Marketing your Scottish tourism business

Tip one

If your award is new, or has changed, you will receive promotional materials by post to display on your premises (e.g. certificate, plaque, window sticker). You'll also receive JPEG versions of the award logo that you can use in your own promotional materials.

To receive the latest versions of your award logo, please email [email protected]

Tip two

If you have a free VisitScotland.com web listing, make sure you add your QA grading to your listing. To find out how to edit or create a listing, visit our global website page. 

On average, QA business listings are 2.6 times more likely to receive referrals from VisitScotland.com compared to non-QA business listings. 

Tip one

Check out our free Themed Year marketing toolkit, which has lots of content and images that you can share online or in your marketing activity. 

Tip two

Join the conversation and share your own inspirational content across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using #YS2022 or #TalesOfScotland. Let’s create a ripple effect! Check out our page on tips for how to improve your digital skills and make the most of online opportunities.

Tip three

From wildlife to food and drink, cultural heritage to outdoor activities, check out the research and insights on our visitors that align with the year.

Tip one

Get involved with your local Destination Management Organisation or local tourism association.

Tip two

Sign up for online travel trade workshops. You can find out more on our travel trade exhibition and events page. 

Tip three

Attend VisitScotland Expo in the future or Scotland Reconnect 2021.

Tip four

Look at the Scottish Destination Management Association (SDMA) website for help and advice.

Tip one

If you're a local crafter or artist and would like to present your product to us for promotion and sale throughout the iCentre network, then please get in touch with our retail team at [email protected]. 

Tip two

Visit your local iCentre to view their range of beautiful Shop Local products, many of which cannot be bought elsewhere. Then make sure you let your visitors know all about it.

Tip one

We often add resources to our site to allow you to engage with our campaigns as easily as possible, and you can use these to make the most of our campaigns. Take a look at our full list of toolkits.

Here are some examples:

• Find out more about our responsible tourism campaign
• Visit our Year of Stories 2022 toolkit page

Tip two

Follow and connect with us on social media, keep-up-to-date and get involved. Remember to use #VisitScotland and #OnlyinScotland to make your posts more discoverable and add our handle @VisitScotland to your tweets for us to see them. Here are some tips on using social media effectively. 

Tip three

We have a range of content ideas to support your business and to inspire our potential visitors to plan a responsible break in Scotland. 

Take a look at VisitScotland.com and share blogs, itineraries and ideas that might enhance your visitor experience or attract new visitors to your business.

Tip four

If you'd like imagery and content to enhance your marketing material, we can help by giving you access to a range of pictures of Scotland and campaign resources such as videos and infographics, which you can download and use free of charge. Register for our digital media library to discover our collections of videos and images. 

Tip five

We want to work with you - our businesses, destinations and communities - to ensure that visitors and locals can have a fantastic experience when tourism begins to recover.

Tip one

Get in touch! We're always looking for new story angles to pitch to journalists and for media newsletters and press releases.
Everything from new openings, to delicious foodie innovations, to great character ambassadors is all welcome info and you can share it via [email protected]. 

Tip two

Host a press trip. If you would like to host visiting media by offering accommodation, activities or experiences, get in touch via [email protected] to discuss.

Tip one

If you don't already have a web listing on VisitScotland.com then take a look at what we have to offer and sign up for your VisitScotland.com web listing for free.

Tip two

Ensure that your business name, address and postcode are correct and consistent across all digital platforms. Include links to your website and contact email, check to ensure they work and point to the intended place. Read more of our top tips for improving your online listing. 

Tip three

Ensure your description is up to date, accurate and relevant to your business, highlighting new safety measures and any changes to your facilities and services. This will help to reassure visitors about the steps you are taking to operate safely and following government guidelines. Read more of our top tips for improving your online listing. 

Tip four

As more businesses start to reopen as lockdown restrictions are eased, it’s more important than ever to make sure that your opening times on your web listing are clear and accurate.

When your business reopens, you can display that you are open on your VisitScotland.com listing, allowing visitors to filter on VisitScotland.com to identify businesses which are definitely open and that they can book. Read more of our top tips for improving your online listing. 

Tip five

First impressions count and the first image that appears on your web listing should entice customers to find out more. You can display up to 30 images on your VisitScotland.com listing. It’s worth investing in high quality images of the inside and outside of your business as pictures heavily sway your customers’ decision making. Find out more about the importance of using good images online.

Tip one

Social media is a quick way to reach your audience and potential customers – but there’s a right way to do it. Watch our video for social media on our top social media tips page which covers: 

• Tailoring your posts 
• Mixing up your messages 
• Holding conversations 
• Learning from others 
• Reviewing how you did 

Tip two

We’re always on the lookout for posts that are high in quality, have a location mentioned and have some further information provided. We’re not so keen on staged, publicity-styled commercial posts, or heavily branded or digitally altered photos. We want to show the real Scotland.

Tag us in your authentic social media posts @VisitScotland and use #OnlyInScotland and #VisitScotland.

Tip three

Just because you didn't create it, doesn't mean you can't use it. Make the most inspiring content out there work for you and your audience.

It’s possible to share inspirational content on your website and social channels without losing your audience’s attention. Take a look at a few simple ways to benefit from content that isn’t yours. 

Tip four

On our Facebook page share your images, videos and stories to the VisitScotland - Your Scotland Facebook group and directly to our wall. These posts will then sit on the visitor post section of our page which we check daily.

Tip five

Work with a social media influencer - they tend to have a large following and their audience is usually highly engaged with what they talk about – so they're more likely to look up things they mention, or click through to find out more. 

If you want to work with an influencer, there’s a few things to check when you pick who you would like to work with. Find out more about working with influencers on our social media influencer page.