RVers appreciate it when campgrounds offer the latest technology. Amenities like speedy and reliable Wi-Fi, a self-guided/contactless check-in process, and mobile-friendly reservation systems are some tech offerings that help make campers happy. 

This article unpacks up-and-coming technology to consider for your RV park. We’ll explore tech that’ll make your guests, you, and the environment happier. 

Up And Coming Technology For Happy Guests

Focusing on guest happiness is key to getting repeat business. Here’s some of the latest tech that keeps smiles on guests’ faces:

Internet tech

We can’t overstate the importance of fast and reliable Wi-Fi at your park. Digital nomads and remote workers make up a large percentage of RVers, so a large percentage of your guests’ satisfaction hinges on connectivity.

Even if your park is in a remote area, new, affordable, and fast internet options are coming online. Starlink is a new satellite internet company bringing high-speed internet into places it has never been. 

Once you have solid internet, it’s important to spread it evenly across your park. Wi-Fi mesh networks like Eero, Netgear Orbi Outdoor, and EnGenius provide the tools you need to simply and quickly spread high-speed Wi-Fi across your campground.

Strong cell signal

Cell signal boosters like the WeBoost are a tech-savvy amenity to offer your guests. Because you already have Wi-Fi throughout your park, you won’t necessarily need to boost cell coverage over the whole campground. Still, offering a strong cell signal in places like your clubhouse is a safe bet on guest happiness.

Contactless check-in

We live in the Airbnb age where guests are accustomed to having all the check-in info they need in the palm of their hand. The good news is this work has been done for you—simply choose a reliable campground booking software with contactless features.

 

Mobile-friendliness

More than 60% of guests will book a campsite from their mobile device. By choosing a reservation system that’s mobile friendly, you’ll be set with the tech you need to capture these mobile users.

Interactive maps

The right RV park reservation software for you should include a feature for guests to access an interactive map on their phone to pick their site and see the location of amenities.

Virtual tours

RVers love to see a park before deciding to book. Fortunately, this doesn’t demand cutting-edge tech. You and your team can get creative with a high-quality smartphone and shoot a fun walking tour of your park.

Smokeless fire pits

While there’s nothing like a good old-fashioned campfire, smoke can sometimes be too much for guests. Smokeless fire pits like these can help bring your park into a smoke-free future. 

Up And Coming Technology For Park Owners

As a campground owner, technology that frees up your time, reduces expenses, and brings in more revenue is always in style. Let’s discuss a few examples of the latest tools that’ll help you do this at your park.

More campgrounds are making use of an online reservation system. Imagine the time and money you would free up if—instead of taking bookings over the phone and manually placing them on your calendar—guests were able to self-serve online. 

Online reservation systems also provide reporting that generates powerful insights for your campground. For example, you could find data on occupancy rate per site, revenue per site, retail revenue, and much more with the push of a button. Knowing these numbers lets you know the levers to pull to grow your business. 

Glamping (i.e., Glamorous Camping) options are an amenity that’s surging in popularity as 67% of travelers think these sites create a unique experience. As a result, the tech around glamping is also on the rise. Luxury canvas tents, yurts, and geodesic domes are all seeing an architectural resurgence. Features like new building materials and more efficient construction methods make bringing these glamping units to your park easier and more affordable than ever. 

Glamping options also open the door for you to list on booking sites like Airbnb, VRBO, and HipCamp—sites frequented by today’s tech-hungry traveler. 

Finally, digital upsells are a popular new trend where you market things like firewood, equipment rentals, and other services at your park to guests before they arrive. Most campground reservation systems will have this feature, allowing you to offer upsells electronically to guests before they check out. 

Up And Coming Environmental Technology For RV Parks

Environmental conscientiousness matters to many of today’s campers. Here are examples of tech with a green focus.  

Solar

Solar technology has improved significantly over the past decade. Prices of panels and batteries have dropped while efficiency has increased dramatically. If your park receives ample sunlight, solar power can be a terrific way to move into the future.

Water saving tech

Water is becoming an ever-more precious commodity. New technologies such as Blueland Handsoaps and Ecopod shampoos/body wash/conditioners use water more efficiently for frequent handwashing and showering in campground bathrooms.

Showers that recycle water are in their early stages and can save up to 90% of the water and 80% of the energy used in a typical shower.

LED lighting

LED lights have advanced to the point where there’s likely a plug-and-play solution to easily and affordably upgrade all the lights on your property to LED.

Recycled toilet paper

Brands like Who Gives A Crap offer recycled toilet paper and have a wonderful social mission.

Compostable doggie doo and trash bags

Plastic trash/dog doo bags are some of the worst offenders in landfills because they don’t break down. Compostable trash bags solve this problem.

Compost pickup services

Depending on where your park is located, you could be near a service that’ll pick up compostable food waste left by your guests. This diverts organic waste from landfills to more productive uses. 

Tech-savvy campgrounds attract tech-savvy guests. Most RVers today are accustomed to arranging much of their lives from the palm of their hands. That’s why it’s increasingly important for your park to meet them with the tech they’re demanding. The same tech you’ll use to draw in these travelers will dramatically improve your life by freeing up more time and saving more money. 
 

Hiring the perfect campground staff might seem like an elusive concept. RV parks are a unique business, making it difficult to find and retain skilled campground talent. It can also be daunting to figure out how much you should be paying people and how to reward your top performers appropriately.  

The good news is there are tried and true strategies that campgrounds can employ to bring in excellent staff. This article will unpack those strategies to help campgrounds build rockstar teams.

What is the perfect staff?

The perfect staff at one campground might be very different for another park. For example, a campground with glamping options might have very different needs from a traditional RV park.

That’s why the leadership team must take the time to solidify their priorities and what hiring the perfect staff looks like for their specific park. Some parks see new RVs every day and feature a large number of sites. These parks will require a team that is adept at things like helping RVs back up, hook up, and stock up for their needs.

Other parks have RV sites, cabins, and other unique lodging opportunities that require a team with special hospitality skills.

That’s why the first step to finding the perfect staff is developing who you are as a campground. What’s your story? Who are your customers? What are the primary ways you create epic guest experiences? What are the team skills required to work at your campground?

Discovering the answers to the questions above is the first step to hiring the perfect staff. 

Why Your Staff Is Your Most Important Investment

Payroll expenses are generally one of the largest for any business. The size of this line item can create the temptation to skimp on staffing, but few costs are more important or profitable than investments in staff—when executed properly.

RV parks and campgrounds are built on hospitality. Having a team who can excite guests, solve problems with excellence, and run your business efficiently will be worth their weight in gold.

Too many campground owners are also overworked, overwhelmed, and underappreciated—but it doesn’t have to be this way for you. If you aspire to be a campground owner with more flexibility and freedom in your life, investing in the perfect staff will pay off in spades. 

Finding And Hiring Your Perfect Staff

The best way to staff your campground is to hire people already within the RVing community. With over 1 million full-time RVers in the US, there’s a hiring pool for campgrounds unlike anything we’ve witnessed.

Here are four examples of ways to find and hire within the RVing community:

1.) Workamper.com – This is the premiere membership site for RVing nomads looking for jobs at campgrounds. By listing campground opportunities here, you’ll open yourself up to a world of knowledgeable campground candidates.

2.) Full-Time RVer Facebook groups – Facebook groups like The RV Entrepreneur, Full-Time Families, and more are treasure chests of people looking for fantastic work opportunities on the road. By creating and sharing a fun post that highlights exciting work opportunities at your park, you’ll open a connection with prospective team members who bring invaluable experiences to the table.

3.) Local forums – Facebook marketplace, your local paper (if your town has one), and Nextdoor are examples of local avenues for finding the perfect staff. People who are invested in your community can often be terrific team members because they’ll help your guests fall in love with your area. 

4.) Employee referrals – Rockstar staff members are usually friends with other rockstars. Referral bonuses are a great option to incentivize staff members to bring other great candidates to your campground. 

5 Things To Look For in the Perfect Staff

When it comes to the interview process, here are the five most important things you should look for:

1.) People-people – We know it sounds cliche, but the simple truth is you won’t have the perfect staff if you don’t have a team of people who love welcoming guests and making them feel at home.

2.) RVing experience – The perfect staff has experience with RVing that allows them to help your guests navigate campsite setup.

3.) Maintenance experience – Even if you have a full maintenance staff, it’s essential to have other people on your team who understand the basics of campground upkeep. They’ll be your saving grace when “little” things come up, and your regular repair team is away (which is always when these things happen!).

4.) Tech experience – Like it or not, campgrounds need strong WiFi and online booking systems these days. That’s why the perfect team members need to be generally tech savvy to be the right fit for you.

5.) Adaptability – New challenges present themselves every day at campgrounds. It’s necessary to have team members who are flexible, open to constructive feedback, and ready to solve problems creatively. 

How To Retain The Perfect Staff

Hiring the perfect staff is one thing, and it’s another thing to keep them around and happy. Here are a few things you can do to keep great people around:

Offer bonuses – These don’t have to cost a ton of money. Showing appreciation through bonuses like restaurant gift cards, team outings, and extra paycheck bumps go a long way to keeping people around.

Check in often – Have regular one-on-one chats with team members. Take five minutes to see what your crew is enjoying and what they might like changed. When people feel heard, they stick around. 

Create a fun team environment – When people love coming into work, they don’t want to quit. Think of ways that you can create fun moments at work. For example, if your campground features outdoor activities like lakes, trails, or rivers, encourage your staff to take breaks throughout the day to enjoy those amenities. 

Offer flexibility – Connect with your team to understand how they want their work/life balance to unfold and then build that into your scheduling as much as possible. 

Other Ways To Hire The Perfect Staff

Here are a few other creative thoughts that’ll help you find your perfect campground staff:

Virtual work – Are there tasks at your campground such as guest communications and marketing you could complete virtually? If so, you’ll open your hiring pool to a much wider range of applicants.

Offer part-time and full-time positions – The perfect team member might have outside commitments like school, other jobs, or family obligations that limit them to part-time work. By offering options to folks like this, you’ll expand your hiring pool.

Hire guests – If you have long-term RVers staying with you who you already think are awesome people, why not offer them some work around the park in exchange for reduced rent? These arrangements are standard and can be a terrific win-win. 

Staffing a campground is one of the most time-consuming and important tasks that owners undertake. That’s why it’s vital to devote the time and energy to a process that brings you a stellar team. By hiring properly on the front end, you’ll save a tremendous amount of headache as you focus on building your campground. 

The idea of owning a campground is an exciting one. Over 40 million Americans are RVers, and campgrounds are where these travelers hang their hats. RV ownership has reached record highs since 2020, meaning the demand for campground space exceeds supply in many parts of the country.  

RV parks and campgrounds can be built from scratch, or an existing park can be purchased and improved. Campground owners build a business that helps shape the RVing adventure, creates lasting memories for families, and—when done right—generates healthy profits.

But before buying an existing campground or building a new one, factor in the hidden costs of ownership. This post breaks down those hidden costs for a more complete picture to guide the decision-making process.

16 Hidden Costs Of Owning A Campground

1. Infrastructure

Buying an existing park means buying its current problems. Secondhand campgrounds may include a patchwork of costly repairs and upgrades for septic systems, plumbing, electrical, and more.

On the other hand, building a park from scratch can incur unexpected costs when installing complex amenities like advanced septic systems and shower houses that were not in the original budget. 
When purchasing or building, budget for the unexpected.

2. Lodging taxes

Many states and municipalities charge a nightly tax for short-term stays. Campgrounds will usually fall under this umbrella and you will need to pay taxes for each camp night at the park. These taxes are an important hidden cost that owners generally pass on to guests.

3. Web expenses

 Campgrounds need nice-looking, functional websites. DIY websites can work, but new owners will often hire this out–a worthwhile but oftentimes unexpected cost.

4. Insurance

Insurance costs factor into the budget of any new business plan, but campground ownership brings unexpected twists. For example, when purchasing an existing campground, older buildings and infrastructure generally result in higher premiums.

Amenities such as playgrounds and trails can also increase insurance rates.

And—most alarmingly—campground insurance is audited by carriers every year. If a campground makes more revenue than projected for a given year, insurance carriers will charge a backdated increase in premium.

5. Licensing, permitting, and zoning

States and municipalities will charge fees for campground operation and infrastructure.

Want to add additional sites? The area might need to be rezoned, new water licenses might need to be issued, and new sewer connections applied for and approved.

Want to start a camp store or offer new activities? There will likely be new taxes and licenses required for such operations.

Want to build a new campground? Costly permitting and planning might be required from the state and county.

6. Property taxes

Campground property taxes can often be higher than you might expect. The size of the campground, location, and any additional operations (e.g. camp store, pool, trails, etc.) can all lead municipalities to charge higher than usual property taxes to campgrounds.

7. Design costs

Building a new campground involves more than building expenses. Consulting and engineering fees to design a campground, plan the sites, and map out infrastructure can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

8. Fast, reliable Wi-Fi

RVers expect to be connected at camp. Many campgrounds are in remote areas where installing internet infrastructure can be more costly than expected.

9. Utilities

Utilities are a normal part of any business budget, but campgrounds often incur unexpected utility costs during abnormally hot or cold times. As a result, some campgrounds opt to charge extra utility fees to guests.

10. Cancellations

RVers are transient by nature and their plans can change on a dime. Cancellations become a hidden campground cost because it can be difficult to rebook a site on short notice. Owning a campground requires you to be somewhat flexible when it comes to expected income.

Campground owners can charge cancellation fees or require a reservation deposit to alleviate this problem.

11. Employee expenses

Team turnover, unexpected customer service issues, and more can all lead to higher-than-expected expenses.

12. Grounds care

Campground upkeep involves more than mowing the lawn. RVers appreciate well-cared-for and individualized sites that can result in higher-than-expected costs for grounds care.

13. Card fees

Credit card companies and credit card processing services have become necessary for campground owners. Card and processing fees add up, taking anywhere from 2.5% to over 8% of every transaction. 

14. Commissions

It’s often in a campground’s best interest to be listed on third-party sites like Good Sam, Campnab, Airbnb, and more. These sites will increase a park’s reach and generate bookings that might not otherwise happen. 

These third-party marketplaces charge campgrounds a percentage for every booking, resulting in added expense for campground owners.

15. Software costs

Most modern campgrounds use reservation software to manage bookings and payments. These services can range in cost from $50 to over $250 per month. Some services also take a percentage of any bookings made directly on the campground’s website.

16. Marketing expenses

A marketing budget is part of most businesses, and campgrounds stand to benefit from marketing outreach efforts. But campgrounds in remote areas or parks that don’t have the usual amenities might incur above-average marketing costs to expand their reach.

For example, RV parks that are off the beaten path might invest additional resources in creating and marketing glamping experiences to draw people in.

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Campground ownership is an exciting opportunity with a growing customer base. Success in any business requires one to have a clear idea of projected expenses, revenue, and profits. By understanding the hidden costs of owning a campground, prospective park buyers will set themselves up for success as they welcome campers of all types and stripes.

Social media can be intimidating for campground owners. We have enough on our plates already just managing the day-to-day of our parks, and the thought of building a presence on social media is an added weight. You might wonder things like:

What social media platform(s) should I be on?

How can I possibly keep up with regular social media posts for my campground? 

What will social media do for me?

These are all fair questions. The good news is that, with the right strategies in place, social media can be a smooth endeavor that reaps rewards in terms of increased buzz, new guests, and people sharing your park with their friends_, all of which make your campground more profitable.

Social Media For RV Campgrounds

Social media is about building community and sharing your story. That’s why RV park owners like us can use this tool to help people get excited about staying before they even arrive.

For example, you could share beautiful photos of special glamping options you may have, attractions near you, or guests having fun around the campfire. These images will help prospective guests paint a picture in their minds of what it’s like to stay at your park. 

Or, you could share stories on social media of rockstar guests or team members you have on site. Encourage these same folks to share your post with their friends to increase the reach of that post. 

Ultimately, social media for RV parks is about shaping the story you tell the world so that you draw in more of your ideal customers. 

What Social Media Platforms Are Out There for Campground Owners?

The number of social media platforms out can feel overwhelming. But you really only need to seek out the one or two platforms that make the most sense for your park and focus on those. Let’s dig into the social media platforms out there and when they might be a fit:

Instagram – This image-focused platform is perfect if you have unique campground features that are particularly photogenic or if you offer scenic views.

Facebook – Every RV park should have a Facebook page at a minimum because it’s something people look for these days. Facebook pages are quick and easy to create, and they’ll serve as a place for users to find your hours, general information, and a few pictures.

Facebook is also great for posting about upcoming events, special attractions near you, and guest stories at your park.

Twitter – This platform allows you to make 280-character posts that seem most effective for politicians and celebrities. While you should feel free to use any social medium to promote your park, Twitter can be hit-or-miss for businesses connecting with customers.

TikTok – TikTok allows users to make short videos that can go viral fast. This can be a good way to generate buzz for your park if you have an interest in videos and have (or can create) some visually stunning elements at your park.

Snapchat – Similar to TikTok, both are popular with younger generations if that’s a crowd you’d like to attract.

Pinterest – Pinterest is a unique bird that nonetheless can generate significant traffic for you if handled correctly. Think of Pinterest as a social bulletin board that allows people to pin cool pictures, articles, and other things they’re interested in one place. Pinterest can be a highly effective tool for RV parks that can create boards about stunning nearby attractions and notable amenities at the park.

For example, if you’re near a national park, you could create a Pinterest board that gives folks all the info they’d need for an RV visit to that park. Because your Pinterest board links to you, it would be natural for many readers of your posts to stay with you.

LinkedIn – This is a platform for professional networking. It might be worth your time there to make business connections, but it’s generally not the place to draw in new guests directly. B2B social media for your park is a great way to learn more about the industry and connect with other businesses and campgrounds that might benefit your efforts.

YouTube – While it’s primarily a platform to watch videos, YouTube has many of the same social media features in the sense that people can comment, share, and build community around content. This could be a good platform for you if you like video, have the time, and have a unique visual story that would be attractive to people.

Which Social Media Platform Is Best for Campgrounds?

The answer is: It depends. If you have an RV park that features scenic views, glamping options, yurts, or other unique camping experiences that are visually appealing, then Instagram could be your best bet.

If you’re more of a traditional RV park, something like Facebook would likely be where you’ll want to focus most of your energy. 

Or, if you view yourself as a cutting-edge park wanting to appeal to a younger crowd, then Snapchat, TikTok or YouTube could be your jam.

In short, the best social media for your park is a platform that helps you best tell your story to the right people in a way that you can manage. 

11 Powerful Ways To Use Social Media at Your RV Campground

Now that we’ve chatted about the different social media platforms, let’s unpack 10 strategies for utilizing social media no matter which platform you focus on. 

1. Choose one or two platforms and nail it

One of the best ways to tank your social media strategy is to try to be everywhere. There are too many social media platforms for you to do all of them well. Pick the one or two that fit you best and put focused intensity there.

2. Be conversational

Social media is a back and forth. You should engage with past, present and future guests on social media to keep your story fresh. Also, be sure to pay it forward by sharing other people’s stories, liking other people’s posts, etc.

3. Know your tribe

Who is coming to your park? Who do you want to come to your park? Knowing the answer to these two questions will guide the language you use and the story you tell in social media.

4. Have a plan

Randomly posting once in a while without a plan is generally not a good idea on social media. Consistency is key. That doesn’t mean you have to post every day, but if you decide to post once per week stick with that plan.

You could also use a social media scheduler like Hootsuite or Tailwind to help you stay on top of this.

5. Create searchable content

Social media can be a great way to boost your ranking on search engines if you create posts that provide answers to questions people are searching for.

For example, you could figure out what travelers are searching for in your area and create social media posts that help them plan their trip.

6. Call your followers to action

Sharing your story and creating posts is essential on social media. It’s also vital that you have a strategy for frequently calling people to action. You could run a monthly special at your park that you share on social media, ask your followers to leave you a review, or even host a contest on social media to bring new business to your park.

7. Seek out influencers

These are people on social media with large and engaged followings. Within the full-time RVing niche, for example, there are many couples and families who are sharing their journey with sizable audiences.

You can connect with influencers in many ways. One example would be inviting them for a free stay at your park in exchange for sharing a story about you with their audience.

8. Stay focused, and avoid the social media black hole

Social media is effective when you choose the right platform for you and combine it with a planned strategy.
Social media is ineffective if you get drawn into the drama, don’t measure the results it’s giving you, or if you otherwise get sucked into conversations that don’t help you move the needle.

9. Consider social media ads

Buyer beware: These can cost you a lot of money without generating a result if you don’t know what you’re doing. But, if you’re willing to invest the time and energy into learning effective social media advertising, it can generate new reservations for your campground.

The key is that you measure the impact of each dollar you spend.

10. Measure what’s working, ditch what doesn’t, and double down on the rest

Test a few different social media platforms at the beginning to discover the one or two that’ll work best for you.

Look at the end of every month and see which social media posts got shared and which didn’t.

If you ran any deals or coupons on social media, which ones were the most impactful?

By taking steps like the ones above, you can figure out what’s working and what’s not. Double down on what does and ditch the rest. 

11. Utilize the best tools available to get your name out there

Be open to the benefits of various social media strategy tools available to the industry. You aren’t alone in this endeavor, and you can leverage the reach of other brands to make your campground known to whole new audiences of potential guests. Social media has proved to be a powerful advertising tool, especially in the hands of experts.

For example, the Good Sam digital marketing team can help you create impactful social media ad campaigns that will appear in the newsfeeds of millions of interested outdoor enthusiasts. Good Sam can help grow your presence online, build brand awareness, and drive clicks to your website, leading to new guests making reservations at your campground.

While tools like these are an investment, the business you’ll generate should offset the adverting costs.

As campground owners, we can choose to embrace social media or shy away from it. But should you opt to use it. The beauty of social media is that it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive to reach your target customers. You’ll reap the benefits of these powerful platforms by implementing a straightforward and focused social media plan.

Creating a great guest experience is one of the most impactful things you can do as a campground owner. 

Stellar guest experiences lead to solid reviews, repeat customers, and smoother operations for your campground. But how do you create a guest experience that campers actually want? 

Memorable guest experiences don’t just happen—they are made through a carefully crafted set of actions you undertake at your campground. Let’s chat about ways to build a campground that caters to your guests.

Creating A Great Guest Experience Before Your Campers Arrive

It helps to put yourself in your guests’ shoes: try to capture their attention before they arrive by broadcasting the experience you will offer. Here are the things you’ll want to consider:

1. An easy-to-navigate website

An online presence is a must for any campground. You also want to be sure that folks can easily check availability, see pricing, and read up on the amenities you offer.

We know websites can be intimidating, so that’s why we created Good Sam Campground Solutions—your one-stop shop to create a smooth website that has the features that today’s campers want.

2. Photos, photos, and more photos

Campground shoppers are visual people. They want to see your campsites, amenities, images of guests having fun, and more.

Be sure to take lots of great photos with plenty of lighting that show off your campground and the people in it. Load those photos on your website so prospective guests can get a picture of where they’ll be camping. Check out this article for more info on taking great photos.

3. Online booking option

Today’s traveler wants the option to book every bit of their trip online. The same is true for campground-goers. You’ll set yourself above the fold by offering a way for your customers to book and pay online.

4. Set expectations

Your website should paint an accurate picture of what it’s like to stay with you. While you should highlight what makes you great, you should also be open about any restrictions like rig size, cell service, or other factors that might surprise an unexpecting guest.

The goal here is to share what makes your campground awesome while also ensuring that guests know what to expect when they arrive.

5. Communication

Be sure that guests promptly receive a receipt with a note letting them know how excited you are to have them. It’s also a solid practice to follow up with guests a few days ahead of their arrival with important details for their stay.

6. Offer additional camping options

RV and tent sites are the lifeblood of what we do as campground owners, but experiences like yurts, glamping, cabins, and more are quickly becoming an important addition to what we do. Guests love these experiences, and these stays can also provide significant extra revenue.

Here are 16 ways to add unique camping options to your campground offerings.

Creating A Great Guest Experience When Your Guests Arrive

Once your guests arrive, the real fun can begin. This is where you put the wheels in motion to help your campers build lasting memories with their families. Here are the pieces to have in place for a great during-trip guest experience.

1. Friendly faces

Even if you offer a self-check-in process, it’s important that you have a crew in place who loves people and is ready to help with things like parking RVs, selling s’more kits, and starting campfires.

And before you think you can’t afford to hire great talent, think again. Campgrounds are uniquely positioned to offer employees benefits far beyond money. For example, many campgrounds can offer staff advantages like free RV sites, autonomy, flexible scheduling, and proximity to fun excursions.

Here are a few other tips for nurturing a team with a smiling attitude.

2. Offer a self-check-in/self-locate option

While many campers will want to connect with a friendly face upon arrival, another ingredient for a great guest experience is to have a self-serve option where campers are able to arrive and navigate to their campsite on their own.

Campground booking software will allow you to set this up and provide step-by-step communication to guide your guests in. 

3. Good Wi-Fi (or no Wi-Fi at all)

With the rise in remote work, campers are demanding solid Wi-Fi more than ever before. You need to have good Wi-Fi at your campground if you expect to provide a guest experience that campers want.

The exception would be if you are a campground that markets yourself as a place of solitude and disconnection for people. In that case, it could actually be part of your brand that people would stay with you because they want to disconnect from the usual hustle and bustle of their lives.

But that’s an either/or situation. Either you have good Wi-Fi or you’re a boutique spot marketing an unplugged experience. Because nothing upsets the guest experience more than expecting good Wi-Fi to find it’s less than.

4. Expectations set. Expectations exceeded

The “before” experience you offered your guests showed them what to expect at your campground. Now it’s time to go above and beyond that.

Think of WOW factors you can offer to level up your guest experience. For example, you could provide complimentary firewood and a s’more kit for your guest’s first night, host a bonfire, or create a deal with a local restaurant for a discount for your guests.

5. Communal hangout zones

Campers generally love connecting and sharing stories. Create spaces at your campground like outdoor grilling areas, reading rooms, communal fire pits, and more that encourage people to mingle and connect.

Doing this will create lasting friendships that guests will fondly associate with your campground.

6. Highlight unique amenities in your area

It’s common practice for campgrounds to share a list of area restaurants at check-in. While this is a good practice, creating an excellent guest experience demands extra creativity.

What cool things to do in your area that only locals know about?

Is there a weekly farmer’s market in your area that’s fun to go to?

Could you partner with local outfitters to offer excursions specifically for your guests?

Travelers love getting the inside scoop on the areas they visit. By offering that to your guests, you’ll set yourself apart.

7. Regular communication

One of the best ways to keep your campers up to date about events happening during their stay is to incorporate text-based messaging into your guest experience.

Texts currently have a much higher read and response rate than email, so they are a great way to let your guests know you’re thinking of them. Some campground management software will have this built-in to make it very easy to text your guests about that bonfire you’re hosting, a concert in your area, or any other fun thing you want them to know about.

And guests often like to communicate via text anyway, so having an option for them to text your team is a valuable amenity to offer.

8. Don’t forget the fundamentals

While all of the above are important ingredients in the guest experience stew, it won’t all flow together if you don’t have the basics in place. These include things like:

• Level sites
• Good infrastructure (e.g., water, power, sewer)
• Fire making areas
• Signs guiding people around your campsite
• Regularly walking your campground looking for ways to improve your guest experience
• And always listening to guest feedback for ways to continue improving

Creating A Great Guest Experience After Your Guests Leave

A great guest experience doesn’t end when someone leaves your campground. Here are the best practices to keep up with guests after they go:

1. Ask for a review

Most guests won’t proactively leave a review unless they get a little nudge. That’s why you should have a follow-up process that asks for guests’ feedback and then encourages positive respondents to leave a review.

Generally speaking, the best way to do this is via a short follow-up text sent on the day of departure asking your guest to comment on their stay. If they loved it, shoot them a link to your Google review profile so they can share it with the world!

2. Offer specials to past guests

If guests loved staying with you, encourage them to come back. You could offer them things like an early booking window for your peak season, special rates, or free/discounted amenities during their next stay.

3. Implement feedback

If you’re consistently getting the same request from multiple guests at your campground, be proactive about adding the things guests are asking for.

Unfortunately, far too many campgrounds are stacked with reviews mentioning the same negative guest experience over and over again. One of the best ways to create a great guest experience is simply by listening for consistency in guest feedback and promptly acting on that feedback.

With more campers than ever, it’s an exciting time to be a campground owner. It’s also a terrific opportunity we all have to level up our guest experience so that our customers are delighted by their camping experience. The tips above will help you build a game plan for a campground that guests rave about and return to.   

Empty sites on your campground mean money out of your pocket.

If you’ve ever looked out on unoccupied lots and wondered if you could have done more, if somewhere out there a camper needed a spot just like yours, you are not alone–and you are probably right. 

In 2021, 57 million households in the US and Canada went camping–an increase of 36% since 2019. And the industry shows no slowing down. In fact, early booking for campgrounds is increasing. 

If you struggle to book your sites, it’s likely because you aren’t reaching the campers looking for places to camp. The good news is that there are a lot of ways to market your park that are proven to increase visitors. The more diverse and creative your strategy, the better. 

Here we take a look at the thought behind your marketing efforts and some creative ways to reach more campers. 

What do you want your marketing to do?

Be clear about what you want to achieve before you let the creative wheels spin and you create plans to reach a bigger audience. If you’re going to garner attention, make sure you know what to do with it. 

Be specific about what you want.

Create a tangible list of target results–or KPIs. Be specific. Scattergun marketing will produce results, but they won’t all be the strategic results you’re after. Think of the customer’s journey and how each step will occur. What do you want the customer to do? Some questions to consider asking yourself:

• Are you developing interest for this season or next season? 
  
• What are short-term and long-term goals? 
  
• Do you simply want to build awareness about your campground’s brand? 
  
• How will success be measured? 
  
• Is the goal to drive traffic to your website or to call and book?
  
• If a customer is interested, where do they learn more or sign up? 

Determine what’s unique about your campground.

We will cover the different ways you can communicate your message, but identify a few key factors that make your campground unique, interesting, or that most people don’t know. Whether you include these details in your marketing efforts or not, it helps that you and your team have these characteristics in the back of your head. A few questions to ask yourself: 

• What’s the story of your campground? 
• What features or amenities make it unique?
• How did you (or the owners) become campground owners? 
• Do you do anything different than your campground competitors?
• What’s the #1 way you consistently help campers? 

Measure the results. 

How will you know if you are successful? If you try something new and invest time and energy into a new outreach, how will you measure the results to know if it was worth it? To measure the results, you need to identify the factors you will measure. Again, be specific: 

• Does success mean increased booking? 
• Will you collect email addresses from a promotional? 
• Will success mean more traffic to your website? 
• Does creating relationships with the community count as a win? 

So now that you have the overall structure built, you’re off to the races, and it’s time to explore the creative ways you can market your campground. But don’t let this list be your end-all, be-all. The best way to market your campground will be to highlight its uniqueness–and only you know your campground well enough to brainstorm those strategies. 

Partnerships

Partnerships help validate your business, and they help market your campground to an entirely new audience. Identify businesses, groups, and related industries in your area to partner with, and both parties could benefit. 

• Is there a local RV dealership you could partner with, referring guests there when they have RV needs? 

• Do you know of a local outdoor retail shop? Even national outdoor stores may be interested in learning more. Incentivize campers with discounts at the store or campground.

• Could you reach out to state and local parks to recommend your campground when they reach capacity and visa versa? 

Here’s where you can get creative and think of unique businesses in your area to connect with. 

Sponsorships

Along the same lines of partnerships, sponsorships can connect your campground to other businesses, campers, and potential leads. Some sponsorships are really affordable, and sponsoring an event puts you in front of a whole new group of people–even those who wouldn’t typically camp. 

• Local Little League and sports clubs
• 4H sponsorships
• Cultural events and charities/non-profits.

There’s a lot of freedom for your to choose which event or group to sponsor, and the added benefit is that you decide the type of audience you’d like to align and connect with. Look for interactive sponsorships where you can meet people, create unique experiences, and coordinate something people will remember you for. 

Social Media

There are just so many possibilities to connect with campers everywhere through social media. From posting videos and photos to creating weekly series, hosting social account take-overs, and posting camping hacks, this is an inexhaustible resource. To get started, we suggest growing your followers.

• Incorporate your handles and socia. links to any media or print for your campground.
• Interact with other campgrounds online and follow camper-themed profiles.
• Incentivize your campground guests to follow your social platforms for giveaways and discounts. 

Remember to keep it fun. Social outreach can become dicey if your platform turns negative for any reason. 

Campground Associations

Marketing is just one of the many benefits you receive when you join a campground association. You become a valued member and can connect with campgrounds across the country, effectively including you in a community that can help put your campground on the map. 

Campground associations form partnerships with outside organizations, and this becomes another way you can reach new customers. Join an association that meets annually, and use this as an opportunity to network and brainstorm with other camping-related organizations and campground owners. 

Branded Apparel & Gear

The purpose of branded hats, t-shirts, and koozies isn’t just to generate extra revenue. And it isn’t necessarily to create the walking billboard effect, either. 

When you sell branded gear, it invites some easily earned brand loyalty from visitors. With a simple shirt, you increase the likelihood of visitors talking about your campground, referencing the trip, and associating your campground with a memorable experience. And when it comes to marketing, that authentic connection is about as good as it gets. 

The only issue? Marketing tactics like this aren’t easily measurable. So don’t break the bank on merch, but it’s a good, simple strategy to gain traction.

Alternative Media

When you start to think of marketing as a fun way to connect with potential guests, you open yourself to a world of creative outlets. You have an opportunity to promote your campground on any media platform you use. 

• Podcasts – Create your own or network to be included in one. Or consider sponsoring an episode, which can expose you to a different audience. 

• Blogs – Build out a blog on your campground’s website, which can boost your SEO and help you promote specific events. 

• Youtube Channel – Explore different media options. Between Youtube and Tiktok, you can build a solid level of content with how-to videos and park tours.

As you create content in alternative media spaces to market your campground, try to learn ways to track the success you may see from those marketing strategies. Talk to visitors and don’t shy away from asking how they learned about your campground. 

Advertisements

Advertising is still a surefire method to market your park to new visitors. And though your presence online might priority, traditional methods still prove to be effective. 

• Online ads
• Flyers, brochures, and pamphlets
• Direct mail
• Billboards
• Online directories

Reviews

Encourage your guests to leave reviews, and make sure they know where your campground is listed. Word of mouth, perhaps, this the most important attribute to building your audience, and reviews are the currency campers use. Make reviewing your campground easy with QR codes posted in public places around your location. 

Don’t shy away from reading reviews, either. Inevitably, some guests will have a bad experience at your campground. Reviews help you identify any issues you can control. Don’t sweat what you can’t control. 

Host incentivized, promotional events

What’s a more direct way to engage people in your community than inviting them to a campground open house?

There’s no need to reinvent every wheel when marketing your campground. Physical events like open houses, holiday parties, and fundraisers are especially helpful if you as an owner build relationships better in person. 

• Incentivize attendance with prizes, raffles, discounts, and games.
• Collect emails for your newsletter and other promotionals.
• Distribute flyers and other promotional literature that include coupons for campsites. 

Email newsletters

You likely receive newsletters that you actually read. You also likely receive newsletters you delete, unopened. Think about why, and tailor your campgrounds newsletter to entertain and inform your subscribers. 

Newsletters are a great way for businesses to connect with their customers and for you to market your campground. For campgrounds, newsletters are an authentic way to connect with previous guests and potential new guests. Make sure you promote your newsletter on your website. Even if web visitors haven’t been to your campground, an interesting website can lead them to subscribe, and that’s the very next step to getting them to book a stay at your campground. 

Rethink your website

Speaking of engaging websites, what does yours look like? And when was the last time you made any updates? Your website is one of the easiest and most crucial ways to market your campground.

Your website is the equivalent of campers driving by, deciding if your campground is a place they’d be interested in staying. Not only should it provide the necessary information to book, including an automated reservation system, but they should get an idea of what it’s like to stay at your campground. 

• Include flattering photos of your campsites and amenities
• Consider developing a “campground tour” video. 
• Develop a blog where content is updated monthly if not weekly.
• List amenities and features on the front page, to answer questions quickly. 

Keep in mind these ideas to market your campground are only starting points. You’ll find that visitors respond to marketing that’s authentic to your campground’s personality, and it may take some trial and error to dial in which strategy works for you. But if you continue to offer a great location where guests are treated well, the messaging will connect. 

There’s an unlimited potential to connect with more campers when you grow your online presence. More travelers now research and book online, which either puts you ahead of the game or behind it.

When campers search online for a campground along their route, will your campground show at the top of the search results?  

Over 25% of people click on the first option of their search results. In our case, that means the first website that pops up when someone searches “campgrounds near me” is most likely to get the attention. So there’s a huge growth opportunity if your campground appears in the first few positions of search results, and that’s an incentive to improve your SEO ranking. 

And if you think that the top spot is reserved only for the largest campground in your region, think again. It’s about SEO strategy. And we’re here to provide tips and strategies to help your campground increase its exposure. 

SEO Basics

Improving your SEO increases the number of visitors to your site, which means more business and revenue. And, unlike typical advertising, SEO ranking isn’t something you can pay for–it’s earned.

By knowing and influencing the key factors that determine your ranking, you can make changes to your website that put you ahead of your competitors. 

Often, campgrounds will hire a third-party provider to create content and develop SEO strategy to improve their ranking. But many campgrounds shoulder this responsibility themselves. Let’s take a look at some of the key factors of SEO.

Traffic

When we say “traffic,” we’re talking about the number of people who visit your website. And when it comes to booking each season, the more traffic the better. Organic traffic is a good measure to know if your SEO strategy is working.

You can measure your traffic through Google Analytics and other online SEO platforms. Once you track your traffic, you’ll see increases during peak season, when campers are searching for locations. You can also annotate the changes made to your website and then see the SEO effects, to see what works. 

Keywords

Keywords are the link between the information users seek on a search engine and the information your website provides. They are the search terms used when campers are searching for a campground. You can rank for different keywords, meaning your website will populate first when you rank high for a keyword like “WIFI campground,” for example. 

You can easily develop a list of targeted keywords for your campground. In fact, your website likely already ranks for many keywords campers use to discover where to camp. The goal is to identify which keywords you can easily rank for and then create content around them. 

Content

Content on your website tells visitors about your campground. And it’s also how Google evaluates your website. What keywords you target, the length of your posts, what you rank for, title tags, meta descriptions, videos– the SEO game is about creating content Google recognizes and values. But that doesn’t mean you should create content for a robot. 

Keep in mind Google’s algorithms are shaped to human user experience: Google is attempting to promote content that’s helpful to humans. So, yes, content is about creating content Google recognizes–but that should mean creating content that’s useful to your audience. 

So what does it look like to approach these concepts with your campground’s SEO strategy?

Find Your Niche 

To earn the attention of potential campers, it’s important you find your niche. You’ve already identified what this looks like for your campground: amenities, location, price, customer service. You know what separates you from your competitors. Now, what stands out for you with SEO?

Other campgrounds will target similar keywords and will have similar offerings. So it’s important to distinguish yourself in SEO. You can find your niche by targeting keywords and topics that others aren’t covering or that are unique to your campground. Here are three easy steps to find your niche. 

1. Read competitors’ websites.

Identify how competitor websites are positioning themselves. What features or amenities do they promote on the homepage? Do you recognize any repeat keywords? More importantly, what’s missing? If your competitors aren’t focusing on a key amenity or feature on their website, it could be a gap you fill. 

2. Identify your campground’s strengths.

Discover what makes your campground unique in order to improve your SEO strategy. Create a concept map of your campground’s key features and offerings and use these to develop a keyword list. Evaluate your campground’s website in the same way you evaluate competitors–what’s missing? 

3. Find the gaps.

Equipped with an SEO keyword list, it’s a matter of finding which keywords have a high search volume and low SEO difficulty (how competitive it is). Compare this to keywords your competitors use to identify gaps. Imagine, you could have a higher reach simply by targeting “RV park” instead of “campground”.

Developing Content

It’s hard to have an SEO strategy without content. This is the legwork portion of growing your online presence. Often, businesses develop a blog on their website to post strategically-minded content. Not only can this information be helpful to visitors, but it can be the sowing fields for keyword strategy.

Let’s take a look at some tips and tricks to develop blogs that can improve your SEO. These are some of the qualities of an effective blog. 

1. Write like a human.  

It’s easy to get caught up in SEO, algorithms, and keywords and forget you are a human writing to another human. As you learn more about SEO strategy, let all lessons be marked with asterisks: *Always write like a human. Think about your audience and what is useful and accessible to them. 

2. Length and frequency?

Google’s algorithm pays attention to the length of content on a website, and that can influence your ranking. The same goes for the frequency and consistency–how often you post new content. Build your content base with diligence. 

In general, posts should live in the 350-900 word-count zone. Increase your word count based on the information that’s practical and important to share, but consider an additional blog post if you begin to run long. Always cut the fluff. 

In terms of frequency, a post every week or two is a good rhythm, but the real key is to make sure you’re consistent: If it’s one post a week, it needs to always be one post a week. Your audience (and Google) should know when to expect new content.

3. Choose practical topics.

When determining the subject matter of your blog post, write what you know. Consider what your audience will value, and remember the content should be serving them in some way–teaching them something new, saving them money, or providing valuable perspective. 

Common Mistakes

We’ve had a fair amount of experience when it comes to developing SEO strategy. The good news is you can always improve upon your practices, and no bad habits have to stick around. But to save you the time and energy of the trial-and-error approach, let’s look at common SEO mistakes. 

1. Bad writing.

Spelling mistakes, typos, and confusing sentences are red flags for readers and Google alike. You won’t get penalized for a hanging preposition, but frequent and blatant mistakes are the manifestations of bad writing. It’s nothing an extra read-through can’t fix. 

2. Impatience.

The SEO game is a marathon, not a sprint. Changes you make to your web pages likely won’t have an overnight influence, and your value will come from consistent, quality content over an extended period of time. 

3. Chasing fads. 

As you research other websites and see content coming from competitor pages, restrict the impulse the mimic what might be working for others. Once you settle into a content strategy of your own, don’t make the classic mistake of chasing fads. 

Your campground’s online presence will continue to grow in importance. SEO can be a tool to grow your business and not an extra, overwhelming to-do item on your list. It helps to start with the basics–starting small, and then steadily improving. But don’t hesitate to consider third-party help if, for your campground, it’s better left to the experts. 

If you’d like to learn more, check out the Campground U podcast and the SEO Best Practices episode with Wayne Lin, SEO Manager at Camping World.

We all know the best-laid plans aren’t always executed without a hitch. As a campground owner, you’ve probably dealt with managing unexpected guest experiences a time or two. Let’s be honest: it’s never fun, but it’s essential to delivering the best guest experience possible for all your campers. 

Stuff happens, but when it does, your ability to smooth things over and keep your guests happy is vital to your campground’s reputation. The impacts of a negative review can reverberate far and wide online, so it’s in your best interest to remedy issues before they cause a camper to post a scathing review about your property. 

Managing unexpected guest experiences is as much about prevention as it is about how you handle confrontations with frustrated guests. So we’ve taken a list of some of the most common camper complaints and compiled some tips for preventing those complaints. 

But we’ve also provided some quick tips on handling upset guests when their stay isn’t going as they planned. 

Let’s get comfortable with the sometimes uncomfortable side of owning a campground.

Your staff’s attitude is important. 

One of the major complaints expressed by unsatisfied campers is poor attitudes from campground staff. This one seems easily correctable, but many companies struggle to create a positive workplace culture. 

Creating an engaging environment for your staff will spill over to how they interact with campers. Here are a few ideas for improving employee morale:

• Connect your staff to your campground’s purpose. Why did you decide to open a campground in the first place?
  
• Create opportunities for employee recognition. Maybe it’s an “Employee of the Month” award or a weekly call-out for a staff member that went above and beyond.
  
• Be transparent with your communication. Employees will engage more consistently when they know the Why underscoring many of your decisions.  
  
• Give staff members autonomy. Invest time in employee training and empower staff to excel in their roles without micro-management. 
  
• Check in with staff regularly. One-on-one meetings monthly will help you address staff concerns.
   

Maintain a clean campground.

Other camper complaints include dirty restrooms, unkempt common areas, and, believe it or not, too much mud, sand, and dirt in the campground. While the latter is part of the camping experience, the first two are definitely within your control. 

To reduce unexpected guest experiences in the form of disappointment about your campground’s appearance, here are a few tips: 

• Set a maintenance schedule. Break down tasks into daily, weekly, and monthly categories to stay organized. 
• Communicate with your maintenance crew. Create an easy way for your maintenance staff to communicate the need for significant repairs or supply renewal so they can be addressed promptly. 
• Consider camper behavior. Identify hours when campers are least likely to use restrooms and common areas to close those facilities for cleaning and maintenance. 
• Pay attention to water drainage. Making sure water doesn’t collect in campsites or common areas will reduce mud and can also deter bugs from your campground–another common camper complaint. 

Budget for resurfacing. Consider setting money aside to add gravel or concrete surfaces to areas of your campground that are particularly muddy or dirty.

Ensure well-kept utilities.

Bad electrical hookups, dirty city water, and unlevel sites are three more of the top 10 most common camper complaints. And these are some of the basic necessities of a good campground: campers pay for quality services and a safe place to park their RV overnight. 

So you can imagine why poor water quality, unreliable electricity, and a site that leaves you sleeping with your head downhill can lead to negative and unexpected guest experiences. Here are some tips for ensuring well-kept campground utilities: 

• Test your water frequently. This is more important and achievable if your campground pulls water from a well. The quality of city water will somewhat be out of your control.
• Practice tree management. Ask your landscaping and maintenance staff to regularly inspect the growth of trees in your campground to ensure they are compromising the health and integrity of your power lines. 
• Test power pedestals regularly. This could be an annual or biannual inspection, but you should make sure your power pedestals aren’t going to cause electrical issues for your guests. 
• Keep an inventory of utility-related RV supplies: Stock your camp store with inline water filters, surge protectors, sewer hoses, leveling blocks, and other RV essentials that will help guests enjoy clean water, safe power, sanitary dumping, and a comfortable place to rest. 

Enforce campground rules.

Good campground management goes beyond checking guests in with a smile. You and your staff should maintain a physical presence throughout your campground to ensure campers follow campground rules and, generally speaking, respect their neighbors. 

This requires a balance. Many campers go camping to escape their regular routine and let loose a little. Your task is to create a space where campers can do that while honoring the different schedules and agendas of the other campers they’re sharing a space with. 

Here are some tips to help you accomplish this: 

• Drive your campground twice a day. Breakfast and dinner hours are great times to make your presence known throughout your campground. It also provides opportunities for value-added interactions with guests by recommending hikes, restaurants, breweries, and attractions in your area. 
• Post quiet hours clearly. Display your quiet hours clearly on a sign near your campground entrance station and in campground literature/brochures provided to guests upon check-in. 
• Have night staff sweep the campground at the commencement of evening quiet hours. Staff sweeps 30 minutes before, at, and 30 minutes after quiet hours can help alleviate complaints about noisy campground neighbors. 

Create a safe environment.

Campers also want to feel safe when they pull into their campsite. While your surrounding area may be out of your control, you can take a few precautions within the campground property to increase safety.

• Install an entrance gate. A gate with a code that’s only given out to campers is a good way to make guests feel safer during their stay. 
• Plant natural fences/barriers. Using trees or planting hedges along the borders of your campground can be a great way to offer campers more privacy and a better sense of safety within your park. 
• Keep your campground well-lit. This can be a delicate subject because many campers want to sit outside and stargaze at night without city lights hindering their view. But if guests feel unsafe walking to your restroom facilities after dark, additional lighting could be a practical solution. 

If things go wrong?

Diligent preparation will reduce the likelihood of unexpected guest experiences, but it may not eliminate them. So here are some tips for handling unexpected guests experiences when they do arise: 

• Show compassion and patience. No matter how many times you’ve heard a particular complaint, show each guest that their issue is valid and their voice is heard.
• Offer realistic discounts for bad experiences. Discounts on future stays or refunds for a single night of a multi-night stay might not damage your bottom line and can inspire unsatisfied guests to give your campground another chance. 
• Express a willingness to improve. Sometimes your best course of action is to thank a camper for bringing an issue to your attention and demonstrate action to resolve the issue swiftly and decisively. 

Managing unexpected guest experiences requires patience and dedication to providing the best camping experience possible. We hope these tips provide some new strategies or management practices to consider for your campground.