From site regulars to site owners, a husband-and-wife business duo are relishing an exciting future after a digital upgrade and marketing overhaul at their much-loved caravan park.
Having been holiday makers at Ty’n Don Caravan Park for more than 20 years, Janet and her husband Ralph took on the task of modernising the site with plans for solar panels, wind turbines and even carbon neutral heating.
Based on the Welsh coastal path overlooking Porth Neigwl Bay – known as Hell’s Mouth – in Gwynedd, the site boasts a range of accommodation and facilities, including 10 holiday cottages, a farmhouse that can sleep up to 18 guests, and a dedicated area for long-stay static caravans - all set within 17 acres of countryside.
As part of their takeover, the business is undergoing a full digital upgrade with a new website and a modern booking system, as well as a marketing strategy that focuses on social media and search engine optimisation (SEO). The revamp is thanks to support provided by Superfast Business Wales.
Janet said: “We bought the site in 2019, just before COVID, and we spent lockdown renovating the existing holiday cottages and we also turned the farmhouse into further accommodation that can welcome larger groups.
“We wanted to know how to better use social media to promote our business, so sought professional advice. A friend who owns a holiday rental recommended Superfast Business Wales to us and the support has been really useful.
“We had no previous understanding of how to run a holiday business, so we were very new to it all. Tapping into expert knowledge has helped us to look at things from a business perspective and understand the value of digital marketing.”
Following a full review of the Ty’n Don Caravan Park’s website and booking processes, Superfast Business Wales provided a consultation report with clear actionable recommendations.
Recognising the benefits of a social media content plan, Janet said: “We’re not big Facebook or Instagram users, but we feel more comfortable posting since the advice given in the report. What’s good is that you can adapt the recommendations to fit what will suit you, such as the number of times you post each week or the type of content you share.
“The consultation has certainly made us come on board with using social media for business and we now understand its positive marketing value.
“We’re going to utilise more content on social media, to engage with our regular customers with the aim being to generate new bookings. We’ve been posting on Instagram and have seen a positive reaction from our followers so far, but we’re planning to use the stories feature more this season so we can share a wider range of content more frequently.”
With three aspects to the business – the caravan site, existing holiday lets, and the newly renovated house for larger bookings – it was recognised that a refreshed website would help increase enquiries.
Janet said:
“Superfast Business Wales’ web review helped us to look more closely at how we were using the website and how we could make the booking process more efficient. We’re now working with a web designer to implement a modular system where people can easily view the accommodation available on dates throughout the season.
“The web copy is also being updated to focus on links and SEO, which we didn’t know much about before and we’re looking forward to seeing what results this will generate. The support from Superfast Business Wales has dramatically increased our awareness of how we needed to modernise the site.”
Having previously paid an agency to handle all website bookings, Janet and Ralph were keen to build trust with new and existing customers by embedding the booking system directly into the site.
Janet continued: “We knew our booking system required work and the consultation has shown us simple ways to refine what we do.
“The people that book regularly have told us they like the new format, as they can see all the options on a grid, so there’s been a positive reaction so far. Bringing this process in-house has also saved us money, as we no longer need to outsource 100 per cent of our bookings to an agent.
“It’s too early in the year to tell if there’ll be an increase in revenue from these changes, but we’ll be using analytical tools to monitor results as the season progresses. The main thing is we now know we’re on the right track.”
Janet and Ralph, who benefitted from the significant rise in staycations last year amid the pandemic, are grateful for the invaluable holistic support provided by Superfast Business Wales in what is an uncertain time.
Janet added: “The expertise from Superfast Business Wales has been very useful and we’d recommend the support to other businesses looking for a fresh perspective on how they can grow.
“Superfast Business Wales is now helping us communicate our ‘go green’ efforts and sustainability initiatives, activities and vision through social media and our website.
“We are passionate about caring for the natural environment surrounding the site and we have rare species of wildlife living close by. We’re working with local environmental organisations to ensure we’re helping the animals around us by aspects such as creating meadow pastures.”