Driving Seasonal Growth for a Family-Centered Campground Franchise
Client Overview
A regional branch of a family-oriented campground franchise offering cabins, campsites, and recreation-focused experiences for travelers. Their location competes with numerous nearby campgrounds and lodging options, making visibility and differentiation essential for peak-season success.
Challenge
With summer being their most critical booking period, the client needed to stand out among a crowded field of alternative campgrounds and cabin rentals. They wanted to:
Reach families searching for outdoor travel options
Maximize bookings during the February–September ramp-up and peak season
Maintain a low average cost-per-click to stretch their advertising budget
Track and attribute phone calls driven by paid search
Additionally, the client needed to avoid competing with other franchise branches in neighboring regions, keeping marketing efforts efficient and non-competitive within their own brand family.
Objectives
PGH Digital partnered with the client with three clear goals:
Increase visibility and bookings among families seeking camping and cabin experiences.
Keep CPC low through precise and efficient keyword targeting.
Track phone calls generated through paid search to confirm real-world conversions.
PGH Digital’s Strategy
1. Targeted Search Campaigns
We built campaigns around keywords related to camping, cabins, and family travel. Our targeting focused on geographic areas known for outdoor recreation and high travel interest—while intentionally excluding nearby franchise regions to prevent internal competition.
This enabled the client to bid aggressively where it mattered most and conserve budget where it wouldn’t produce meaningful returns.
2. Remarketing Display Campaigns
To stay top of mind before and during the crucial booking window, PGH Digital launched remarketing campaigns that re-engaged past site visitors. These ads reinforced the campground’s family-focused environment and reminded potential guests to finalize their reservations.
3. Call Tracking & Attribution
To meet the client’s request for stronger visibility into customer behavior, click-to-call tracking was implemented within search campaigns. This allowed us to directly measure phone inquiries generated by ads—an essential step for a business where many bookings still happen via phone.
Results
The client has now partnered with PGH Digital for two seasons, with campaigns running February–September each year. Results show steady growth, lowered costs, and increased engagement.
Search Campaign Performance
2024 Search Results
Impressions: 33,221
Clicks: 5,628
CTR: 16.94%
Avg. CPC: $0.83
Phone Calls: 22
2025 Search Results
Impressions: 42,317 (+27.4%)
Clicks: 5,905 (+4.92%)
CTR: 13.95% (-17.06%)
Avg. CPC: $0.71 (-14.46%)
Phone Calls: 41 (+86.36%)
Key Takeaways:
While CTR decreased slightly due to broader reach, impressions and clicks increased year-over-year.
Average CPC dropped significantly, reflecting improved efficiency in targeting.
Phone calls nearly doubled, showing improved lead quality and engagement.
Remarketing Campaign Performance
2024 Remarketing Results
Impressions: 458,778
Clicks: 20,845
CTR: 4.54%
Avg. CPC: $0.15
2025 Remarketing Results
Impressions: 572,588 (+24.81%)
Clicks: 27,511 (+31.98%)
CTR: 4.80% (+5.73%)
Avg. CPC: $0.13 (-13.33%)
Key Takeaways:
Strong increases in impressions and clicks indicate heightened interest and ongoing demand.
CTR improved while CPC dropped, highlighting cost-effective, engaging creative.
Remarketing continues to be a valuable driver of return visitors during peak booking season.
Conclusion
As a seasonal business with strong local competition, this client required a thoughtful and data-driven approach to maximize bookings. By combining strategic keyword targeting, geographic precision, remarketing, and clear phone call attribution, PGH Digital delivered measurable growth and efficiency across both seasons. Whether a brand is seasonal, highly competitive, or regionally segmented, PGH Digital builds campaigns that align with each client’s unique challenges and long-term goals.