How a TikTok Account Made $75,000 in Direct Bookings
Turning camp content into real revenue.
When I stepped into the Director of Marketing role at my Jellystone Park location in January 2021, I knew exactly what we needed: a TikTok strategy.
But not for the reason you might have thought.
While the park had the traditional marketing channels covered—Facebook posts, email newsletters, and community outreach—I saw an untapped opportunity.
Our weekend spots were filling up, but those mid-week vacancies? They were eating into our revenue like Yogi Bear at a picnic basket.
Fresh out of the gate, I knew TikTok was where our future guests were spending their time. Particularly those young folks and kids who drove parents’ decision-making when deciding where to book their vacations and annual camping trips.
Other tourism businesses, like hotels, were already seeing incredible success on the platform, and I was determined to bring that same energy to our park.
As a young marketing director who practically grew up with social media, I understood something crucial: authentic content wins every time.
While our existing marketing was solid, TikTok offered something different—a chance to show the real, unfiltered magic of Jellystone Park life.
From our very first post, we focused on showcasing the activities and the vibrant, fun-filled spirit that makes Jellystone unique.
We highlighted the joy of kids racing to the arts and crafts station, the thrill of families diving into themed events, and the laughter shared during water balloon tosses and scavenger hunts. Every post was designed to bring Jellystone’s lively atmosphere to life and show how every day here is packed with opportunities for family fun and unforgettable memories.
Here’s an example of a typical post:
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Normal performance was around 25-50 likes and maybe a few comments or shares. Reach was around 1-3k per post.
This pace held for a while under we reached scale and made progress.
After a few iterations, the bookings started to role in.
Finally! We Hit The $75,000 Breakthrough
The results validated everything I'd pushed for.
Within six months, our TikTok account had directly generated $75,000 in bookings—primarily for those previously empty mid-week spots or for site that has softer occupancy.
Our highest-performing video? A simple 6-second clip that went viral:
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Nothing special. Some might say it sucked. But it had 832k views!
It wasn't professionally filmed. It wasn't scripted. It was just... real.
Normal staff doing a cute promo in front of our stuffed plush bears.
Proof that what we were doing could actually work.
Now you may be asking, how did we know that direct bookings were directly linked to our TikTok account — it’s a great question and something I knew we needed to track from the beginning.
My solution was link tracking through Bitly. We used a single URL shortener to focus our audience and drive higher click-through rates with more engagement.
TikTok doesn’t have links available in posts like Facebook or LinkedIn.
What it does have is a link in the bio.
We linked our Bitly.com account in our bio and tracked the booking journey to our website through this link slug:
utm_source=social&utm_medium=tiktok&utm_campaign=bookingcampaignWe also connected Google Analytics to our account, website, and camping booking platform.
We could see the exact booking journey from a funny reel to a cabin booking in the middle of August.
It was pure marketing gold.
Here Are the Post Types That Actually Worked
Character Interactions: Our most viral moments came from real interactions between Yogi, the bears, and guests. Pure joy is impossible to fake, and TikTok viewers know it.
Behind-the-Scenes Content: Videos of our team did extremely well. People love seeing how the magic happens & could connect with some of our key team members when they arrive at the park. Building even more loyalty.
Unit Tours: Showcasing our cabins and campsites gave viewers a chance to see exactly what they’d experience during their stay. From cozy cabin interiors to spacious RV sites, these tours inspired bookings by helping guests picture themselves making memories.
Activity Previews: Quick looks at our themed weekends, special events, and daily activities helped potential guests envision their stay—and book those mid-week specials we promoted.
The Bigger Lesson
What I learned went beyond social media metrics. We confirmed what I'd suspected all along: modern families don't just want a place to stay—they want to preview the experience before they commit.
TikTok allowed them to virtually walk through our park, see real reactions, and imagine their own families making memories here.
More importantly, it helped us reach our ideal demographic: millennials with young families who make decisions based on authentic content rather than polished advertisements.
Looking Back
Was it perfect? No.
Did I make mistakes? Of course. It was such a new thing in the earlier days of TikTok as a platform. (Let's not talk about when I tried to force our staff to do a trending dance.)
However, the authenticity of our content, combined with strategic promotions that supported our business objectives, transformed our occupancy patterns.
The key wasn't trying to be the most professional or most trendy park on TikTok—it was about staying real.
We showed the joy, the chaos, and yes, even the occasional rainy day activities.
Because that's what family camping is really about.
For those wondering if social media can really impact your bottom line: Start with authenticity, focus on showcasing real moments, and don't be afraid to let your park's personality shine through.
Sometimes the best marketing strategy is simply showing people the magic they're missing out on.
Talk to you soon,
—Alex
PS: Want to transform your campground into a 5-star destination while maximizing your revenue? Join hundreds of successful owners getting actionable strategies delivered straight to their inbox. Subscribe to Camping Codex now – it's free, and your future guests will thank you!