Haunted Attraction Owners Must Adopt Year-Round Social Media Strategy
Hauntfeed is an example of Halloween industry social media.
Now is Time to Get Social Media Going
Easter is nearly here, but Halloween’s coming shadow looms large for thousands of haunted houses, hayrides, and other Halloween-related businesses. One expert says that amidst building props, devising new scares, and fretting fire codes, haunted attraction owners are neglecting a powerful tool for success: social media.
“Haunted attraction fans are very active and loyal to their holiday, year-round,” said Alex Greenwood, principal of AGPR, a social media and public relations firm in Kansas City, Mo. “Even when it’s cold enough to rely on your remote car starter, people line up. Yet we see haunted attractions basically abandoning their fans after the six-week haunt season. They’re essentially starting over with their marketing every year.”
Halloween is the fourth most popular holiday when it comes to consumer spending—next to Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter, according to Alliance Data Retail Services (ADRS), a marketing and customer loyalty solutions provider.
According to America Haunts, there are at least 1,200 haunted attractions charging admission nationwide every year, with 300 amusement parks “dressing up” for Halloween and more than 3,000 charity attractions that open for one day on Halloween or one of two weekends in October. The site also reports that the typical haunted attraction averages around 8,000 guests, depending on the market and size of the attraction. Some attractions do exponentially better. The haunted attraction industry generates between $300 and $500 million in ticket sales per year. There’s even a trade group: The Haunted Attraction Association.
One thing Greenwood sees over and over (with a few notable exceptions) is that haunted attractions do a lackluster job of keeping in touch with patrons beyond Halloween season. He does not advise running ads year-round, however, he does believe haunts should be keeping in touch with fans via social media.
“This half a billion-dollar industry basically thrives in a six-week window every year. If you own a haunted attraction, it better be good, it better be accessible…and people better know ‘boo’ about it,” Greenwood said. “You have to be very good at marketing, or you’re not going to make it.”
He added that being active on social media is a viable, even indispensable part of marketing. It costs time and creativity, year-round. The benefits? If consistent, a haunt’s entertaining presence on their Twitter of Terror, Gothic Google+, Fearsome Facebook, Icky Instagram, and even Lethal LinkedIn can foster a regular, top of mind relationship with haunted attraction fans. This way, when the hot and heavy marketing push starts in September, they will have an enthusiastic army of brand ambassadors ready to help spread the word by amplifying haunted attraction information and advertising.
“Can you imagine the increased bang for the TV buck if hundreds of fans share a haunt’s TV spot on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook? What about social media-inflamed excitement over ticket or fast pass giveaways, or people posting photos with scareactors from the wait line outside your attraction on Instagram?” Greenwood said.
Many haunted attraction owners rent their haunt space for special events or other commerce when they’re not frightening folks.
“Social media is a great way to let your fans know what’s happening year-round when the lights are on and the monsters are in storage.”
Greenwood’s firm helps businesses of all kinds manage their social media communities, whether they are Halloween haunts, Christmas pop-up stores, or even special sales events. He can be reached on Twitter @Haunt_Feed.
