11 Creative Content Marketing Ideas for Museums to Attract More Visitors
The COVID-19 pandemic sucked.
Especially for museums.
In the last two years, they have been impacted heavily at every level of their operations:
5 out of 10 museums reported a drop between 25-75% of visitors in the summer months of 2020. (NEMO)
The same year, about 12.5% of museums lost more than 90% of annual revenue. (Statista)
A reduction of sold tickets and the global tourism crisis have caused a huge income loss.
However, art institutions are gradually recovering and looking for new, creative approaches to connect to their audiences - first and foremost, by going digital.
Almost 80% see new technologies as a success factor to attract more visitors, improve the relevance of content creation, and diversify their audience.
But the question is… How do you achieve these goals? How do you stay relevant to a wide variety of visitors and expand your online reach?
Here’s where content marketing comes in, being the most effective - and sustainable - way to…
Increase your audience engagement.
Develop authentic relationships.
Connect with new people worldwide.
Grow loyal repeat visitors.
Drive sales.
In today’s post, you’ll explore 11 creative content marketing ideas for museums to make the most of your digital channels and build your online success! 🙌
11 Content Marketing Ideas for Museums - Table of Contents
How Content Marketing Helps You Grow
Boost Your ROI With These 11 Content Marketing Ideas for Museums
How Content Marketing Helps You Grow
Content marketing has proved to be the best method to boost your brand awareness and online presence.
The following stats make it pretty clear:
Content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing and generates about three times as many leads. (Demand Metric)
84% of people expect brands to produce content. (Havas Group)
B2B buyers consume 3-5 pieces of content before engaging with a salesperson when making a purchase decision. (Demand Gen Report)
This means relevant, top-notch content impacts audience decision-making more than anything else, helping people move through their buyer’s journey.
A consistent use of content marketing will benefit your museum branding A LOT.
You’ll…
Gain people’s trust by providing content that meets their needs and desires.
Attract the right leads.
Drive website traffic and conversions.
Get more visibility with SEO-friendly content.
Strengthen your reputation and credibility.
Grow organically through valuable, engaging content.
Amazing, right?
How to promote museums will be a no-brainer once you have an efficient content strategy in place.
Plus, in-depth museum audience research, followed by thorough content planning, will give you a head start in your business and revenue growth!
Boost Your ROI With These 11 Content Marketing Ideas for Museums
It’s time to dig into 11 creative content marketing ideas for museums to build better connections with your audience, gain online exposure, and reach new potential visitors/customers.
The key here is to develop content that entices multiple people to turn to you for inspiration, help, and guidance.
By doing so, they’ll be encouraged to:
Interact with you (on your website, social media, newsletter, etc.)
Mention you and share your content with others.
Buy what you offer.
Visit your museum on site.
Remember: content marketing must be customer-centered to increase your ROI. You have to make your content as approachable, friendly, and valuable as possible to your target audience - but also on brand and in line with your business goals.
Take inspiration from the following ideas to leverage your content creation and set innovative marketing campaigns for your museum.
1. Write Weekly Blog Posts
Of all the marketing ideas for museums, blogging is one of the most effective methods to attract wider audiences and improve engagement.
If you’re wondering “How do you make a museum more interesting?”, look at these stats:
77% of internet users read blogs. (Social Media Today)
Businesses that blog produce about 67% more leads per month than businesses that don’t blog. (Demand Metric)
A blog on your website makes all the difference when it’s focused on your target audience’s interests and provides informative, high-quality content that resonates with them.
It has the potential to boost your website traffic and set you apart from the crowd!
Here’s how blogging works:
It’s a great content marketing tool to show your knowledge and expertise to your audience.
Useful, educational content triggers conversations and lets you develop strong relationships.
A consistent blog presence and regular publishing schedule drive profitable customer actions.
Optimizing your blog posts for SEO purposes enhances your organic search visibility.
A blog gives you a place to highlight your brand identity, promote your services, and get positive ROI.
The really serious bloggers who put in 6+ hours on average are far more likely to report strong results. (Orbit Media)
Don’t overlook the benefits of blogging; rather, integrate it into your strategy, constantly update it with new, compelling articles, and make good use of it to fulfill your goals.
2. Tell Your Story Through Videos
Including video content in your museum marketing plan is another powerful way to reach and engage new audiences.
According to CodeFuel, videos produce a better ROI than traditional marketing methods: marketers say it increases traffic to their website (86%), helps generate leads (84%), and drives more sales when added to web pages (78%).
This is because people are attracted to visuals more than words - data shows that it’s easier for us to become emotionally attached to something we watch rather than read.
If viewers see your videos as valuable and interesting, they’re likely to refer back to your content in the future, mention you to others, and ultimately visit your museum.
With this format, you’re able to…
Communicate your mission and values.
Raise awareness.
Build trust through authentic stories.
Pull in new prospects.
From explainers and behind-the-scenes tours to how-tos, testimonials, and interviews, the video types you produce will grab people's attention and get them to spend time on your digital channels - all it takes is a bit of creativity!
Before hitting the “record” button, ask yourself one simple question: What do museum visitors want?
Think about their expectations/likes/desires and create your best video content accordingly.
3. Build Your Email List
One of the most effective content marketing ideas for museums is email.
It may seem an outdated messaging channel, yet its impact on business success is HUGE:
Email generates $42 for every $1 spent, which is an astounding 4,200% ROI.
Marketers who use segmented campaigns note as much as a 760% increase in revenue. (Campaign Monitor)
79% of B2C marketers rely on email to spread their content. (CMI)
Email marketing is a powerful, cost-effective tool to build your customer base, grow leads, and make sales.
Besides, it’s an excellent opportunity to reach your target audience through personalized content that is tailored to their interests and the stage of the buyer’s journey they’re at (Do they know your museum yet? Are they repeat visitors/patrons? Have they bought from you before?).
The best way to build your list of subscribers is organically.
Here’s how:
Embed an email sign-up form in your website to encourage users to join your newsletter.
Create valuable lead magnets (ebooks, guides, infographics, etc.) for your museum blog.
Promote your newsletter on social media by offering exclusive content, special discounts, or freebies to encourage your followers to subscribe.
The key is to provide insightful content that educates, inspires, and meets people’s needs.
You can send emails about upcoming exhibits, special events, educational programs, seasonal offers, and more. Or you can go even further by presenting rare objects in your collection or sharing stories from your team to trigger curiosity about what you do.
Ultimately, the personal interactions you develop via email will turn your subscribers into faithful “fans” and future visitors!
4. Repurpose Old, Outdated Content
Repurposing content consists in reusing existing content and transforming it into a new format (like turning a blog post into a podcast episode) - this will keep the audience interested and expand your reach.
The aim is to use an engaging, high-performing piece of content as the basis for posts, videos, webinars, and more, without creating something from scratch all the time.
Look at the benefits of refreshing old content:
You get it in front of a completely new audience.
You satisfy people’s preferences (for example, from a blog post that performed well, you can pull out a YouTube video on the same topic to reach users who prefer video over text).
You reinforce your message by extending the lifetime value of your content.
You get long-term efficiency from recycling existing content.
You increase organic visibility and traffic.
“You don’t have to create content, day in, and day out. You just have to work on getting the content you already have… in the hands of more people.”
61% of marketers think content repurposing is one of the most efficient marketing tactics to implement. Plus, the Marketing’s Rule of 7 clearly states that buyers need to hear your message seven times before they’ll close the deal.
So, how do you get the best results?
Here’s a few tips:
Find your evergreen content (previous successful topics can still be relevant to your audience under new formats).
Check your metrics (alter and refresh what has performed best to entice more people).
Adapt the content to each format (duplicating content won’t work; you need to optimize it).
Update it (improve old articles with new information).
Break it up into tidbits (turn an extended content piece into short posts or videos to share on social media).
Go visual (infographics are great to simplify complex topics and make them more digestible).
With repurposing, you’ll ease the creation process by giving your most impactful content a new life!
5. Join Popular Hashtag Themes
If social media is an essential part of your creative museum marketing, then you should use popular hashtags (link to blog5) to help you expand your online success.
Did you know that tweets with hashtags receive 2x more engagement than those without them and posts with at least one hashtag get 29% more interactions?
This indicates that hashtags are a powerful tool for:
Boosting brand awareness and engagement.
Making your content visible to wider audiences.
Kickstarting conversations around a trending topic.
Getting more visibility.
Pulling in the right people.
Promoting your best museum marketing campaigns.
So, use them strategically to connect with your target audience and stand out in your industry.
To make the most of your hashtag strategy:
Choose the hashtags that are pertinent to your niche and marketing goals.
Monitor hashtags performance on Instagram and Twitter analytics.
Be consistent in your posting activity.
Create quality content that caters to your following’s interests.
Diversify hashtags in your posts to stay relevant.
It takes time and effort, but great opportunities come from this.
Those who find you through hashtags will be motivated to interact with your content and share it with their followers; they’ll see it as a valuable source and keep coming back to you.
The result?
You’ll nurture long-lasting relationships and foster loyalty in your potential visitors/customers!
6. Run Social Media Contests
One of the best content marketing ideas for museums you should integrate in your strategy is social media contests.
Whether it’s a simple giveaway or a more elaborate challenge, running contests is an amazing opportunity to…
Amplify brand recognition.
Promote your collections/services/products.
Extend your reach organically.
Interact with your target audience.
Share user-generated content.
Boost conversions and sales.
It’s about sharing authentic and unique content that puts your audience at the center of your campaigns - combine people’s natural tendency for competition with a compelling offer, and you’ll get an engaged audience eager to connect with you!
According to data:
Contests have a conversion rate of almost 34%. (Smallbiztrends)
Instagram accounts that hold contests grow their followers 70% faster on average than accounts that don’t. (Tailwind)
An average of over 34% of new customers are acquired through contests. (Kontestapp)
Here’s what to do to get similar results:
Set specific marketing goals (like encouraging community engagement, ramping up web traffic, growing museum attendance, etc.).
Decide an appealing prize (a gift card, membership discount, special items, etc.).
Choose a social media platform (based on where your target audience is most active).
Set contest entry rules and deadlines (based on your campaign objectives).
Promote the contest (on social networks, newsletter, etc.).
Announce the winner and analyze your contest results (to get insights on your audience).
Eventually, you’ll reap all the benefits of a well-planned social media contest!
7. Create Shoppable Posts On Instagram
Ever thought about promoting your museum store on Instagram?
Creating shoppable posts is a helpful method to increase income and website traffic organically.
It’s about tagging products to unpaid Instagram posts - your followers go from Instagram to your site to purchase your tagged items or they do payments right on the platform with Instagram checkout.
What are the benefits?
Well, the way people shop is simplified as you offer a direct path to your online store (they only need to tap on the tags embedded in your posts or Reels). Plus, you get to approach more prospective customers by displaying and promoting your products on social media.
But there’s more…
You can test your products on the real market.
The extra info displayed about your tagged products encourages users to click through to your e-Commerce.
Shoppable Instagram posts are an indirect - and more personalized - way of selling that eliminates shopping barriers.
You can add a maximum of 5 products to an image or video, and up to 20 tags for carousels.
However, you won’t be able to do any of that if you don’t meet the following requirements:
Your business must have a website domain from which to sell your products.
All your products are eligible to be sold.
Your business is located in Instagram’s supported markets.
Your business complies with Instagram Commerce Policies.
One more thing…
When creating your shoppable posts, make sure to provide engaging content that spurs your following to explore more - this way, you’ll be one step closer to rocking your sales!
8. Do Live Q&As
Live Q&A sessions on social media are one of those content marketing ideas for museums that help generate engagement and grow your online presence.
This format is great for:
Exchanging ideas.
Fostering knowledge and debate.
Interacting with your target audience on a deeper and more intimate level.
Showing your museum from the inside (through virtual tours, chats with curators, etc.)
Explaining a certain topic in detail.
Promoting your museum’s collections/exhibits/programs.
Generating interest in your services.
Through authentic and valuable conversations, participants will feel involved, listened, and motivated to follow you!
Here are some best practices for a good planning:
Define the main topic for your Q&A (focus on your audience’s preferences and interests).
Choose the right platforms (see where your following is most present).
Pick the right time (see when your following is most engaged online).
Make a list of potential questions and doubts your audience may have.
Decide targeted hashtags to use in the Q&A (recognizable hashtags will catch people’s attention and accurately sum up what the session is about).
Promote the live chat on your digital channels (post about it, including the time, date, platform, and subject).
The more attractive and engaging your live Q&A will be, the more successful results you’ll get!
9. Collaborate With Social Media Influencers
How do I attract more teenagers to the museum?
Well, influencer marketing could be the answer since…
This tells a lot about the importance of growing a loyal community online to get better ROI.
Let me explain…
This type of marketing is based on a collaboration between brands and creators who have a dedicated social following that sees them as experts in a given niche.
Influencers offer recommendations and product mentions through branded content and sponsored posts. But what makes them stand out is their ability to build trusting and personal relationships with their supporters - something many brands struggle with.
Your museum can benefit from this too.
Once you figure out which creators fit best with your mission, values, and target audience, start collaborating with them to promote your social media marketing campaigns.
You’ll…
Raise brand awareness.
Expand your reach and visibility.
Attract more leads.
Create long-term partnerships.
Gain credibility and authority.
Influence customer decisions.
…and give a boost to your online goals!
10. Start Your Podcast
Of all the content marketing ideas for museums listed here, podcasting is considered the newest and most popular way to reach wider audiences effectively.
Only in the US, 62% of consumers listen to podcasts and the number of worldwide listeners is expected to reach 504.9 millions by 2024.
People enjoy listening to podcasts as it’s an easy and quick tool to access valuable information whenever and wherever they want.
Sharing your museum’s story and insights on this medium can help you deeply connect with your listeners and turn them into loyal customers.
Interviews with experts in the field, special lectures, Q&A chats, presentations about your museum’s collection, and other initiatives are great ways to gain authority, high engagement, and trust with your target audience.
But the list of benefits goes on…
Podcasting opens you to your ideal visitors.
It lets you develop a personal, long-lasting connection with your listeners through relevant content.
It’s cost-effective and less competitive than other media like a YouTube channel.
It’s on-demand and an additional revenue stream.
It increases website traffic and SEO ranking since Google indexes individual podcast episodes.
And the best part is the podcasting world is far from saturated and continuously on the rise!
Main reasons why Americans 12+ listen to podcasts. (Edison Research)
With podcasting, you’ll take advantage of the omnichannel marketing approach. You’ll leverage your exposure and nurture a faithful online community that will positively impact your ROI.
11. Launch eLearning Courses
Is online learning one of the most effective content marketing ideas for museums?
According to data, YES - and it’s growing fast!
Being currently valued as a $107 billion industry, 78% of people believe online learning adoption will increase in the near future even more.
The e-learning market in the US is expected to grow by $21.64 billion. (Businesswire)
Truth is teaching sells and is a successful way to…
Promote your museum.
Grow authority and brand awareness.
Expand your audience reach.
Make an impact on your ideal visitors through inspiring, educational content.
Generate revenue.
Online courses are easy to access and an opportunity for people to know your museum, while learning and exploring what you offer.
Whether it’s a webinar or a series of mini-courses, you’ll provide something valuable that will convince them they want to learn from you.
With the right strategy and an in-depth understanding of your ideal visitors, it won’t be hard to launch a successful online course that converts. (To get the best results, take inspiration from museums like the Guggenheim or V&A who regularly offer lectures for diverse audiences worldwide.)
Here’s some key steps:
Choose a topic that caters to your goals and target audience’s interests.
Do your research and create a content outline.
Pick the platform where you’ll host the course (your own website works well too).
Opt for a catchy and easy-to-remember title that relates to the main topic.
Write, record, design, and edit your content.
Define your offer (Will it be a free or paid course? Will you offer a discount?).
Promote your course (through social media, emails, registration pages, etc.).
You’re all set now to share an amazing learning experience!
Ready to Leverage Your Business With These 11 Content Marketing Ideas for Museums?
It’s not easy to find the right strategy when you try to…
Attract new audiences.
Get repeat visitors.
Improve engagement.
Extend your online reach.
Stand out from the competition.
Find new streams of income.
But with content marketing, not only will you overcome your biggest struggles, but you’ll also fulfill your business goals.
The secret ingredient is creating helpful, top-notch content that meets your audience’s needs and desires.
Take inspiration from these 11 content marketing ideas for museums to share your story in the most engaging and uplifting ways.
Add consistency, creativity, and a strategic mindset to the mix, and you'll have the perfect recipe to keep your museum attractive to your existing and prospective visitors. 🙌
Looking for guidelines on how to market a museum? Download the Museum Marketing Plan Checklist (With Tools) to learn the key 9 steps to building your marketing success!
