An elementary answer to this question would be “from my website and email blasts”, but that’s a broad category. How are golfers finding your website? Which email blasts are driving paying customers to your golf course? This is typically where there begins to be a roadblock in knowledge and access to data.

Make the Data Available to you

Using more advanced implementations of analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, operators can now know exactly how new customers found their golf course, what channels are generating tee time revenue, and what marketing messages are creating the biggest buzz. Rather than just knowing how many rounds of golf were booked through your website, imagine knowing exactly how much revenue came from Google, Facebook, specific emails, ad campaigns, mobile app or any other digital channel. We also have the ability to track phone calls and tell you what channel that customer is calling from, whether it’s a regular that has your phone number memorized, or a new golfer that found you through a search on Google.

All of this data is available, it’s just a matter of being harvested in a way that makes sense. By linking the booking engine, website, social media accounts, ad campaigns and customer database together, we can start to make ties that were impossible to make before. These integrations need to be carried out by a web developer or marketing professional, to ensure data is properly being imported into Google Analytics or any other data analysis tool that you are using.

What Are the Benefits?

Once these integrations are made, you will have access to invaluable data that can answer tough questions such as:

• Are my email campaigns bringing me new revenue?
• How many rounds were booked via search engines this month?
• Are the digital advertisements I’m paying for yielding a positive ROI?
• Is the time I’m spending managing social media influencing # of rounds booked?
• How many calls am I getting from my Google AdWords campaigns?
• How many of my calls are converting into tee time bookings?
• What percentage of my total tee time revenue is booked from my mobile app?
• I’ve noticed a spike in rounds booked by out-of-towners. What’s causing this?
• How many rounds are being booked through my mobile app?

Hopefully, one of those questions applies to your golf facility and you can relate. These questions are important, to say the least, but owner/operators struggle to find the answers to them, because the data isn’t readily available. Although there is some setup work that needs to take place, this data is well worth the effort. It can help you make smarter marketing decisions and generate new business more easily. It can help identify marketing investments that aren't worth making any longer, which leaves more room in the budget for those that are.

Here at 121, customers utilizing our Search Engine Marketing or Managed Marketing Services programs receive this revenue-tracking implementation as standard. If you’re interested in learning more about setting up revenue-tracking for golf facility, send me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..