For years, businesses have used word of mouth, commercials, print ads, and newspapers to engage customers. These practices are still important, but digital platforms and social media are now far more important.

While digital advertising platforms provide a vast number of benefits, a few reasons stand above the rest including the ability to engage customers in real time, only paying for the result achieved, and the ability to target specific consumers while they are in their active buying cycle.

Social media is booming, and businesses are taking advantage of this trend. Using social media to promote our clubs is one of the easiest ways to engage customers, especially millennials. Our Digital Wizards are increasingly focused on the newest and hottest trends to engage customers and prospects on social media.

It all starts with great content. Statistics show people are more likely to engage posts that include video than those with just a picture or no picture at all. In fact, social video generates 1200% more shares than text and images combined. We are executing this strategy across our social platforms to enhance customer engagement.

Bobby Jones Links recently created a video at Fox Creek Golf Club in Smyrna, Georgia, called speed golf. While the game of golf normally requires patience and control, the goal was to play the par five, sixth hole as fast as possible without a golf cart. The video reached over 5,000 people and had over 3,300 video views on Facebook alone.

Bobby Jones Links also participate in a monthly Tip of the Month series. These videos are one to three minutes in length and include golf, tennis, chef, and bartender tips and tricks to ‘play’ like the pros. In doing this, Bobby Jones Links owned and managed clubs have seen on average, a 30% growth in engagement.

Bobby Jones Links’ Digital Wizards are also taking advantage of social platforms that allow you to engage with your followers in real time – live video. Have you ever shot live video? It isn’t as easy as it may seem. Something about being live and not being able to re-shoot gives many the jitters. Bobby Jones Links utilizes Facebook Live, Instagram Stories, and Snapchat to keep up with our members and guests in real-time. We will go live for results of a golf tournament, a concert on the range, inner tube basketball, construction updates, etc. Facebook Live videos see an average of 20% more engagement than the normal Facebook post. Maybe it is time you put the nerves aside and give it a shot?

79% of American Internet user are on Facebook. Armed with this information, Bobby Jones Links realizes how beneficial staying active on social platforms and utilizing their targeting tools to place ads tailored to specific audiences is. Through audience management, paid advertising across social platforms allow us to deliver our message or call to action to a specific group of people whether we want to target 18-35 year old tennis players from Atlanta or 35-65 year old golfers from Augusta.

Unlike traditional advertising, the best part is we are only paying for the results we achieve. Using paid advertising and targeting of audiences, Bobby Jones Links managed Clubs drive more page likes, increase event inquiries, sell more members and stay closer to our customers!