Should Our Golf Course Have a Facebook Page?
YOU’VE GOT TO GET ON FACEBOOK
Facebook offers a lot of opportunity for Golf Courses to get feedback, try out new ideas and keep their facility top of mind with their guests and members. Like all of these social sites, the main thing to consider before you start setting up a page for your Golf Course is whether you have the time to manage it effectively.
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
It’s free to setup a Facebook page for your Golf Course, so the only cost is your time. But like Twitter, it can’t be something you just broadcast out, and never engage back in the conversation that may be happening on your page. While it might be slightly more professional than Twitter, you still have to try and switch out of stuffy business mode and talk how regular people talk. Be prepared to get feedback from customers on the things you post – good and bad. So it’s important to think about whether you have 10-20 minutes per week (initially) to post and respond.
TOP OF MIND FOR YOUR BRAND
Facebook is a great way to keep your golf facility in the minds of potential customers and members. Whenever you post something to your Facebook page, all the people that follow you get that update in their Facebook live feed – the stream of information you see when you first log in to Facebook.
Also, anytime someone “Likes” or comments on your Facebook page, everyone who follows that person also sees your business’ name. It’s a great way to remind people about what you do, so long as you do it with tact and don’t abuse it. People can always unlike you or block your updates if they think you’re posting too much.
As you can see from the above post from Cooke Municipal Golf Course in Prince Albert, with the post congratulating 2 of the course Members on their recent success, the post is getting plenty of traction with the 41 people who have “liked” the post. Obviously people love hearing about the accomplishments of friends and fellow golfers, and a post of this size can be created in a matter of minutes.
Do everything you possibly can to add a relevant image to your Facebook Posts. Not only do posts with images get a lot more interest than posts without images, they also allow golfers to match a face to a golfer they see out at the golf course, which provides for a more friendly club atmosphere.
WHAT SHOULD WE POST ON OUR GOLF COURSE FACEBOOK PAGE?
There are unlimited topics and news you can post on your Golf Course Facebook Page. Slip inside a golfer’s brain for a minute and really think about what you’d like to read about. Check out your competitor’s Facebook Pages and see what type of posts are getting the most interest. Sample items and topics to post to your Golf Course Facebook Page can include;
- Recent Tournaments Results (both club events and provincial events)
- Picture and summary of recent hole-in-ones at your facility
- Course Improvements
- Pictures from your Members and Guests of your facility
- Run a Contest or Promotion
- Instruction from your PGA of Canada Professionals
BEFORE CLICKING “POST” ON FACEBOOK, ASK YOURSELF THESE 5 QUESTIONS
- Is this post shareable?
- Is it short?
- Does it have a “Call to Action”?
- Is it conversational?
- Is it relevant to our Golf Course?
FEEDBACK & RESEARCH
Facebook can also be used as a quick way to get feedback on your golf facility. Perhaps you’re considering stocking a new product that you haven’t had previously – ask the golfers on your Facebook page for feedback and see what kind of response you get. Or maybe you’re thinking about changing the hours that your restaurant is open – ask and see what people think. Again, the key is to do it tactfully and not come off like you’re just using people like a marketing research firm might do it through telemarketing. For a golf facility that can’t afford to spend a ton of time and money on market research, this can be an invaluable tool for determining your golf course’s direction.
