Park operators now have access to a free diagnostic tool that can tell them in seconds if they have any problems with their website that could cause consumers to look elsewhere for campsites and rental accommodations.
ParkGrader.com went live in early April, giving park operators the ability to conduct instant online audits of their website to pinpoint technical or content problems with their website, which could lower their Google rankings and prompt consumers to seek campsites or rental accommodations from competing parks. All park operators have to do is type in their website and the audit results will pop up in less than a minute.
“We basically offer a free audit of their digital presence,” said Brian Kelly, the Florida-based founder of Bucky Solutions, who launched ParkGrader.com as a free tool for the outdoor hospitality industry. Of course, Kelly and his team offer technical support to help park operators fix any problems the online audit identifies. But park operators are also free to take their audit results and share them with their current website consultants.
“We offer free audits as a way of establishing trust,” Kelly said, adding that he also attends campground industry tradeshows to explain what ParkGrader.com looks for and what park operators can do to fix the problems it identifies through the online audits.
“Some clients run audits on their competitors to see how they can be more competitive on the digital front,” Kelly said.
One problem affecting many park websites is slow loading times for mobile phones. This issue is typically caused by having too many high-resolution photos, which can bog down loading times. Loading times are an issue, Kelly said, because more than half of consumers use their phones to book their campsites.
People who don’t have the patience to wait a long time for a website to load will simply go to another site to book their campsite, he said. The problem can be fixed, however, by optimizing the size of the photos on the website so that they don’t slow down website loading times.
Slow loading times not only prompt consumers to go elsewhere. They also result in lower Google search rankings because Google downgrades websites with slow loading times, Kelly said.
Of course, there are many other problems that ParkGrader.com can identify. The audit has 36 areas of focus, providing in-depth analysis of a website’s strengths and weaknesses.
When Woodall’s Campground Magazine typed in the website of one Southern California RV resort, several problems were identified besides slow website loading times for mobile phones.
These included:
- Incomplete Google listings.
- RV hookup details are missing or unclear.
- Big Rig details are missing, such as maximum length and site type.
- No cancellation policy posted.
- Pet policy missing or unclear.
- Guests see surprise fees.
ParkGrader.com also evaluates whether a park’s website has too much AI-generated content, which can prompt Google to downgrade the website.
“Human-written blog posts are better,” Kelly said, adding, “Google can tell if people are using AI to write their blog posts.”
ParkGrader.com flags the kind of website content that can result in lower Google rankings, such as a limited diversity of words and repetitive cliche-like phrases such as “unforgettable stay,” “nestled in nature,” or “world-class amenities.”
“Our detection method uses simple heuristics to identify templated, repetitive, and SEO-stuffed writing,” Kelly said, noting that the quality of website blog content matters.
“Google rewards quality content regardless of how it was created,” Kelly said. “The issue is that nine times out of ten, AI will not create what Google considers ‘Quality.’ Google has become very good at detecting this and will downgrade sites that rely on AI heavily.”
Kelly said it’s also critically important for park operators to remember that AI is simply a tool and not a replacement for human creativity, particularly when it comes to blog writing.
ParkGrader.com can also compare a park’s website and online profile with those of other parks within a radius of 10 to 30 miles. In making these comparisons, ParkGrader.com analyses not only the frequency of guest reviews, but the frequency with which the park operator responds to guests’ reviews, regardless of whether they are positive or negative.
“Google will not punish you for having bad reviews, but for not responding to them,” Kelly said, adding, “Having bad reviews is better than having no reviews. Google rewards you for your review volume, regardless of whether it’s positive or negative, and your responses to these reviews.”
Kelly said many parks need to do more to encourage their guests to post reviews because this can ultimately help a park improve its online rankings with Google.
“Having reviews is important, especially when it comes to actually being found online,” Kelly said.
ParkGrader.com also scans websites for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well as consumers’ ease of use in simply booking campsites or cabins on the website. Sometimes there are technical problems with booking.
“When was the last time you actually tried booking a site on your own website?” Kelly asked. “A lot of parks don’t realize when things are working well because they don’t test them enough. A lot of times, there are underlying things, especially with security, that can undermine a website.”
Kelly said ParkGrader.com will have a booth at the upcoming Florida and Alabama Outdoor Hospitality Convention & Expo, from April 29 to May 1, at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Fla.
