One of the many benefits of your ARVC membership is the FREE listing you receive on our consumer site, GoCampingAmerica.com, and our new GoCampingAmerica.com mobile app.  With the busy summer season coming up, this is the ideal time to take a look at your listing to make sure it’s as informative as it can be so you can draw more campers to your park.

A great place to start is to go to GoCampingAmerica.com and enter your city or area so you can see your listing from a consumer’s perspective as well as the other campgrounds that will appear in their search results. How does your listing compare to the others? Here are some elements you should consider including in your listing if they’re not already there:

• *NEW*Add Phone Number – Add your phone number to your account and allow users on mobile devices to click to call your park! Make it easy for potential guests, especially those on the road, to call your park to book a site or get answers to their questions.
• Updated photos – There’s a lot of truth in the old adage, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Do your photos do the best job they can of showcasing your park? You can upload as many pictures as you want, but make sure you have at least two high-resolution photos to help your park stand out.
  BONUS TIP: Refresh your chosen images every few months to keep your park’s profile fresh and at the top of the search page!
• *NEW*Add Videos to Your Profile – You can post videos to your profile that interested campers can view while looking at your profile. Link to a YouTube video or your park and give users another way to see your park and learn why they should stay!
• Location – Your listing will automatically include a Google map with your location, but you can also include any special driving directions campers might need.
• Description – An overview of what makes your park unique.
• Season – The dates you’re open or if you’re open year-round.
• Park Features – Site options, recreation opportunities, amenities, services and lifestyle (family-friendly, 55 and over, pet-friendly, etc.)
• Nearby Attractions – List any natural wonders, hiking trails, tours, theme parks or other attractions campers would enjoy.
• Rates – You may want to include a range of rates or just list a “starting at” number.
• Clubs and Affiliations – Good Sam, military discounts, etc.
• Links to Your Website, Social Media and Reservations System – This will make it as easy as possible for campers to learn more about your park and book their reservations.

As one of the largest campground databases currently online, GoCampingAmerica.com has a powerful search engine. We help millions of people each year find their next camping adventure, and we want them to find your park! So make sure you join the many other ARVC member-parks that have taken full advantage of this free member benefit.

Deb Carter, CPO, OHC is the CEO of ARVC member-park Buttonwood Beach RV Resort in Earleville, Md. She is also executive director of the Maryland Association of Campgrounds (MAC) and is appreciative of the support she and her member campgrounds receive from GoCampingAmerica.com.

“The GoCampingAmerica website has undergone many changes since it was first introduced,” she says. “It's developed into a valuable asset, and ARVC member benefit for our Maryland campgrounds. It has widened our customer base by being available to current campers and prospective ones, 24/7. The introduction of the new mobile website (via a free app) is a wonderful addition, one that makes our information even easier to access, anywhere, anytime.  Even if our businesses aren't open, GCA is! So much in our hectic world, revolves around the need for better communication. GCA provides a great opportunity to get our messages across on a national and even international basis. The advertising opportunities on GCA when coupled with the social media and marketing that ARVC provides, are first class.” 

Once you decide what changes you’d like to make to your listing, just go to GoCampingAmerica.com, click on “Park Owner Login” at the top of the page and log in to your ARVC member account to update it. While you’re there, you can also review the total page views, unique visitors and website and reservation link clicks you’ve received through the GCA website and mobile app. Have a great summer season!