Episode 31
How One Client Grew Revenue 80% With Less Traffic
You don't need more traffic. You need to convert the traffic you already have.
Get more bookings without more website traffic
In this episode of the Tour Operator Growth Podcast, Nikki and Greg pull back the curtain on two of ResmarkWeb's newest programs: the Conversion Engine (their CRO program) and monthly Coaching. The throughline is a pattern they keep seeing across clients. Flat bookings usually aren't a traffic problem, they're a conversion problem. You already have decent, quality traffic; it just isn't converting. They share real proof, including Moab Adventure Center's 27% increase in online sales (about $700,000) on slightly fewer visitors, and a client whose total revenue is up 80% year over year while organic traffic is actually down about 10%.
From there, they break down what CRO actually is, building your website to turn visitors into bookings rather than just inform them, and the two ways they run it: fixing clear friction points fast, and a more scientific approach of hypothesis-driven A/B testing taken to 95% statistical confidence using tools like Microsoft Clarity, with revenue tracked as a guardrail. They also walk through the coaching program (one-on-one monthly calls with a dedicated coach plus group peer cohorts, all anchored to the 25-point growth scorecard) and close with quick, do-it-this-week wins: one clear call to action per page, running a test or two, showing pricing sooner, and finding where visitors drop off.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is my problem more traffic or better conversion?
For most tour operators, it's conversion. Flat bookings usually aren't caused by a lack of traffic. You already have decent, quality traffic, and it just isn't converting into bookings, which is why adding more visitors rarely fixes the problem.
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What is conversion rate optimization (CRO)?
CRO is building your website to turn visitors into bookings instead of just informing them or looking pretty. A beautiful site isn't automatically a converting site. CRO uses your data and proven patterns to remove hesitation and make the next step obvious.
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How much can a higher conversion rate grow my bookings?
A lot, with no extra traffic. If 10,000 monthly visitors convert at 1%, that's 100 bookings. Raise it to 2% and you've doubled your bookings; get to 3% and you've tripled them, all from traffic you already paid for. That's why CRO is often the fastest return on marketing you can get.
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What are the two types of CRO?
One is fixing clear friction fast: spotting a specific problem and solving it, like when Western River Expeditions added a pop-up so guests could jump straight to next year's dates instead of clicking through months of sold-out trips. The other is a scientific approach: forming a hypothesis and running controlled A/B tests to see what actually wins.
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How does ResmarkWeb run its CRO program?
It starts with a focused audit and a short, prioritized document (not a 40-page report) with a dashboard of the key metrics. The team finds friction using Microsoft Clarity heat maps and session recordings, then runs controlled A/B tests to about 95% statistical confidence, tracking revenue as a guardrail so changes never hurt sales. ResmarkWeb now runs a dedicated CRO team, separate from SEO.
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What's included in the coaching program?
Two parts: a monthly one-on-one call with a dedicated coach who knows the tour and activity industry and your numbers, plus group strategy sessions in a cohort with other operators. Both are working sessions that cover things like pricing and inventory, sales process, lead capture, and OTA strategy, all anchored to the 25-point growth scorecard across the five stages every guest moves through (dreaming, planning, booking, experiencing, sharing).
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What are some quick conversion wins I can try this week?
Make your next step obvious with one clear primary call to action on every page; run one or two tests (for example, one CTA in your hero instead of two); show pricing and availability sooner so people don't have to enter checkout just to see cost; and look at where visitors drop off using a basic funnel view in Google Analytics.