – schedule a call with us, and start optimizing your tourism website for mobile today!

14 Common Website Mistakes That Affect Your Bookings

14 Common Website Mistakes That Affect Your Bookings

Searching
Photographer: Kobu Agency | Source: Unsplash

According to data from Euromonitor International, 44% of travel sales and bookings are expected to occur online during the next five years! Meaning, your businesses' website can be a high-converting machine if it's done right that is. To build a website that will attract customers and get your business more bookings, check out our 14 Common Website Mistakes That Affect Your Bookings.

1. Unresponsive design

Today, mobile rules the market! If your website isn't responsive and can shrink down to fit the size of the screen it is being viewed on, you could be instantly missing out on bookings.

2. It's flat-out boring

We are in the tourism and destination industry! Meaning you should be selling a fun experience, and your website needs to reflect that.

3. Lack of Personality

Always make sure to include an "About Us" page and have some fun with it. Having this kind of information on your site will help you create a connection between the customer and your business.

4. Information Isn't Clearly Stated

Consumers don't want to have to dig through the pages of your site to find tour times, locations, etc.

5. Slow Loading Site

You should be checking out how fast your website loads, and on different devices! If it's taking too long to load, if buttons or images appear out of alignment, etc., it's going to be even harder for your customers to book!

6. The Tours Lack Character

What makes your tour or destination different from all of the others? On your website, give insight into what makes you different! Aim to create excitement about your business, and don't rely on the name of your tour to entice customers. Include descriptions with intriguing text and information!

7. Abusing Fonts

Yes, adding a bolded header can draw attention to a section – but bolding everything? How dare you. Don't bold every other word, use various font colors, put italic and bold text next to each other, etc. Pick 2 (at most 3) different fonts, and keep it simple! You want site visitors to read about your business, not be angered by your wonky fonts. Also, never use Papyrus or Comic Sans, these are the joke of the font world and will instantly cheapen the look of your site.

8. Inconsistent Theme

Consistency is key in all of your marketing efforts, from branding to social media, and yes – to your website. Make sure that your website is consistent with everything else, such as graphics and images.

9. Blocked For International Viewers

Don't disable your website for oversea visitors! If potential customers can't find your business or even know about it, how can you expect to get more customers?

10. Lack of Security

Keep your website up-to-date! If your website is hacked your business could be at risk. It is a pain to deal with, it can affect your website traffic, your google ranking will be affected, and your company's information & data could be at risk.

11. Is It Functional?

While your website may look beautiful, does it function well? Do all buttons, links, and pages work properly? Are there clear calls to action? If your website doesn't function properly because you prioritized design over function, your visitors will notice and take their business elsewhere.

12. Background Music

Absolutely not! This is not MySpace. Your website visitors do not want background music when browsing your site, it'll leave them scrambling to find the source to silence it. It also eats bandwidth and can create an awkward situation for your site visitors.

13. Cluttered & Busy

Keep the site simple, and let the text and images speak for itself! If your site is cluttered with bold colors, patterns, too many images, etc., it can turn a site visitor off. Not only that, but it can affect your Google ranking!

14. Lengthy Booking Process

Site visitors have come to expect an easy selection process and simple booking. This can be easily achieved with a booking software such as Peek Pro. *Shameless plug incoming* When utilizing Peek Pro software, you're optimizing your booking sequence and turning it into a high-converting machine. At AAMP Agency | Adventure & Activity Marketing Pros, we are familiar with a range of booking software and always ensure to implement them in all of the sites we build.

We could go on and on about common mistakes that could be costing your tourism or destination business bookings, but we'll stop at 14 (for now). If you're needing some examples or inspiration as to what a beautifully designed, functioning, and converting website looks like, just take a peep at our extensive portfolio at iwerxconnect.com!

We happen to know a thing or 50 about how to develop a website for a tourism or destination business. We are destination marketing experts for a reason, so if you're feeling a little overwhelmed, just give us a call and we'll help you get your business to where it needs to be.

3 Reasons Your Website is Costing Your Tour or Activity Money

3 Reasons Your Website is Costing Your Tour or Activity Money

Desk Setup
Photographer: Luke Chesser | Source: Unsplash
Small leaks never seem to cause a problem, that it until the water bill comes or you start to find cracks in the wall. As scary as it may seem, this metaphor can apply to your tourism businesses’ website! What might seem like small “leaks” to you, could be leading to a much larger issue. Here are 3 reasons your website is costing your tour or activity money, all just because of small “leaks” in your website.

1. No Booking Software

As a tourism business in the digital world, if you do not have any or have a hard to use booking software, you are losing sales left & right. In a survey done by Redzy, over 60% of Australian & American tour operators said that their website was the most effective booking channel. Without efficient booking software, how many sales do you think your business is currently missing out on? At AAMP Agency | Adventure & Activity Marketing Pros, we partner with Peek Pro Booking systems when building websites for our clients, and that is because, through optimized booking flow, Peek can increase your bookings by 30%.

2. Not Mobile Optimized

It’s no secret that the amount of traffic on mobile has increased significantly over the years, and it continues to do so! It’s 2019, so it’s time for your business to have a responsive and user-friendly website. Having a “responsive” website means that it can adapt itself to the size of the device it’s being viewed on. If your tourism business doesn’t have a responsive site, your potential customers might be running right into the arms of your competitors. Also, one benefit of having a responsive site is that it helps your business with its search engine optimization!

3. Your Website Isn’t Obvious

When a person first visits your website, a couple of things need to be clear immediately. – What You Do – What Makes You Special When a visitor first comes to your website, the first thing they don’t want to see is vague information, such as “Welcome to Jane’s Tours”. Right from the get-go, tell your visitor what you do, and make sure the design is eye-catching enough to make them stay on your site. Take our website for an example! Clean, easy to read, and we’re clear about what we do right from the beginning!
AAMP Agency | Adventure & Activity Marketing Pros |
Do you see one or all of these problems on your website? That means it’s time to call in some experts. At AAMP Agency | Adventure & Activity Marketing Pros, we specialize in building amazing websites, getting businesses’ like yours ranked on Google, and so much more. Contact us today with any questions, or to get started on booking more customers today!