Internet Marketing 101

by Michael Cruz

There's no doubt that the internet has revolutionized the way we live and even function. When was the last time you checked your email, visited a search engine or read a post on a message board? The fact is, the internet is obviously more than a fad, it's already an integral part of our every day lives.

Like with anything in life, change is the inevitable that includes how you promote your haunt. As radio loses market share to iPods and Satellite broadcasters, it's becoming more challenging to find those willing to spend money on tickets during the short Halloween season.

If your show caters to the teen and young adult crowd, it may be easier and more cost effective to find those groups via tools available on the internet. Even if your show is seeking families, most still use the internet as their main resource for locating specific information.

Any savvy haunt owners know that you need to survey your audience in order to know how they learned about your show. Having spoken to several haunt owners after the 2005 Halloween season, it was unanimous that when they surveyed their paying customers -- the internet was the leading method of information that brought people to the ticket booth.

Today, having a web site with basic information is only the beginning to the road of successful internet marketing. Unlike a billboard or a 60-second radio commercial, you've got virtually unlimited "space" to market your show online. Pictures, video, sound effects, message boards, media releases, interactive games and other content can be posted on your web site which can greatly affect the chances of a visitor becoming a customer.

One other advantage a web site has over radio or other medium is the ability to track where your visitors originate. Referred to as "metrics," this allows you to quantify the value of each visitor that comes to your site. In order understand this concept; your site needs traffic analysis software which can be found by doing a quick search on Google. With this software, you'll be able to determine who, when and how visitors are finding your site. This is far advantageous because the software can show you in easy-to-understand format information that no other medium such as radio can provide.

The Future of Internet Marketing for Haunters

In my first book Field of Screams: How to Promote Halloween & Haunted Attractions, in 1994 I predicted that someday the internet would not only be a powerful marketing method but it was just a matter of time before sites would become a similar to a TV station where the site owner could broadcast their own videos. Today, not only is that true but it only the beginning of new opportunities. Here are other predictions I suspect will occur over the next few years...

- Cheesy Web Sites be Gone.

One of the latest studies concluded that visitors only need 50 milliseconds to determine if your site is "worthy" of them exploring. That translates into a 1/2 second to make sure your site is not only visually appealing but it also allows visitors to quickly locate the specific information they're seeking.

- Growth of online ticket sales.

As most of you know, I've always been a big fan of online ticket sales. Not only does it get your customers to financially commit to your show, it guarantees you another source of revenue.

- Using Radio to Generate Online Traffic.

Let's face it, radio definitely has value for haunters but as more haunt owners use radio, they will focus more of their efforts to get radio listeners to visit the web site. That usually means that they announce their show in the radio spot but repeatedly recite the event's web address to get visitors.

- Quality Content will Bring More Traffic.

Most haunts list the basics: The who, what, when, where but today, search engines -- not visitors are seeking to provide results that offer quality content. As mentioned before, content could be photos, descriptions of the attraction(s), event history or other information that helps the visitor learn more about your show. The more quality content your site offers, the better chances of sites giving you better ranking.

- Search Engine Paid Placement.

With a once-a-year sales cycle, it's important that your site be found during October (or whenever your show operates). Companies such as Google and Yahoo offer ad programs where you can receive top paid placement and only pay once a person clicks on your ad and visits your site. Starting at 5-cents a click, this is a sure way of locating quality targeted traffic.

- iPod Downloads.

Imagine being able to let visitors download your haunt's video or commercial message to view on a user's iPod. These can also be displayed at your web site for additional content exposure.

- Paid Listings.

As more haunters recognize the value of targeted traffic, haunt directories such as HauntedHouse.com, HauntWorld and others will start charging for more coveted spaces or exposure within their directories. This isn't to gouge haunters but to merely cover the large costs it involves operating sites of this magnitude.

No matter how you look at it, the internet continues to become more of an important part of everyday life. By using these tips above, you're sure to have an advantage over your competition.

Michael Cruz was managing partner of HauntedHouse.com from 2003 - 2006, a leading Halloween haunted house online portal. Author, internet developer and former haunter has been serving the haunt industry since 1994.