OK, so that's a trick question. The answer? ALWAYS!
The truth attractions need to accept: your website has been more than “just a website” for some time.
It's something we've been thinking about a lot in the run up to conference and webinar season. The idea that without a website that's firing on all cylinders, you're losing visitors or putting people off before they've even left the house.
Your website isn't just your online shop window. When done well, it should cover functions across your whole team. Marketing, of course, but also operations, guest services, customer feedback and more can be helped when you have great tech and support online.
The LOOP Stack and Evolution Of Websites
- 1999 - “We have a website.”
- 2000s - “You can buy tickets online.”
- 2010s - “It works on mobile.”
- 2020s - “It supports the whole visit.”
- Future - “It adapts intelligently. AI, AEO, personalisation.”
The role of websites has expanded every decade. It will only get more critical going forward as data, insights and control of your brand become more and more important.
You need to Think Bigger...
It's no longer enough just to be online. Your website needs to stand out, empower/help your team and support guests at every stage of their experience.
Take the 'online shop window' analogy... sure, your website is like an online shop window, but it's so much more as well. Or at least it should be with the right tech behind it. Along with being a shop window, it's also the shop floor showcasing products, the customer service desk helping customers and the start of the checkout funnel to drive sales.
Most attractions still think of their website as a marketing channel - a place to showcase the venue and drive ticket sales. But the truth is, a well-designed website plays far more roles than that. It has the potential to support almost every corner of your operation.
Marketing - From a marketing perspective, your website should be more than static pages. It can host immersive video, highlight events dynamically, capture guest data, and tell stories that fire up imaginations. Done right, it becomes your campaign engine - a place where social proof and personalisation build trust long before a guest makes a booking.
Guest Services - the website acts as the first line of support. Clear FAQs, help centres and on-site information reduce pressure on your team while giving visitors confidence that they’ll know exactly what to expect. Increasingly, AI-driven chat and phone integrations are filling gaps that used to mean frustrated emails or calls.
Operations - the site can be a backbone for visitors getting answers to questions and reassuring them throughout their experience. Real-time alerts, accessibility guides, emergency updates and interactive maps keep guests informed and safe. These aren’t just nice-to-have features - they directly impact how smooth and enjoyable the on-site experience feels.
Conversions - of course, on the conversion side, the website remains your most effective salesperson. A seamless booking flow, well-placed upsells and secondary calls-to-action all help grow revenue. But it’s not just about transactions; it’s about building confidence so that a one-off ticket purchase becomes the start of a longer relationship.
When you zoom out, you see that a website isn’t a single-purpose tool. It’s the hub where marketing, guest service, operations and sales all converge. And when you treat it that way, it transforms from a cost centre into one of your most valuable assets.
Winning Attractions Websites
So what can busy marketers or attraction owners do about this...
- Use AI and your team to brainstorm repetitive processes that can be streamlined, reduced or automated on your website
- Make use of website CMS features like forms, listings or landing pages to easily prototype and add content to cover key process areas (e.g. a guest feedback form)
- Arrange a monthly ops optimisation meeting with your wider team to step through key processes on your mobile to see how they can be improved and enhanced for guests.
Also, if you need more tailored advice then we’re always happy to talk so drop us a message loop@semantic.co.uk and we can arrange a chat.
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