Read transcript below
In this edition of Captain News, we’re opening our doors to give you some helpful tips to spruce up your listing and attract new customers. You’ll hear us talk about three key improvements that have brought success to our captains over the years.
First, we’ll talk to Iva from our Creative Team, who’ll give you some pointers on capturing the perfect photo and video for your listing. Then, we’ll discuss how writing fishing reports can get you booked. Last but not least, Jacquelinel will show you how to use the new Credentials Dashboard to keep your documents up to date.
How to Capture Perfect Photos and Videos
Iva: The photos and videos on your listing are the first impression your client gets of you. Today I’m going to give you three tips to make sure it’s a good one.
Tip #1 is taking a photo with the sun behind your back. Harsh, direct light casts dark shadows on your subject, hides details, and dilutes colors. On the contrary, when the sun is behind you, you get to see all the incredible details on your catch and clients’ smiling faces.
Tip #2 is even simpler – make sure your lens is clean. A dirty lens leads to a blurry photo. We know fishing can get a little bit messy so a quick wipe down of your phone’s camera before taking the million dollar shot makes all the difference.
My final tip is for video content. Stats show that clients are twice as likely to book with you if you’ve got great video footage on your listing. Aside from being clear, steady, and bright, your video should also be exciting. When you’re filming the action, don’t cut out early, make sure we get a good look at the fish you reeled in.
Now that Iva’s told you how to take top quality photos and videos, let’s see how you can put them to good use.
How to Use Fishing Reports to Get Bookings
Sean: Customers actively search for fishing reports when looking for a charter online. So, to help people find you, we have dedicated reports pages for each location.
When you publish a fishing report, it automatically appears at the top of the reports page for your location. That means that writing fishing reports can get you instant exposure, regardless of how you rank. Here’s an example of what the Destin fishing report page looks like.
You don’t need a record-breaking catch to make this work, by the way. What matters is that your customers get up-to-date information from a captain they see is actively running trips in the area.
You don’t need to be a super-skilled writer, either. Focusing on these key steps should put you in a good spot:
- Keep your sentences short and positive.
- Mention your location (this will ensure better rankings on Google)
- Include photos and videos
For extra exposure, use the sharing button to easily post your report to your Facebook or Twitter page.
Last but not least, we’ll pay a visit to our Legal Team to show you a quick new way to stay on top of verification by updating your FishingBooker credentials when they expire.
What to Do When Your Docs Expire
Jacqueline: If you’ve been with us for a while, you know how committed we are to only promoting legitimate captains. Verifying your credentials shows customers that you’re qualified to take them fishing. This also ensures that you don’t need to compete with unlicensed guides for business.
To help you stay verified, we want to make sure that you don’t miss a beat when your docs expire. This is why, on top of the usual expiry reminders, we’ve created an all-new Credentials Dashboard for you.
- The Credentials Dashboard lets you track your document type, status, and expiration date.
- It also makes uploading your credentials a lot easier.
Just navigate to the document type you want to submit, and click upload. Here, you can take a photo of your document or choose a file from your mobile device or computer. Once you’ve uploaded your credentials, simply click submit, and our team will do the rest.
We typically review all new uploads within a couple of days. Once all the docs are checked, you’ll become fully verified – you’ll get a green badge on your listing, as well as a small ranking boost.
Easy as One, Two, Three
We hope you found these tips helpful. Next time you’re out on the water, be sure to snap a few photos and upload the best ones to your listing. When you get back, try taking a few minutes to write a fishing report – this may bring you customers that you wouldn’t otherwise get! And remember to always keep your documents up to date – this will allow you to continue creating life-long memories for your customers.
Tell us what you’d like to see in the upcoming editions of Captain News, and we’ll be sure to cover what you want to hear about. Stay tuned for our first newsletter of 2022 and, on behalf of FishingBooker, we wish you all a Happy New Year.
