Q1 2019
THE
INSIDE TRACK
Top trends and insights from the family days out sector
Family Favourites Awards Winners Announced
VR’s Explosion Becomes A Re ality
Discover the UK’s top searched day out
Role Play Captures Imaginations
How Today’s Families Find Things To Do Attractions Making Waves
CONTENTS 3
FOREWORD
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TREND WATCH
Hello and welcome from our editor
The latest trends making their mark on the industry -
VR’s Explosion Becomes A Reality Role Play Captures Imaginations Families Go Crazy For Crazy Golf Water Days Out Make A Splash
13 HOW TO GET HEARD
Advice on how attractions should market to families in 2019 - How Do Today’s Families Find Something To Do? - Introducing Instagram - Google’s Mobile-First Rollout
21 TOP OF THE CLASS
The most-viewed attractions online this year
26 COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS
Most-loved days out among our community of parents
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WATCH LIST New openings and events to keep an eye on in 2019
EDITOR Jamie Starr BRAND LEAD Lisa O’Keeffe
© 2018 Day Out With The Kids Ltd.
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WELCOME Hello and welcome to our very first repor t aimed at giving you the inside track on the UK’s day out industry. Fami l y l i fe i n the UK has changed al most i mmeasurabl y i n a few short years. Every advancement i n technol ogy such as smartphones, tabl ets, gami ng and soci al medi a has meant the l i ves of parents and thei r chi l dren become ever more di gi tal , fast-paced and on-demand as ti me goes by. In many ways, i t’ s easi er than ever before for fami l i es to fi nd amazi ng thi ngs to do - not onl y that, but what others thought of i t, how to get there avoi di ng current traffi c, and even l i ve i mages & vi deos bei ng streamed on soci al medi a as peopl e post i n real -ti me whi l e vi si ti ng. The days out i ndustry has had to react qui ckl y to these massi ve changes to how fami l i es deci de to spend thei r ti me and, as a resul t, we’ re seei ng real i nnovati on. At Day Out Wi th The Ki ds, we’ re l ucky enough to have a uni que bi rd’ s-eye vi ew of the i ndustry. We see cl ear trends emergi ng i n the habi ts of our 17 mi l l i on websi te & soci al medi a users, as they search onl i ne for i nspi rati on. We fel t we shoul d share the i nsi ghts wi th our partners, who work so hard to create memorabl e experi ences for fami l i es. We’ ve pul l ed out some key stats and observati ons, pl us col l ated ti ps from some i ndustry fri ends we feel are trai l bl azi ng the way i n creati ng uni que, modern days out. I hope you fi nd i t useful - here’ s to another year of hel pi ng parents & thei r ki ds to di scover amazi ng new adventures!
Jamie Starr Head of Di gi tal & Marketi ng at Day Out Wi th The Ki ds Jamie@dayoutwiththekids.co.uk
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JAMIE STARR
TREND WATCH
From vir tual reality to the rise of immersive role play centres, we take a look at the big trends for 2019 and hear from the operators helping to make them a reality‌
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VR’S EXPLOSION BECOMES A
REALITY
After years of predi cti ons they’ d be the next bi g thi ng, 2018 was the year that out-ofhome vi rtual real i ty (VR) centres real l y came i nto thei r own. Wi th vi ews on the Day Out Wi th The Ki ds websi te up by al most 900% versus 2017, thei r popul ari ty wi th fami l i es has expl oded i n the l ast 12 months.
We’ve seen an 886% rise in VR listing page views on Day Out With The Kids
Image: Immotion VR
We predi ct 2019 wi l l be the year establ i shed attracti on operators of al l si zes wi l l begi n to take thi s trend seri ousl y and start putti ng VR tech i nto thei r venues – whether on a permanent or pop-up basi s – to protect footfal l .
TOP 10 VR CENTRES OF 2018 1. Immotion VR Multiple locations
2. Vertigo VR
Buckinghamshire
3. VR Immersion West Yorkshire
4. VR Here
Merseyside
5. VIRTUALITY – The VR Arcade West Midlands
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Image: Immotion VR
Wi th rel ati vel y l ow setup costs and l i ttl e physi cal square footage requi red, urban areas are seei ng most of the new openi ngs, whi l e those l ooki ng to target fami l i es are focusi ng on l ocati ons wi th exi sti ng footfal l , l i ke shoppi ng centres and l ei sure compl exes.
Image: Immotion VR
Our fastest-growi ng category by a l ong way, we’ re now seei ng requests for new VR centre si te l i sti ngs come i n thi ck and fast as operators bi g and smal l scrambl e to capi tal i se on thi s emergi ng i ndustry.
6. VR Party Cheshire
7. Plymouth VR Centre Devon
8. VR PIT
Somerset
9. Limitless VR Greater London
10. Rush VR
Buckinghamshire
78% of VR companies are start-ups, micro-level or scaling up (PwC,2018)
There are now 463 virtual or augmented reality firms in the UK (PwC,2018)
IN THE KNOW… Martin Higginson CEO | Immotion VR
Immotion VR, the UK’s largest group of VR experience centres, is part of a global group bringing together CGI content experts & storytellers, with state-of-the-art technology for out of the home. “The upsurge i n VR Centres has by defaul t dri ven producers to create better VR experi ences, dri vi ng greater consumer i nterest. Thi s, combi ned wi th the need and desi re for greater ‘ theatre’ on the hi gh street, wi l l l ead to even better VR experi ences bei ng created. It i s cl ear wi th the i ncrease i n onl i ne shoppi ng there i s more l ei sure ti me. Peopl e are l ooki ng for exci ti ng thi ngs to do wi th thei r free ti me. ‘ Competi ti ve soci al i si ng’ i s one of the fastest growi ng sectors, and VR pl ays ri ght i nto thi s space. Wi th ‘ out of home’ VR, users can go on a vari ety of experi ences, whether i ts raci ng around Brands Hatch wi th a bunch of mates, ri di ng extreme rol l er coasters, or taki ng a tri p underwater to a Jurassi c Sea Worl d, al l of thi s and more i s possi bl e i n VR. Furthermore, wi th the use of moti on pl atforms users can actual l y feel , as wel l as see the acti on. For the fi rst ti me VR gi ves users the abi l i ty to experi ence al l the thri l l s of a theme park, the raci ng track, the aquari um, or a j ourney back i n ti me wi thout ever havi ng to l eave the Hi gh Street. As onl i ne shoppi ng has made the experi ence easi er and more conveni ent, VR i s i n i ts own way doi ng exactl y the same for days out.”
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ROLE PLAY CAPTURES
IMAGINATIONS There’ s no doubt about i t; i ndoor pl ay centres are a perenni al fami l y favouri te and show no si gns of l osi ng popul ari ty. However, today’ s demandi ng parents want more than “j ust” tradi ti onal i ndoor soft pl ay, i ncreasi ngl y rai si ng thei r expectati ons for the qual i ty of faci l i ti es and servi ces on offer. We’ ve observed i magi nary pl ay vari ety of rol es hai rdressers, to popstars or DJs.
Image: KidZania London
Wi th an emphasi s on educati on as wel l as fun; operators such as Ki dZani a, The Postal Museum, Mattel Pl ay! and 360 Pl ay are l eadi ng the way i n the i magi nati on pl aycentre space, whi l e the LEGOLAND® Di scovery Centre brand i ncreased i ts popul ari ty wi th a new openi ng i n Bi rmi ngham l ast year.
Indoor play is our single biggest site category, making up 18% of listings
Image: The Postal Museum
We had 2.2 million searches for indoor play centres in 2018
Google searches for “kids role play” were up 25% in October half term vs 2017
a growi ng trend for i mmersi ve centres, where ki ds act out a rangi ng from shopkeepers and pol i ce/fi re servi ces, and even
The 2018 October hal f term saw Googl e searches for ‘ ki ds rol e pl ay’ hi t thei r al l -ti me peak, up 25% on the year before - thi s trend shows no si gns of sl owi ng down and i s a top area to watch i n 2019.
TOP 10 ROLE/IMMERSIVE PLAY 2018 1.
The Postal Museum
2. LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Multiple locations
3. KidZania Greater London
4. 360 Play Multiple locations
5. Mattel Play! Merseyside
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6. Play Factore
Greater London
Greater Manchester
7.
Little Street Multiple locations
8. Adventure Avenue West Sussex
9. Kidz Town Role Play Stirling
10. Children’s Play Village Warwickshire
IN THE KNOW…
Chris Devaney
Operations Manager, Mattel Play! Liverpool Image: Mattel Play! Liverpool
Mattel Play! Liverpool, the first site of its kind in Europe, combines popular licensed characters with a unique interactive play experience in its prime Albert Docks location. “Pl ay i s about more than j ust l etti ng off energy. If i t i ncl udes chal l enges, opportuni ti es, contempl ati on and i nteracti on then i t becomes much more rewardi ng. Mattel Pl ay! Li verpool al l ows chi l dren to deci de what they want to do, how to do i t and who to do i t wi th. Parents can see thei r chi l dren expl ori ng, bei ng creati ve and engagi ng wi th others i n an envi ronment that dri ves i magi nati on – maki ng i t much more than your tradi ti onal soft pl ay. Mattel Pl ay! Li verpool i s now approachi ng i ts 3rd bi rthday and we are l ooki ng to i ncrease the i nteracti vi ty and experi ence l evel wi thi n the attracti on. Through uti l i si ng our characters, smal l group creati ve acti vi ti es and external events that ti e i nto each brand’ s core messages, we can conti nue to grow Mattel Pl ay! Li verpool.”
Andy Richmond Head of Exhibitions, Access & Learning The Postal Museum
The Postal Museum relaunched in 2017. With interactive galleries and its famous ‘Mail Rail’, it’s the home of Britain’s postal heritage and a popular family attraction. “Sorted!, our postal-themed chi l dren’ s pl ay area, i s a bri l l i ant space to exerci se thei r i magi nati on! It supports i magi nati ve pl ay by creati ng safe spaces to expl ore. At Sorted!, l i ttl e ones can try on uni forms, sort parcel s and del i ver mai l , usi ng rol e pl ay to l earn about the postal experi ence. We bel i eve fami l i es l ove Sorted! as i t’ s an educati onal and fun day out that breaks away from the tradi ti onal soft pl ay experi ence. Most young chi l dren l ove rol e-pl ayi ng and i t real l y hel ps them to better understand the worl d around them – i t i s even part of the curri cul um for nurseri es and pri mary school s.” 8
FAMILIES GO CRAZY FOR
CRAZY GOLF 2018 saw a growi ng amount of acti vi ty-l ed entertai nment centres openi ng thei r doors, wi th the charge bei ng l ed by a nostal gi c fami l y favouri te - crazy gol f. A far cry from i ts tradi ti onal roots as a quai nt amusement park acti vi ty, the sector i s bei ng dragged i nto the 21st century by modern operators who bl end hi gh-spec faci l i ti es wi th good ol d fashi oned fun, and who prefer to be referred to as “adventure gol f”.
Half a million crazy golf searches were made on our website in 2018
Image: Mr Mulligan’s
Image: Mr Mulligan’s
There was a 20% uplift in Google searches for “crazy golf” in 2018
So much so that the centres have become desti nati ons i n thei r own ri ght rather than an anci l l ary acti vi ty; chal l engi ng other tradi ti onal competi tors i n thi s space such as bowl i ng al l eys and ci nemas for thei r share of fami l i es’ di screti onary l ei sure spend.
TOP 10 CRAZY GOLF VENUES 2018 1.
Mr Mulligan’s
2. Congo River Crazy Golf Leicestershire
3. Paradise Island Adventure Golf Greater Manchester
4. The Lost City Adventure Golf Nottinghamshire
5. Dinosaur Safari Adventure Golf Greater London
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6. Jungle Creek
Multiple locations
We saw a 50% spike in crazy golf listing views in the February half term
Image: Mr Mulligan’s
The venues offer a mi x of modern gami ng technol ogy wi th physi cal acti vi ty, ki d-fri endl y food & beverage opti ons, and an affordabl e pri ce tag that’ s goi ng down a storm wi th fami l i es, attracted by the fact i t offers somethi ng for al l age groups.
Glasgow
7.
Adventure Island Mini Golf West Midlands
8. Jurassic Encounter Greater London
9. Birmingham Mini Golf West Midlands
10. Treetop Adventure Golf Cardiff
IN THE KNOW… Craig Murray Image: Mr Mulligan’s
Marketing Manager Adventure Leisure Ltd
The Mr Mulligan’s brand has taken the indoor golf sector by storm in 2018, with 12 venues across the UK and several more planned this year. “The worl d of adventure gol f has radi cal l y changed over the past two years as the art of competi ti ve soci al i si ng expands across the UK and Europe. What was once a fun outdoor acti vi ty for an hour, has now expanded i nto a day out wi th the fami l y or ni ght out wi th fri ends & col l eagues. In 2018 we opened four new i ndoor venues, revol uti oni si ng the experi ence wi th new technol ogy and unseen gol fi ng hol es/themes. Customers are no l onger sati sfi ed wi th hi tti ng a smal l sphere i nto a cup and i t has become pi votal , that wi th rapi d growth, we had to i ntroduce new el ements to the venues. Bournemouth and Bi rmi ngham have i ntroduced l i ve queui ng systems, on-course touch screen games, on-course dri nks servi ce and mounted i Pads wi thi n the restaurant for ki ds. Competi ti on has been fi erce, wi th many new brands enteri ng the space, however many of these venues are targeti ng the over 18s market. There are some fantasti c venues bei ng i ntroduced wi th eyecatchi ng technol ogy, however we must not forget that our brand and reputati on l ooks after al l age groups and abi l i ti es and therefore the technol ogy must work for al l . We wi l l conti nue to open new i ndoor venues i n areas whi ch are yet to recei ve the adventure gol f product, wi th three more si gned off for 2019, starti ng i n Basi l don thi s Apri l . The busi ness has al ready i ntroduced arcade games i n Newcastl e, wi th addi ti onal l ei sure acti vi ti es comi ng soon to both the outdoor and i ndoor venues, keepi ng customers on si te for even l onger. The sector wi l l conti nue to boom for the next 12-24 months, however i t i s those that i nnovate, create ful l experi ences and events that wi l l succeed i n the market pl ace.”
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ATTRACTIONS MAKING
WAVES 2018 saw the UK bask i n good weather; wi th summer bei ng the j oi nt-hottest si nce records began and a si zzl i ng hi gh of 35.3°C recorded i n Kent on Jul y 26th. Thi s made i t a bumper year for outdoor attracti ons and water-based acti vi ti es i n parti cul ar, as fami l i es fl ocked i n thei r mi l l i ons to cool off i n the UK’ s vari ety of spl ash pool s, water parks, coastal spots and l i dos. Conversel y, usual l y-popul ar i ndoor venues such as soft pl ay, bowl i ng and museums struggl ed for footfal l as fami l i es made the most of sunshi ne, the l i kes of whi ch thei r ki ds wi l l have hardl y experi enced before. Thi s was refl ected i n our si te queri es; wi th outdoor pool s seei ng huge year-on-year ri ses of 720% duri ng the heatwave. Venues who saw spi kes i n footfal l wi l l have a j ob on thei r hands to match vi si tor numbers i n 2019. One thi ng i s for sure though - i ndoor attracti ons wi l l be hopi ng for a cool er summer thi s ti me round.
We had 5.5m total views of water activities on Day Out With The Kids in 2018 There was a 362% spike in views of water days out over the May bank holiday, vs 2017
TOP 10 WATER PARKS OF 2018 1. Coral Reef Waterworld Berkshire
2. Alton Towers Waterpark Staffordshire
6. Gulliver’s Splash Zone Multiple locations
7. Blue Lagoon Waterpark Pembrokeshire
3. Calypso Cove
8. Fort Fun
4. Splashdown
9. Dunes Splash World
South Yorkshire Dorset
5. Waterworld Stoke Staffordshire
East Sussex
Merseyside
10. Sandcastle Waterpark Lancashire
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Searches for outdoor pools were up 720% in the summer holidays, vs 2017
IN THE KNOW…
Waterpark Manager Alton Towers Waterpark “Waterparks are somethi ng a fami l y can enj oy together whatever the weather and al l year round, maki ng i t a great opti on to spend qual i ty ti me together. On a dai l y basi s we fi nd that the Waterpark attracts fami l i es of al l ages wi th somethi ng for everyone to do, but the tropi cal envi ronment of the Waterpark makes i t parti cul arl y popul ar i n the col der months, especi al l y on rai ni er days. Regul ar vi si ts to waterparks and pool s are a fantasti c way to see a chi l d’ s confi dence grow, both i n the water and i n thei r character. Swi mmi ng i s al so a fantasti c way to exerci se, so i t’ s a great opti on for keepi ng the whol e fami l y acti ve. Guest feedback i s i mperati ve to our deci si on maki ng process, and has hel ped us to conti nual l y ensure we’ re goi ng above and beyond for our guests. The desi re for more speci fi c experi ences has grown over ti me, encouragi ng new offeri ngs such as dedi cated ‘ Parent and Toddl er sessi ons’ , whi ch are avai l abl e Monday-Fri day out of school hol i days. Expl ori ng i nnovati ve ways to boost i nteracti vi ty i n the Al ton Towers Waterpark i s al so a key agenda for us. 2019 wi l l see the i ntroducti on of a new i nteracti ve water bal l feature i n our Li ttl e Leaks pool . Packed ful l of i nteracti ve features, i t’ s a fantasti c enhancement for our younger guests. In the l ast 12 months our Rush sl i de, popul ar wi th pre-teens and up, was upgraded to be a ful l y i nteracti ve experi ence control l ed by the ri der. Guests can make a sel ecti on from fi ve funky musi c and l i ght themes before they speed down i nto the Spl ashdown Pool . The themes i ncl ude a Cari bbean ‘ cal ypso’ , pi rate experi ence and tropi cal storm; each offeri ng thei r own l i ght show and musi c for the guest to enj oy. It means one sl i de can offer si x total l y uni que experi ences, and wi th the ri der i n control of thei r own experi ence, i t’ s been a fantasti c new addi ti on.” 12
Image: Alton Towers Waterpark
Emma Nixon
HOW TO GET HEARD
Turn the rise of digital to your advantage, with practical tips for marketing to today’s digitallysav vy families
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HOW DO TODAY’S FAMILIES FIND SOMETHING TO DO? Smartphone ownershi p, soci al medi a usage, and more i ntui ti ve ways to search onl i ne have changed fami l i es’ deci si on-maki ng on how to spend thei r l ei sure ti me forever - somethi ng we see cl earl y i n our websi te data here at Day Out Wi th The Ki ds. Today’ s modern, di gi tal l y-savvy parents expect i nstant i nspi rati on at thei r fi ngerti ps. Whi l e they do a l ot of passi ve browsi ng i n thei r downti me; they i ncreasi ngl y l eave that cruci al fi nal deci si on on where to go to the l ast mi nute - i n fact, they may al ready be hal fway out the door, or al ready out.
“Digitallysavvy parents expect instant inspiration at their fingertips”
60%
The amount of parents more likely to commit to a day out if they see photos from other visitors 14
The opi ni on and experi ences of other parents i s al so cruci al ; whether from fami l y & fri ends or fel l owmi nded peopl e on the i nternet. They’ re hi ghl y dri ven by vi sual content such as i mages and vi deos - especi al l y “real ” ones created by other parents rather than gl ossy marketi ng materi al s - and experi ence huge l evel s of “fear of mi ssi ng out” as they wi tness other fami l i es havi ng fun on soci al medi a.
68.5%
72%
88%
The amount of family day out queries on a mobile phone in 2018
The percentage of families that plan a day out 48 hours in advance or less
The amount of parents that will seek the opinion of friends before deciding on a day out
T HE T IME O F D AY MO S T P AR E NT S S E AR CH FO R T HINGS T O D O … T E R M T IME The number of parents searching for things to do on our website peaks late on Friday evenings when the kids are at school, and at 11am on Wednesdays during holidays. Parents often don’t commit to a trip until the last minute – unpredictability of the weather and mood of the children are cited as the top reasons for this.
FR ID AY 9PM
S CHO O L HO LS
W E D NE S D AY 11AM
T HE D E VICE S P AR E NT S S E AR CH FO R INS P IR AT IO N O N… Tablet 11.5%
Desktop 20% Mobile 68.5%
Days out searches on mobile has seen huge growth in the past 5 years, with tablet and desktop stagnating. Parents favour mobile phones, as they often browse during an evening in front of the telly once the kids are in bed, or when they’re already out and about exploring.
T HE MO S T P O P U LAR S E AR CH T E R M W HE N LO O KING FO R S O ME T HING T O D O …
With 2.4m searches a year on Google, the term “things to do near me” has seen astronomical growth of 9900% in the past 5 years, as more people enable location detection on smartphone devices and Google has become more sophisticated in understanding where users are when they search
“Things to do near me”
T HE CO NT E NT T HAT ’S MO S T IMP O R T ANT W HE N D E CID ING W HE R E T O GO …
Lorem ipsum etc etc
Price Reviews Photos Decription Distance
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Ticket price and reviews from fellow visitors were over 33% more important to parents than photos, description or distance when we asked what the deciding factor was in choosing a day out
5 TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE ONLINE MARKETING TO FAMILIES
The vast majority of families will view your website or social media channels on their phone. Make a habit of checking how every piece of content you create looks on a mobile - don’t fall into the trap of only looking at it on your computer. Try to have both an iPhone and Android device handy to check on as both can look different
BE ONLINE WHEN PARENTS ARE
BE FLEXIBLE
Our web data shows families are most active during Friday evenings and Saturday mornings during term time, and Wednesday mornings in school holidays. Ramp up your online advertising during these times for maximum exposure and return on spend, and schedule social posts to go out at these times
Today’s families don’t commit until the last minute. Don’t make them book far in advance if you can help it; and allow flexibility in when they can redeem their tickets to make them most comfortable when booking
CREATE ‘FEAR-OFMISSING-OUT’ Aka, FOMO. Tactics like limited-capacity events and time-sensitive flash sales can help to compel mum to book that ticket, rather than idly browse your website
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BE MOBILE-FIRST
SHARE, SHARE, SHARE Nothing beats word-of-mouth among parents, especially on social media - heavily encourage your visitors to share photos & videos online in realtime while at your venue, and of course to write a review afterwards
Introducing
@theicecreamfarm
Whi l st Facebook i s the ori gi nal ki d on the bl ock and l i kel y a strong feature i n your exi sti ng marketi ng pl ans, i ts si ster brand, Instagram, i s the pl atform provi di ng a new opportuni ty for you to reach di gi tal l ysavvy parents.
@goapetribe
Reporti ng 1 bi l l i on monthl y acti ve users i n June 2018, Instagram was the fastest growi ng soci al medi a network i n 2018, and wi th 62% of al l users aged between 18 and 34, i t’ s the i deal pl ace to target parents wi th younger chi l dren. Instagram i s fi rst and foremost an i mageshari ng network, so strong vi sual s shoul d be at the core of your strategy. Bui l d your vi sual i denti ty and keep i t consi stent to hel p make your content i nstantl y i denti fi abl e - 60% of the top brands on Instagram use the same fi l ter for every post for a reason. Where Facebook i s more about personal i nteracti ons wi th fri ends and fami l y, Instagram i s a pl atform desi gned for di scovery and i nspi rati on, where customers are more recepti ve to brand recommendati ons. In fact, 68% of Instagram users engage wi th brands on the pl atform regul arl y, compared to j ust 32% of Facebook users.
@edinburghzoo
The fastest growing social media network in 2018 (Search Engine Journal, 2018)
@wbtourlondon
@thepostalmuseum
@chesterzoo
Brands receive 58x more engagement per follower on Instagram than Facebook
Worldwide Instagram audience demographics by age, 2018 /Statista @chatsworthofficial
(EcommerceCEO)
65+
By Lisa O’Keeffe
55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 18-24 13-17 @yspsculpture
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5 TIPS FOR USING INSTAGRAM FOR YOUR ATTRACTION
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BE REACTIVE From your attraction covered in snow, to new animals or equipment, keep your phone or camera handy to snap a photo of things as they happen so you can share it with your audience
BE CONSISTENT
ENGAGE CUSTOMERS
Post regularly at a level that’s manageable for you, and maintain a constant look for each post. It’s easy to get carried away with the number of filters available, but maintaining the same style makes them more identifiable to your brand
You may have hundreds, thousands or even millions of visitors each year, so sharing their photos can be a great way of sourcing new content throughout the year. Encourage visitors to use a hashtag so you can search for them easily, then ask permission to share it, with credit of course!
USE HASHTAGS
INSTAGRAM STORIES
Hashtags act as labels for your image, to help make them more discoverable. Spend some time looking at hashtags that may be relevant to your brand, including your attraction name, and use these when you upload your own photos
Aside from the main grid, Instagram Stories consists of content that disappears 24 hours after being uploaded. Great for sharing news, showing behind-the-scenes action or promoting an event, it provides a more real-time look at your attraction
IN THE KNOW… R es i den t S earc h E n gi n e Opt i m i s at i o n ( S E O) E x per t at D ay Out Wi t h T h e Ki ds , L i z M adel ey , tal ks us t h ro ugh G o o gl e’ s M o bi l e-F i rst U pdat e…
“People expect a good experience on a small screen, with relevant, local results, near them, now.”
50%
of search results worldwide are based on the mobile version of websites / seroundtable.com
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What is the mobile-first update? Every ti me you do a search, Googl e checks al l the pages i t has i n i ts records to fi nd the most rel evant resul t for your query. Unti l recentl y, Googl e j udged where to rank pages i n i ts search resul ts based on thei r desktop versi ons. That changed i n 2018, when Googl e swi tched to usi ng mobi l e versi ons of pages i nstead. As of December 2018, over 50% of search resul ts worl dwi de are based on the mobi l e versi ons of websi tes. What does this mean for attraction owners? Googl e changed because the worl d i tsel f i s now mobi l efi rst: mobi l e web usage passed 50% at the end of 2017. But mobi l e use i s even greater i n the worl d of fami l y attracti ons. In 2018, 84% of Day Out Wi th The Ki ds si te vi si ts were from mobi l e or tabl et devi ces. That’ s because our users are on the go wi th chi l dren around, so they don’ t al ways have ti me to l og i n to, and use, a desktop devi ce. It’ s al so because technol ogy has i mproved so much that peopl e expect a good experi ence on a smal l screen, wi th rel evant, l ocal resul ts, near them, now. Don’ t pani c i f your si te i sn’ t opti mi sed or you run separate versi ons for each devi ce. Googl e wi l l conti nue eval uati ng your si te based on the desktop versi on unti l your si te i s mobi l e-ready. But don’ t wai t too l ong: i n ti me your desktop-onl y websi te may start to fal l behi nd. The ti me to go mobi l e-fi rst i s now.
5 TIPS FOR ENSURING A MOBILE-FIRST APPROACH
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GO RESPONSIVE Ensure your website is built with mobile frontof-mind. Ask your web developer about responsive design to make the user journey as painless as possible
DON’T HIDE CONTENT
CHECK THE SPEED
Prioritise the mobile view when designing your content. Make sure that all important textual information is viewable on mobile devices, not hidden away & only available on the desktop view
Aim for a fast website and keep pages light - images often cause slow download times. People are less patient on mobile, when connection speeds can be lower. Tools like Google’s Lighthouse can help you check site speeds
USE YOUR THUMB
GET SEO ADVICE
Test that your website can be navigated easily by a single thumb on a smartphone. Make sure text is large enough to read on a small screen and that links and buttons are easy to click
Even if your site is mobile friendly, use an SEO specialist to ensure technical SEO basics are in place. That way you’ll avoid other SEO pitfalls and get the best performance in Google
TOP OF THE CLASS
The most-viewed days out of the year, as searched for by 17m families on www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk
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MOST POPULAR DAY OUT 2018
Coral Reef Waterworld Bracknell, Berkshire
A successful refurbishment & reopening, the hottest year on record, and the fact it’s just a short hop from London meant that over 100,000 of Day Out With The Kids’ fun-seeking families flocked to Coral Reef in 2018. Can they retain their crown for next year?
2018 TOP CATEGORIES And their searches…
1
2
3
4
5
Indoor & Soft Play Centres
Parks & Playgr oun ds
Children’s Farms
S w im m in g Pools & Leisure Centres
Water Parks
2,154,076
1,667,256
1,214,649
1,008,274
880,008
6
7
8
9
10
Beaches
Zoos & Wildlife Parks
Theme Parks & Funfairs
Ten Pin Bowling Alleys
Crazy Golf
779,363
578,899
555,300
452,071
420,679
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TOP 10 SIGHTSEEING & ATTRACTIONS 1. LEGOLAND® Windsor Berkshire
2. The Postal Museum Greater London
3. Paultons Park Hampshire
4. The Milky Way Adventure Park Devon
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
7. Dreamland Kent
8. York’s Chocolate Story North Yorkshire
9. ROARR! Dinosaur Adventure Norfolk
10. The Forbidden Corner
Image: LEGOLAND® Windsor
5. CBBC Tour at MediaCityUK
6. Manchester Spy Mission Treasure Trail
North Yorkshire
TOP 10 SPORTS, ACTIVITY & PLAY 1. Mr Mulligan’s Lost World Golf Milton Keynes
2. LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Birmingham West Midlands
3. Rush Trampoline Park Birmingham West Midlands
4. Cloud 9 Leisure Hertfordshire
Image: Mr Mulligan’s
5. Mr Mulligan’s Lost World Golf
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Cheltenham
6. Mattel Play! Merseyside
7. Mr Mulligan’s Lost World Golf Stevenage
8. Play Factore Greater Manchester
9. SnoZone Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire
10. Discover Children’s Story Centre Greater London
TOP 10 OUTDOOR & ADVENTURE 1. Cassiobury Park
6. Go Ape Battersea Park
2. Danson Splash Park
7. Castle Park House & Gardens
Hertfordshire
Greater London
3. Manor Heath Park and Jungle Experience West Yorkshire
4. Hobbledown Surrey
5. Wimbledon Sprinkler Park Greater London
Greater London
Cheshire
8. Great Notley Discovery Centre & Park Essex
9. High Lodge Thetford Forest Centre Norfolk
10. Alice Holt Forest
Image: Cassiobury Park
Surrey
TOP 10 ANIMAL DAYS OUT 1. The Hop Farm Family Park Kent
2. West Midland Safari Park Worcestershire
6. Marsh Farm Animal Adventure Park Essex
7. Ponderosa
West Yorkshire
3. Godstone Farm
8. Piglets Adventure Farm Park
4. Tropical World Roundhay
9. Yorkshire Wildlife Park
5. Twycross Zoo
10. Trentham Monkey Forest
Surrey
Warwickshire
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South Yorkshire
Staffordshire
Image: The Hop Farm Family Park
West Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
TOP 10 WATER ATTRACTIONS 1. Coral Reef Waterworld
6. Pavilion Leisure Centre
2. Leyton Leisure Lagoon
7. Frensham Great Pond
Berkshire
Greater London
3. Calypso Cove Waterpark South Yorkshire
4. Wet n Wild at Waterfront Leisure Centre 5. The Dome Doncaster
Surrey
8. Alton Towers Waterpark Staffordshire
9. Splashdown Dorset
10. Cocks Moors Woods
Image: Coral Reef Waterworld
Greater London
Greater London
West Midlands
South Yorkshire
TOP 10 OVERALL 1. Coral Reef Waterworld
6. Alton Towers
2. Paultons Park
7. LEGOLAND® Windsor
Berkshire
Hampshire
3. Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure Norfolk
4. Chessington World of Adventures Greater London
5. West Midland Safari Park Image: Paultons Park
West Midlands
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Staffordshire
Berkshire
8. Hobbledown Surrey
9. The Postal Museum Greater London
10. CBBC Tour At MediaCity
Greater Manchester
COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS
From our new membership scheme to the launch of the first every Family Favourites Awards, hear the latest news from the Day Out With The Kids world and our growing community of families
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OUR COMMUNITY LOVED… Thi s year saw the l aunch of two very exci ti ng Day Out Wi th The Ki ds i ni ti ati ves - the rol l out of our brand new membershi p for parents, and our i naugural Fami l y Favouri tes Awards. We wanted to gi ve somethi ng back to both our communi ty of amazi ng funseeki ng fami l i es, and al so the UK’ s fantasti c attracti ons for thei r hard work i n creati ng speci al memori es for ki ds around the country. We were bl own away by the response to both i ni ti ati ves and have l ots of exci ti ng pl ans i n store for the comi ng year. In the meanti me, take a l ook at some of the days out our communi ty l oved the most i n 2018 …
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FLYING START FOR
MEMBERSHIP
Ini ti al l y pi l oted i n the West Mi dl ands & Yorkshi re, our membershi p scheme ai ms to hel p fami l i es do even more of the thi ngs they l ove by al l owi ng parents to si gn up and access amazi ng chi l d-fri endl y benefi ts provi ded by the best fami l y-fri endl y days out around the UK. We’ ve seen an i ncredi bl e reacti on, wi th tens of thousands of fami l y members bei ng sent through the doors of attracti ons si nce we softl aunched i n the summer. 2019 wi l l see the nati onal l aunch of the membershi p to our 17-mi l l i on strong UK audi ence; wi th pl ans for a members’ app i n the pi pel i ne too - watch thi s space.
TOP 10 MOST-CLAIMED MEMBER INCENTIVES 1. Drayton Manor Theme Park Staffordshire
6. Flamingo Land Theme Park & Zoo North Yorkshire
2. LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Birmingham
7. Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum
3. National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham
8. Waterworld Stoke
West Midlands
West Midlands
4. Dudley Zoological Gardens West Midlands
5. Blackpool Pleasure Beach Lancashire
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West Midlands Staffordshire
9. Warwick Castle Warwickshire
JOIN NOW! Want to be part of our membershi p scheme adventure? We can offer fantasti c marketi ng opportuni ti es i n return for a fami l y-fri endl y i ncenti ve to pass onto our members.
10. Alton Towers Staffordshire
membership@dayoutwiththekids.co.uk
IN THE KNOW… Ben Ireson Image: Air Race at Drayton Manor Theme Park
Trade Sales Manager Drayton Manor Theme Park
Drayton Manor Park was one of the first attractions to join our membership scheme, welcoming a large number of Day Out With The Kids members through its doors since launch. “Bei ng a partner wi th Day Out Wi th The Ki ds on thei r membershi p scheme has al l owed us to offer fantasti c benefi ts and generate great footfal l i n to our park. As the membershi p pl atform grows and targets new regi ons, i t’ s great to see how our brand reaches more fami l i es across the UK. The team at Day Out Wi th The Ki ds support us when we need to be reacti ve to our own busi ness needs and, through outstandi ng account management, i t enabl es us to have strong rel ati onshi ps. Ul ti matel y i t’ s great that the the scheme hel ps our brand create #l i ttl emoments for al l of thei r customers.”
OUR MEMBERSHIP IN NUMBERS …
100,000
1,500
14
20,000
Parents on the sign up list
Partner venues being promoted
Counties where scheme is live (lots more to go!)
Offer claims within first few months
GET INVOLVED! MEMBERSHIP@DAYOUTWITHTHEKIDS.CO.UK 29
AND THE WINNERS ARE‌ Our fi rst Fami l y Favouri tes Awards were l aunched to recogni se attracti ons goi ng the extra mi l e to del i ver a great day out, wi th fami l i es casti ng thei r votes based on real experi ences, backed up by our panel of expert j udges. Parents passi onatel y got i nvol ved i n voti ng for thei r best days out; wi th over 20,000 votes cast and a total campai gn reach of 140k on Twi tter. Attracti ons al so di d thei r bi t to drum up votes on thei r homepages and soci al medi a; whi l e the press al so pi cked up on the campai gn, wi th coverage i n the Dai l y Star Travel pages, BBC Local News, Coventry Tel egraph and Northern Echo, to name a few.
FAMILY FAVOURITES AWARDS 2019 Have you got what i t takes to be crowned one of the best fami l y attracti ons i n the UK? Nomi nati ons wi l l soon be open for the 2019 Fami l y Favouri tes Awards! For more i nformati on, and to be the fi rst to hear the l atest news, regi ster now at awards.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/2019
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FAMILY FAVOURITES AWARDS
UK Winners 2018
BEST FREE FAMILY DAY OUT National Railway Museum York, North Yorkshire
BEST DAY OUT FOR UNDER 5S
Pault on s Par k The New Forest, Hampshire
BEST EDUCATIONAL DAY OUT
St Fagan s Nat ion al Mus eum of H ist or y Cardiff, South Wales
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BEST EVENT AT AN ATTRACTION Electric Woods at Robin Hill Country Park Isle of Wight
BEST ANIMAL DAY OUT
Z S L Wh ips n ade Zoo Dunstable, Bedfordshire
BEST ACTIVE DAY OUT
Tr eet op Tr ek Man c h e st er Greater Manchester
WATCH LIST
New year, new fun. Find out about some of the exciting new launches revealed for 2019
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ROOM ON THE BROOM AT CHESSINGTON WORLD OF ADVENTURES Following on from the launch of the hugely successful Gruffalo River Ride Adventure in 2017, Chessington World of Adventures is once again delving into the world of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler to open Room on the Broom A Magical Journey this spring. Perfectly pitched for pre-schoolers as well as families with young children, the brand new walk-through ride will be accompanied by new and exciting themed rooms at the on-site hotel.
Image: Facebook.com/forestry/commission.england
2018 saw some fantastic new openings and launches, and 2019 is set to follow suit with loads of exciting plans in motion. From new rides to themed zones, we’ve got the inside scoop on some of the best new things to look out for in 2019…
Image: Merlin Entertainments Ltd. ©2001 & TM Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler. Licensed by Magic Light Pictures Ltd. © Orange Eyes Ltd. 2012.
THE ONES TO WATCH
FORESTRY COMMISSION INTRODUCES ZOG ACTIVITY TRAILS Hot on the heels of four other popular Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler titles, including The Gruffalo and The Highway Rat, Forestry Commission is launching a brand new activity trail for 2019, featuring Zog. The charming dragon character will be the face of exciting new family walking trails at a number of UK forest sites, with challenges, activities and popular characters to discover along the way. Previous trails have proved to be a huge hit, so this is definitely one not to be missed.
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Image: Birminghammuseums.org.uk
Image: Marwell.org.uk
Image: coventrytelegraph.net
THE WAVE COVENTRY SET TO MAKE A SPLASH With huge increases in searches for water parks in 2018, it’s safe to say that this opening is set to be very popular indeed. The Wave Coventry is a brand new £36 million project due to open in summer 2019, with the waterpark at the heart of a bigger leisure centre. There are nine flumes in total, including The Navigator, a thrilling waterpark version of a roller coaster which has both uphill and downhill drops in a tube, plus ‘whipper splashers’ designed for younger visitors. Plus, we hear that each ride there will be complemented by light and sound features for a truly immersive ride experience!
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BRICKOSAURS AT MARWELL ZOO With a short run from April to September 2019, this interactive new event combines LEGO® and dinosaurs, which makes it likely to be a big hit for families. Created using more than two million bricks, including an eight-metre T-Rex, the event will also feature a range of themed activities.
GOT NEWS?
MINIBRUM SET TO BOOST INTEREST IN SCIENCE AND MATHS A £2 million children’s attraction is set to open in Birmingham, on the same site as Thinktank, the Science Museum which is already popular with families. Named MiniBrum, the new interactive gallery combines the fun of a role play centre with the education and intrigue of a science museum, in a childsized mini-city where children and families can explore, play and learn. Focusing primarily on the core STEM subjects of science, technology engineering & maths, it will be a fantastic new space for schools to encourage & enhance learning outside of the classroom. Set to open in early 2019, it will be a fantastic addition to the city.
Keep us in the loop by sending your latest news and releases to press@dayoutwiththekids.co.uk
WHY NOT JOIN THE FUN?
17 MILLION Fam i l i es s earc h o ur s i t e f o r i deas every y ear
60 MILLION T otal reac h ac ro s s o ur s o c i al m edi a n et w o rks every y ear
10 MILLION C l i c ks are s en t t o par t n er w ebs i t es every y ear
From supercharging your listing and promoting to our members, to booking your slot in a key seasonal campaign, we can help to put you in front of more families to make 2019 your best year yet.
READY TO COME ON AN ADVENTURE? par tnerships@dayoutwiththekids.co.uk