Are you a camp operator juggling social media, emails, registration, AND running camp—all at once?

You’re not alone. Let’s fix your marketing workflow, one mistake at a time.

Why DIY Marketing Can Hurt (If Done Wrong)

Many camp operators lean into DIY marketing to save money or move quickly. Totally fair—agencies can be expensive, and your team wears multiple hats.

But without structure, DIY marketing often leads to:

• Poor engagement

• Low camper sign-ups

• Complete marketing burnout

This guide highlights 8 major pitfalls camp operators face and how to fix each one quickly and affordably.

1. Lack of a Clear Strategy

❌ What Goes Wrong
You post when you remember, send occasional emails, and boost a random post—but nothing sticks.

✅ What to Do

• Set 1–2 SMART goals: “Increase camper registrations by 25% this season.”

• Define your audience: new families? returning campers?

• Map the journey:

  • Awareness: Social, local outreach

  • Interest: Website, testimonials

  • Action: Easy-to-use registration & follow-up messages

🧠 Pro Tip: Use a free Notion content calendar or Google Sheet to plan the next 90 days.

New camp operators can list their program for free on directories like BackPR directory to gain extra visibility early in the season.

2. Inconsistent Branding

❌ What Goes Wrong
Your website looks like one thing, your social posts another. Families don’t recognize or remember you.

✅ What to Do

• Lock in 2–3 brand colors, a logo, and 1–2 fonts

• Set a consistent tone (adventurous? nurturing? funny?)

• Save your brand assets in a shared Canva folder or Google Drive

📌 Example: A camp in Vermont saw a 40% increase in trust scores after branding their social and email with the same tone and visuals.

3. Underestimating the Time Commitment

❌ What Goes Wrong
You plan big—4 posts a week, 2 emails, 1 promo video—but marketing gets sidelined by camper chaos.

✅ What to Do

• Schedule content ahead with Buffer or Later

• Automate welcome emails and reminders

• Delegate content creation to a staffer or intern

🕒 Quick Win: Block 1 hour every Friday for marketing review and next-week prep.

4. Neglecting Data and Metrics

❌ What Goes Wrong
You’re busy posting—but you don’t know what works.

✅ What to Do

• Use Google Analytics 4 to track form submissions, traffic, and bounce rates

• Add UTM codes to all campaign links

• Track key data weekly

📊 Metrics That Matter:

5. Trying to Be on Every Platform

❌ What Goes Wrong
You stretch yourself too thin on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest—without seeing results.

✅ What to Do

• Focus on 1–2 platforms your families actually use (usually Facebook + Instagram)

• Repurpose content instead of creating new posts for every platform

• Check which content actually performs—and double down on that

📱 Example: One camp found camper throwbacks got 40+ likes on Facebook but flopped on TikTok. They shifted resources to Facebook.

6. Ignoring the Parent Journey

❌ What Goes Wrong
You promote the fun stuff—rock climbing, s’mores, games—but parents care about safety, emotional growth, and trust.

✅ What to Do

• Answer parent questions directly:

  • “Who’s watching my child?”

  • “Is my kid going to make friends?”

  • “How do you handle safety?”

• Add counselor bios, daily schedules, and testimonials

• Feature parent quotes and reviews on your homepage

🧑‍🎓 Case Study: One camp added a “Meet the Staff” section and saw 60% more inquiries from new parents.

7. Not Leveraging Your Camp Community

❌ What Goes Wrong
You overlook your greatest asset: your current and past families, alumni, and staff.

✅ What to Do

• Run a referral program with $50 off or free merch

• Ask for testimonials after each season

• Encourage parents to tag your camp on social

🧵 Example Hashtag: Launch something like #CampEverbrightMemories to collect and repost user-generated content.

8. Wearing Too Many Hats

❌ What Goes Wrong
You’re the camp operator, the customer service lead, the tech guy—and now, the marketer too.

✅ What to Do

• Hire a part-time VA or marketing intern during the busy season

• Outsource ad design or blog writing as needed

• Use AI tools like ChatGPT for drafting emails or post ideas (then edit for tone)

💡 Quick Exercise: List every marketing task. Outsource or delegate the bottom 30%.

Final Thoughts: Your DIY Marketing Game Plan

DIY doesn’t mean doing it all yourself—it means being smart and strategic about your time, budget, and energy.

🔑 Key Reminders for Camp Operators:

• Have a clear plan

• Stay visually consistent

• Speak to parent concerns

• Let your community help

• Track what’s working

• Ask for help when needed

 FAQs for Camp Operators

Q: Should I market on Instagram or Facebook?
A: If your core audience is parents aged 30–50, Facebook is the best place to start. Use Instagram for visuals and fun behind-the-scenes.

Q: What’s the #1 DIY mistake camp operators make?
A: Marketing without a clear goal or plan. Posting isn’t enough—you need a purpose.

Q: Can AI help with camp marketing?
A: Absolutely. Use it to generate ideas, captions, and outlines. But always add a human touch before publishing.