Discover Pub Ideas To Make Money & Market Your Pub With Confidence

Explore pub ideas to make money, build brand loyalty, increase bookings and get more customers through your door. From local SEO to dedicated listings, here are our expert pub marketing ideas.

Pub marketing strategies

User-first website approach

Make sure you’re getting the most out of your website. Start by taking a considered look at your pub and defining what it is you’re trying to sell. Is it just rooms or do you have other products and services available – restaurant, afternoon tea packages, dog/hiking packages, meeting/banqueting rooms? Ensure that each offer is clearly displayed and easy for you to track from a conversion rate perspective. 

Serve easy-to-find information

Make it easy for guests to find what they’re looking for. Rather than just looking to book, they’re likely looking for key information like check-in, check-out times, details on parking, directions and so on. Ensuring this information is easy to read and navigate enhances the user experience and builds brand loyalty before they step through the door.

Social media marketing

Social media is a key part of your pub’s digital marketing strategy. Use social to support brand visibility, encourage guest engagement and increase bookings. Social is a great territory for content, either generated by yourself or by your guests (also known as user-generated content). However, it’s important to have a reliable presence. Guests or followers could get in touch 24/7, so timely responses are key to success. Be sure to share positive feedback and always respond and engage – even if it’s negative.

Get influencing

Influencers are another part of the social media mix – but before you decide to work with them, do your research and make sure they’re legitimate and the right fit for your brand. Often this can mean quality over quantity. Yes, they might have thousands of followers on Instagram, but if their audience isn’t right – what’s the point? 

Before hosting influencers in your pub, make sure you’ve clearly agreed what you’re willing to offer as part of their stay, what you aren’t, and the content you’ll receive in return. Ensure your pub is tagged in any posts so you can share and grow your online audience. And put agreements in writing to avoid any confusion and unwelcome surprises for both parties down the line!

Looking for hassle-free marketing for your pub? List your pub on SIAP and let us do the hard work for you!

Video content

Content that shows the human side and behind-the-scenes of a property always drives strong engagement. Time-lapse videos of the set-up for a wedding reception, for example, can really bring your pub’s digital presence to life. If you’re going to take the time to invest in creating video content, then a multi-channel approach is key. Repurpose the video for each platform and showcase it on your website – video content evokes emotion, which helps users connect with your brand.

Tap into the power of local SEO

Optimise your website for local searches and increase your pub’s organic visibility. Begin by claiming and updating your Google My Business listing with accurate details, add captivating images and write compelling descriptions of your pub’s atmosphere and services. Craft location-specific landing pages on your site and target relevant keywords, such as ‘local pub near me’ or ‘craft beer near me’ to ensure nearby searchers can find you. 

Track your website visits

Make sure you’ve got the Analytics tools in place to track website visits, traffic sources, engagement rates and conversions. Without this, you won’t understand which pages are performing well and where improvements might need to be made. A solid understanding of Google Analytics 4 is essential, so take the time to learn GA4 if you haven’t already.

Sponsorships & competitions

Consider running sponsored social media posts for your pub. Target based on age, location and other demographic info – go as broad or specific as you like. Also, consider running competitions. They’re easy to turn on, and you can select your prize package and entry mechanic – whether it’s asking your followers to post their own photo during their stay and tagging two friends, or liking and sharing one of your pub’s posts. This is one of the easiest, most efficient ways to increase social media engagement and brand loyalty.

List your pub on Stay in a Pub

You could also list your website on Stay in a Pub – the UK’s largest dedicated pub accommodation platform that gives you access to a huge array of benefits. Your pub will be featured on a curated, SEO-optimised web page that showcases all the great things about your pub, including images, menus, facilities and any special features to attract bookings. Your listing will be highlighted in search results and prioritised in regional searches. We’ll also feature you on our social media platforms, articles, newsletters and special offers. The best bit? You get to keep 100% of your booking value, with no commission fees. If you’re interested in finding out how your pub’s page is performing, simply request your page view and click-through statistics. 

With our site receiving around 50,000 – 80,000 monthly user sessions, and our social media following sitting at over 38,000, signing up to Stay in a Pub is a no-brainer. 

Ready to start marketing your pub?

Marketing your pub isn’t easy, but our ideas and tips will save you a lot of hassle, get you more customers through your door – and make you more money! Feel free to bookmark this article and refer back to it at any time. If you’d like to find out more about listing your pub on our dedicated platform, visit our webpage or get in touch.

Written by Melanie Phipps

PR & Marketing Manager at Stay in a Pub