92% of People Find Parking Online
2 min read
Originally published on Parking Industry Insights
Today, nearly 92% of drivers begin their search for parking online. Whether it’s to pre-plan where to park, reserve a parking space, or use GPS to find a parking lot, your customers are searching for, finding and deciding where to park online eight to 14 hours before arriving at their destination.
How? They are using online search engines, such as Google, and mobile GPS apps such as Google Maps, Waze, and Apple Maps.
When drivers search for parking online, their mindset is simple: where is the closest parking lot in walking distance to my destination? And how much does parking cost? From there, they may think: what kind of parking lot is it — underground or surface? What kind of parking equipment is there — parking meters or a gated parking system? Does the parking lot have a mobile payment app? Or is credit card accepted?
So, how do you get the details of your parking facility, such as its location and rates, online, and most importantly, to appear in top Google Search results? With the help of your parking management service provider you need to leverage Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO is the process of maximizing the number of visitors to a web page by ensuring it is ranked high by Google, and as a result appears in top Google Search results.
In a nutshell, establishing SEO requires developing a web page to your parking facility that features the details your customers may need to know when planning where to park. For effective SEO the web page must be developed using best practice SEO techniques requiring the expertise of a search marketing professional. In addition to a web page, you will need to establish local-SEO. Local-SEO is similar to SEO however is specific to physical locations. This too, needs to be created using search marketing expertise.
Once the basics are established, SEO can be enhanced using advanced online marketing tactics such as advertising on Google, social media and content marketing.
Parking facilities with an optimized online presence see higher occupancy rates in their parking lots during evenings, weekends, and downtimes — and generate more revenue as a result. Put your parking operator’s digital marketing skills to the test. Ask what it’s doing to ensure your parking facility is visible online.
References
Lato, M. (2020, September 9). 92% of People Find Parking Online. Retrieved March 24, 2021, from https://www.parkingindustry.ca/parking-management/92-percent-of-people-find-parking-online
Lato, M. (2020, December 21). How to get your parking lot on Google. Retrieved March 24, 2021, from https://www.parkingindustry.ca/parking-management/how-to-get-your-parking-lot-on-google
Lato, M. (2020, August 27). Local SEO and its Importance for Parking Operations [Web log post]. Retrieved March 24, 2021, from https://www.parkingindustry.ca/parking-management/local-seo-and-its-importance-for-parking-operations
Marketing Manager, Precise ParkLink
