Tip #1: Create Posts That Are Interactive

There is nothing more unappealing to a social media user than a post with “no content.” By this I mean a short sentence that has no interest to your audience nor any images or videos to keep them entertained. This is a sure bet to get scrolled passed while on your follower's timeline. To avoid being the forgotten post KEEP THINGS INTERESTING. Videos are a great way to engage your viewers, and with a small clip you say much more than your 250-character limit because… there are visuals to the words being spoken! In addition, it is always a good idea to involve a short survey or poll that can encourage interaction from your followers. Not only does it make your audience feel like their opinion is being considered, but can also help your course gather information to increase your productivity.

Remember, your followers do not want to feel like they are reading a black and white newspaper. The world has gone digital, so throw in your own unique twists and take advantage of the unlimited interactive opportunities social media has to offer! Also, asking your followers to ‘like’ or ‘share’ isn’t frowned upon if done tastefully and can boost your post’s reach.

Tip #2: Learn Your Audiences’ Peak Engagement Times

Morning, noon or night? This is the question you must ask yourself when planning to post on social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. is the best way to reach the largest audience all at once, but if you don’t know the correct times, you may just miss them. To ensure that your posts will be seen by majority of your following, make sure you follow these few steps:

Evaluate the previous posts that received the most interaction (likes, shares, favorites etc.). If the time reveals a pattern this is your peak time for posting. Peak posting time is usually between 1-4 PM, Wednesday through Friday.
Measure your audiences’ age range. What is the average age that makes up your followers? This is important to note since different ages typically have varying schedules.
Use your best judgement! Do not post early in the morning before everyone is at work, or late at night while everyone is asleep. You can schedule posts to publish whenever you want these days, so use that to its full potential.

Tip #3: Run a Social Media Contest

Social media contests are the best way to get your golf course going viral because… the word FREE has everyone running. Keep in mind, even if you’re offering a free piece of your business, it is still free advertising for you as well. Do not go overboard promising to give away something that is not in the budget or would get you in trouble with the boss. Take the time to plan this out and meet with your team to brainstorm ideas. Typically a round of golf or a month membership to the range is sufficient, but it’s always a good idea to get creative.

The most important factor to consider while creating this contest is “what can I say to my followers that will get them to share my post?” First choose the item or service you will give to the winner of the contest that you and your team agreed upon. Next, come up with a “challenge” that creates competition between users, such as:

• Have golfers take a picture of themselves on the golf course and tag your golf course in the post. You pick the winner each month based on creativity or number of likes on the post.
• For each major golf tournament, post a contest for users to guess the top 3 finishers. The use with the first post with the correct order wins.
• “Caption this” contests are a lot of fun. Post a humorous picture (preferably of someone at your golf course) and have your followers comment with clever captions. You pick the winner based on how hard your laughed.
• For Instagram, have users tag a friend in a comment to enter for a sweepstakes.
• Haver customers “check-in” on Facebook to receive a free small item. (bag of tees, soda, small bucket of range balls before their round.)
• There is an infinite amount of ways to create a healthy competition for your audience, while gaining that increased exposure for your business. Now have some fun with it!

Tip #4: Use Hashtags Correctly

If you are a Twitter or Instagram lover, the use of hashtags can increase the visibility of your post across social media sites. The best starting point while creating hashtags is keep it simple and keep it consistent. Come up with a bulk of 5-8 hashtags you will use for every post no matter what and keep it in your memory bank. These will be the generic tags that are specific to your course. Some examples could be #nameofcourse, #golfcourse, #drivingrange, etc. This ensures that you will always be the one to show up when anyone searches for these hashtags. Next create up to 3 new hashtags for every post to show creativity and to expose your course to different trends, make it original. Once all the hashtags have been generated, place the new hashtags first and the generic ones after. Ready. Set. Post!

Tip#5: Be creative!

Social media is the chance to express your business outside of its day to day routine. Don’t be afraid to try something new or to show customers a sense of humor. A personal touch is always appreciated. It’s okay to be goofy or sarcastic, as long as you keep it PG. If you find an eye-catching golf video that your viewers enjoy, make that a habit and call it “Viral Video Thursdays.” By creating this weekly update, it gives your followers something to look forward to and gets them engaged. Create a variety of posts, videos etc. that will have your followers wanting more when they open their Facebook on their lunchbreak. Go outside the box to create something that is worthy of spending more than 1 minute on. Go through the values of your business and what you have to offer your followers and ask yourself “why do my followers like being a part of my social media efforts?” You know why your business is the best, so show your audience that!

1-2-1 Marketing offers Social Media Management, as well as other digital marketing services that help golf course operators sell more rounds, engage their cusomers, and save time. If you have any questions about how 1-2-1 can help your business, contact us at (407) 395-4701 or email our Director of Digital Marketing, Kent Ashby, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..