OUTFITTER LOGIC
How Should a Hunting Guide & Outfitter Approach Social Media Marketing?
We do manage and recommend social media marketing for hunting outfitters, on any and every level possible.
But I will note, most companies that have employees managing social media marketing aren’t hunters. And when you have some guy or gal in a suit managing your social media, the end result is often FLAT.
Usually, the best social media marketing comes from within. You or your guides know your business best, so letting the owner or guides “tell the tale” of what’s shaking in the hunting operation usually has the best result.
But I get it, sometimes the time aspect just isn’t there. Or maybe the owner isn’t big on social media or doesn’t fully understand how to grow it. That’s where having the right company to manage your social media is vital.
Yup, here comes the shameless plug… We’re hunters here at Outfitter Logic. We know what people want to see, we know what’s ethical, we’re not just some guys in a suit. We live it, we can help tell that tale for you. We will work with you to ensure the social media presence grows.
There are a few main reasons why social media marketing for outfitters is so important.
- Using social media is often vital for new websites. Social media ads are very cost-effective and can provide some quick leads. Usually, it takes awhile for a BRAND NEW website to mature on the search results. This helps fill that gap.
- An active social media presence helps provide confidence for the potential customer.
- An active social media presence can also help boost your website rankings in the search engines.
- Lastly, we can tie your social media photos/videos/etc directly into your website. That way, it keeps your website FRESH with the latest photos and videos, as well.
At the end of the day, having SOME kind of social media presence is important…but which one’s should you focus on?
The first question you should be asking yourself, is what are the demographics of your target market? For MOST of our clients, it’s those about 35 and up. Those are the guys with money and those are the age groups that are booking the hunts (in many cases, it’s really the 50+ crowd). With that being said, here are the socials we recommend you pursue.
Facebook for Hunting Outfitters
Facebook is still the best bang for your buck in quick turnaround types of online marketing. For a lack of a better way to put it, it’s an “Old People’s Social Media”. I’m old myself (in my 40s, I think I’m old anyways), and this is where we hang out.
With the right advertisement, you can get it in front of the right demographic and for the right price. You can dial in the age group, target geographically, and manage your spend easily in the dashboard of Facebook.
We do recommend Facebook marketing for hunting outfitters who are newer. If the website was built recently, it will take some time for it to mature traffic-wise. Facebook is a cost-effective way to fill that gap.
Instagram Marketing for Hunting Guides
Instagram is kind of on the fringe in terms of the age demographics of it’s users. According to a source, roughly 17% of their users are between 25 and 34, with around half being under 20 (April 2022).
In other words, it’s full of the younger generation. But don’t overlook it’s potential, either. Instagram if you didn’t know, is owned by the same company as Facebook (Meta). Why is that important? Because they’re very tied together.
You can link your Instagram account with your Facebook account (as well as your website and other sources), so when you post it’ll automatically post to Facebook and your website as well as other sources. This makes managing your social media marketing MUCH easier and more efficient.
YouTube - But Why?
It was made official the other year, that YouTube will no longer pay channels that have hunting videos present. Yup, that sucks. But at the end of the day, while you can’t monetarily utilize YouTube, you can still use it as a marketing channel.
If you have hunting footage, of any kind, LET US HAVE IT PLEASE! We will help turn it into a marketing piece that’ll work for your outfit. YouTube is yet another chance for outfitters to show up on the search results for whatever they offer in the hunting world.
Use what’s available, especially for free, to your advantage whenever you can.
Social Media Marketing Recap
Social media gives your business another opportunity to reach your target market of interested hunters. While it’s not normally the first place people go to do research, it can trigger buyer impulses with the right ad at the right time.
Growing your social media presence over time will only help your outfitter business in terms of the amount of people you can reach. A proper posting timeline, coupled with the right content is an easy recipe for success on social media.
Are you taking advantage? Give us a shout if you’d like some assistance or opinions.
