Running a watersport business without a focus on marketing is missing out on a huge opportunity to spread the word about your company. Awkward Watersport Guys Podcast claims that “90% of running a watersport business is about the right marketing message.”. Bearing this quote in mind, we decided to list the top 5 marketing education platforms watersport rental and boat tour operators shouldn’t overlook if you want to grow your company. The great thing about these marketing platforms is that most of them are available for free, so all it takes is just time, effort, and a commitment to learning. “No one ever said too much training or education is enough” as Greg Fisher, WaveRez CEO, claims, so let’s dive right into it.
What Marketing Education Platforms Are & Why Watersport Operators Need to Use Them
Marketing education platforms are a set of video courses and tests that teach various areas of digital marketing. Digital marketing consists of many aspects, including email marketing, social media marketing, and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Each marketing area is equally important, as they all serve as different marketing channels that help you reach more customers.
Familiarizing yourself with digital marketing can be cumbersome, especially if you are new to this, which is why there are educational marketing platforms that facilitate your learning experience. Typically, a certificate course consists of a set of videos followed by a test with questions based on the material covered. Usually, it takes a few hours to complete a course, but some can be shorter than an hour. Getting a better idea of how marketing works these days is still helpful even if you delegate your marketing; here are key reasons why you want to complete online marketing courses:
- Know How Marketing Channels Work: As with any other educational material, you want to make sure you become an expert in the field you are trying to learn more about. Whether that’s the Instagram Algorithm or your website SEO, you want to have at least a basic understanding of how programs function. This will help make sure you can configure them the way you want or know how to troubleshoot if something goes wrong.
- Obtain a Certificate: All educational courses issue you a certificate upon successful completion. Think of certificates as boating licenses – if you have them, it demonstrates your ability to operate your watercraft, but just in a different way, metaphorically speaking.
- Engage Your Customers: Having marketing certificates provides you with an opportunity to show them off on your website and social media profiles, which provides your users with an incentive to get connected with your brand.
- Establish Your Credibility: There are not that many watersport operators (in fact, we don’t know any) who have completed a marketing course, so become the first one in your location to let everyone who is a marketing guru here. 🙂
- Get More Bookings: Ultimately, based on all the specified reasons so far, you want to have more customers who will book with you; it becomes so easy with certificates.
Now let’s look at different marketing educational platforms for jet ski rental and boat tour operators to consider for scaling up your watersport business.
Marketing Educational Platforms
#1: Google Ads
Being one of the best ways to market your watersport business in the new digital age, Google Ads can certify you as an expert in using their platform. During the certification course, not only do you learn how to use the platform itself, you also figure out how to target your audience better if you study your market. Utilizing digital ads has become especially important these days since Apple released iOS 14.6 due to the introduced restrictions on tracking user behavior online. The great thing about Google Ads pricing is that it is pay-as-you-go, just like with WaveRez. Reach new customers and sell empty seats with Google Ads assistance.
#2: Microsoft Advertising
Just like Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising certificate courses can help you reach new customers with their ad platform. According to our observations at WaveRez, Bing Ads tend to be more popular than Google Ads for older generations. If you are focused on attracting senior citizen customers, consider investing your time and effort in learning how to use Microsoft Ads. Unlike Google Ads, Microsoft Ads place ads on multiple search engines, including Bing, and Yahoo, which means you can reach a wider audience. Additionally, there’s a way for you to duplicate an ad copy you created for Google Ads making it easier to start advertising on new mediums. Microsoft Advertising Certified Professional Exam is an excellent choice for those watersport operators who decided to take their digital advertising skills to the next level.
#3: Google Analytics Academy
Have you ever wondered who visits your website, when your customers do this, and what pages they visit more frequently than others? These are just some of the questions you will get the answer to once you learn how to use Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager tools via Google Analytics Academy certificate courses! Find out how your customers reach your website – organic searches, referrals by other companies, or other ways. This information will guide you on where to concentrate your marketing efforts so that vacationers and travelers can more easily find out about the watersport activities you offer.
#4: HubSpot Academy
If there’s any specific area of digital marketing you want to learn more about, there’s no better place to start than HubSpot Academy. From quick, practical courses to comprehensive certifications, you can learn everything you need to know about the most sought-after business skills for growing your business. The great thing about HubSpot Academy is that their certificate courses are free, so all it takes is your undivided attention and commitment to learning. If you’re unsure where to start, the Inbound Marketing course can help you figure out marketing techniques ranging from content creation to social promotion to converting and nurturing leads and beyond.
#5: LinkedIn Learning
Finally, the last marketing education platform that we recommend watersport operators to check out is LinkedIn Learning. LinkedIn is a social media platform that focuses on the professional backgrounds of its users by providing an opportunity to network with people working for companies of your interest. LinkedIn Learning, just like HubSpot Academy offers a great library of video courses featuring certified experts in the business area. Unlike any other marketing educational platform, LinkedIn Learning courses offer educational materials not just related to marketing, but also finance, operations, and many more. LinkedIn Learning isn’t free; however, states like MA offer free access through Boston Public Library membership. If you have a very specific question related to your watersport business growth, such as investing in workforce training, or diversity & inclusion, then you need LinkedIn Learning.
Conclusion
The importance of marketing educational platforms can’t be stressed enough. The marketing educational platforms that we listed are just some among many other marketing educational platforms available out there. We chose to share these platforms because those are the ones we tried ourselves and can speak to their credibility.
Although marketing should be delegated at times, we still recommend utilizing ways to learn how this important business area develops these days. Not only does it help to stay on top of industry trends, it also makes your business competitive. You want to get connected with your customers as closely as you can and, to make sure it happens, all you need is to know how to approach marketing in the new digital age.
Managing your booking flows is just as important as knowing how marketing works these days. WaveRez makes it easy for you to control your reservations, as well as communicate with your customers. Learn more details on WaveRez features and schedule your free demo today to supercharge your watersport business.
About the Author
Greg Fisher
