Don’t just stay afloat – ride the digital wave like a pro
It’s no secret, the dive industry is behind the curve as far as the travel industry goes. And mostly, the reason for this is not a bad one. Most dive shops, resorts, and liveaboards are run by divers who are passionate about diving. They come from a wide variety of past lives, but technology and marketing are rarely one of them. This means that dive businesses will often fail to perform where they can as the owners are focusing only on what they love. But you need to customers to share that passion with! You need a digital marketing checklist.
Are you a dive shop or resort owner? Maybe a boat operator who knows you need “better marketing,” but don’t know where to start? You’re a long way from being alone. The digital space can feel like a tangled wreck dive: dark, confusing, and full of mysterious acronyms (SEO, PPC, CTA… BCD?). But if you want more bookings, better visibility, and loyal guests, you need a marketing strategy that’s clear, current, and actually works.
Good news: we’ve put together the Ultimate Digital Marketing Checklist for Dive Companies. It is designed for busy owners who’d rather be in the water than on a webinar.
Why You Need a Digital Marketing Checklist
First caveat, we have more than 30 years combined experience in the diving industry, with almost half of that in marketing. You can read more on what we did in our portfolio. The dive industry is catching up digitally, but very slowly. Resorts and stores that invest in their online presence, automated systems, and engagement strategies are stealing market share from those still relying on outdated websites and last-minute emails.
This digital marketing checklist will help you…
Audit your current marketing efforts
Prioritise improvements
Spot missed revenue opportunities
Align your digital strategy with guest expectations
Want the printable, downloadable version? 👉 Sign up and grab the free checklist here
Website & User Experience
- Mobile-friendly design – 70%+ of users are researching trips from their phones, and the younger your clients, the bigger that number gets
- Fast loading speed – Reef dives don’t take 8 seconds to load. Neither should your homepage
- Clear value proposition – Can users instantly tell what you offer and why it’s different? Patience is in short supply online, don’t make users search
- Online booking system – Booking systems dedicated to the industry like Inseanq are easy to use and make things easier not just for you, but for your clients. Bonus points for one with payment integration like Flywire
- High-quality images & videos – Include underwater shots, gear, boats, and most importantly happy humans.
- Testimonials & trust signals – TripAdvisor badges, Google reviews, certifications. Won any awards? Don’t be afraid to let people know that you’re good at what you do!
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
- Appropriate and local keywords – e.g., “scuba diving in [Your Destination]”
- Optimised meta titles and descriptions – No more “Home | Your Resort Name”
- Schema markup – For events, location, FAQs – help Google help you
- Blog content – Target long-tail keywords like “best time to dive in [Location]”. And if you don’t have a blog already… start one!
- Backlinks from reputable dive/travel sites – Authority matters
Website and SEO is generally where the dive industry falls, right out of the gate. If you don’t have a web presence or your site was nailed together by your sister’s husband’s cousin… you might need help. It needn’t cost a fortune to get the basics right.
Social Media & Content
- Instagram & Facebook presence – Regular, visual, story-driven content. Chances are you’re not a big company so put yourself or your staff front and centre!
- Reels & TikTok – Highlight staff, marine life, behind-the-scenes magic, and people enjoying the experience
- Content calendar – Avoid last-minute panic posting. You just need to find an hour every quarter to put a calendar together for 3 months. Then 15 minutes a day max to get posting
- Branded hashtags – #DiveWith[YourResort] builds community. It really works
- User-generated content – Nobody advertises your company better than your customers. Encourage and reshare guests’ media. You’ll be amazed what a small poster with a QR code that links to your social media can do for you
Email Marketing
- Automated post-trip follow-ups – Ask for reviews, upsell next trip. It’s much easier to convince someone to book or re-buy when they’re still buzzing from their trip
- Seasonal campaigns – Early bird offers, packages, courses. If you’re offering it in the shop or at the resort, then let your mailing list know about it too.
- Segmentation – Tag your customer list so you can track their interests and needs. Cert levels, interests, past locations = smarter messaging. A word of advice, if you don’t already have a customer list, start one and segment from day 1
- Lead magnet opt-in – Like… this very checklist! Offer something for free… you just need a mail and email address 😃
- Re-engagement workflows – We’re moving forward in organisation here, but these are great once you’ve gone through the trauma of setting them up
Online Listings & Reputation
- Google Business Profile optimised – So many people miss this, but it’s more important than you might imagine. Photos, hours, services, website
- TripAdvisor page managed and updated – Respond to reviews (yes, even bad ones) and be enthusiastic!
- OTA listings (if relevant) – Divebooker, PADI Travel, Booking.com And make sure your listing has great images and clarity with everything
- Consistent NAP (Name/Address/Phone) across the web. Often forgotten, but if you move or set up for the first time, make sure your details are the same no matter where they are listed
Analytics & Tracking
We’re moving into some deeper techy territory here, but if someone is doing this work for you then ask them about the below and get them to show you. It’s easy to bamboozle people with digital marketing terms, but most things can be explained simply… if people want to.
- Is your Google Analytics tracking properly configured? – ‘We’ve all heard of Google tracking’, but you need to actually set it up and understand what you want from it in order for it to be useful
- Conversion tracking for bookings and opt-ins – This might well require Google Tag Manager and some extra set up in Analytics (and Ad Manager if you’re paying for ads). But you want to know what’s working, right?
- UTM tags on all outbound campaigns – Basically, all little bit of unique text added to a link that allows you to see where visitors come to your website from
- Heatmaps or session recordings – Watch where users get stuck and where they leave (or how they buy)
- Quarterly marketing performance reviews – What’s working? What’s wasting time?
Bonus Tips for 2025 and Beyond:
- Experiment with AI. Blog writing, imagery, chatbots, reporting. A little research goes a long way. Just remember, it’s a tool, not an employee
- Use your social media to answer FAQs (“What’s the water temp in July?”). When you keep seeing the same questions, answer them and even pop a video on your website
- Collaborate with travel influencers in niche scuba/dive verticals. Be careful, there’s a lot of people promising and not delivering for freebies. Check everyone out and ask for some portfolio and references
- Automate … your waivers, gear forms, and trip reminders
- Don’t ignore accessibility – make your website friendly to all travellers
Ready to Dive Deeper?
🎁 Download the Ultimate Dive Resort Digital Marketing Checklist as a printable PDF – and while we are not yet ready for regular newsletters, if you sign up then you’ll get exclusive monthly tips straight to your inbox when we are. You will also have access to our, currently small, download library that we hope to grow over time. Just sign up and the checklist wil be waiting for you.
By The Way…
You don’t need to be a digital marketing guru for any of the above. You just need a system… and someone who speaks both scuba and strategy. Whether you’re in the Caribbean or Komodo, this checklist can help you reach more divers, fill your calendar, and build a community around your brand.
Got questions or want help ticking off these boxes? Let’s chat…
