How Your Website is the Key to More Bookings

• 3 min read

Hello, adventure guides!
I’m Anthony Miller, founder of Travel Outside. In this post, I’ll walk you through the most common website challenges guides face and how you can fix them to drive more bookings. If you have questions, feel free to email me at support@traveloutside.com—I’m here to help!

Why Your Website Matters

Your website is your most powerful marketing tool. Research shows that by 2028, over 75% of all travel revenue will come from online bookings. Without an effective website, your ability to generate bookings diminishes, especially from key sources like search engines, social media, and paid advertising.

Did you know?

  • 75% of users judge a company’s credibility based on its website.
  • 38% of visitors leave a site they consider poorly designed.
  • A well-designed website can increase conversions by 200% or more.

Your website is often the first impression you make—let’s ensure it counts!

What Makes an Effective Website?

1. Above the Fold Content
The “above the fold” section is the first thing visitors see without scrolling. It’s prime real estate for grabbing attention and encouraging further exploration.

Key elements to include:

  • A clear and concise headline.
  • Supporting subhead text.
  • Bulleted value propositions or callouts.
  • A prominent call-to-action (e.g., “Book Now”).
  • A video overview of your business.
  • Easy-to-use navigation menus.

Pro Tip: The content above the fold is the most impactful part of your site. Don’t waste it!

2. Navigation Menus
Clear, intuitive navigation is crucial for helping users find what they need.

Best practices for navigation:

  • Organize content logically.
  • Use simple, intuitive labels.
  • Ensure menus work seamlessly on mobile devices.
  • Maintain consistent labels across pages.
  • Include clear calls-to-action like “Book Now” or “Contact Us.”

Pro Tip: Over 50% of lost opportunities come from users not finding what they’re looking for. Make your menus simple and accessible.

3. Calls to Action (CTAs)
CTAs guide visitors from interest to action. Effective CTAs can increase your conversion rate by over 300%.

Key strategies for CTAs:

  • Use two types: a primary (e.g., “Book Now”) and a secondary (e.g., “Join Our Newsletter”).
  • Place CTAs prominently on key pages.
  • Use action-oriented language like “Book Today.”
  • Ensure consistency across your site.
  • Use buttons to make CTAs stand out.

Pro Tip: Strong, clear CTAs help visitors take the next step—don’t miss out on these opportunities.

4. Mobile Experience
With over 60% of web traffic coming from mobile, your site must perform seamlessly on all devices.

Mobile experience checklist:

  • Ensure the site adapts to different screen sizes.
  • Use mobile-friendly buttons and forms.
  • Test regularly on various devices.
  • Minimize form fields where possible.
  • Allow users to bookmark or save progress for later.

Pro Tip: A bad mobile experience drives 88% of users away—think mobile-first!

5. Page Speed
Every second counts when it comes to loading times. A slow site significantly increases bounce rates and decreases conversions.

How to improve page speed:

  • Compress images and use optimized formats.
  • Reduce file sizes.
  • Use content delivery networks (CDNs).
  • Defer non-essential scripts.
  • Choose a fast, reliable hosting provider.

Pro Tip: Faster pages lead to higher conversions. Aim for loading times of under 3 seconds.

6. Data & Analytics
Tracking your site’s performance is essential to identifying areas for improvement.

Analytics must-haves:

  • Track key actions, like bookings and inquiries.
  • Monitor channel performance and bounce rates.
  • Review time spent on site and drop-off points in the booking process.
  • Use heatmaps to understand user behavior.

Pro Tip: You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Use analytics to refine your site and boost bookings.

Wrapping Up

Think back to how you rated your website earlier. Are you confident it’s meeting the key areas we discussed? If not, don’t wait to make improvements. Whether you tackle these updates yourself or seek professional help, your website should never hold you back from achieving your goals.

Helpful tools: Need resources to measure or improve your site? Email me at support@traveloutside.com—I’ll send you links and recommendations.

Thank You!

Thank you for taking the time to learn how your website can become your biggest marketing asset. If you’d like more guidance or to schedule a call, email me at support@traveloutside.com.