Digital marketing
Victoria
Victoria sells to two crowds: island residents all year and visitors who arrive by ferry, plane and cruise ship. I build booking websites that serve both without wasting the off-season budget.
Free: a 30-minute call, an action plan and a price range in writing.
What shapes marketing
in Victoria
BC's capital on the southern tip of Vancouver Island has a steady local economy and a strong tourist season. A plan that ignores either side leaves money behind.
A tourist season with a clear peak
Summer brings cruise passengers, ferry traffic and road-trippers. Tours, restaurants and accommodation need visibility weeks before visitors land, not just when they arrive.
Commission platforms take a cut
Hotels, B&Bs and tour operators often depend on booking platforms. A website with direct booking and remarketing can bring a share of guests back to your own channel.
A local base of residents and government
Government offices, UVic, Camosun and a sizeable retired population keep services busy all year: health, home care, renovation, legal and financial services.
Island geography
Customers in Langford, Saanich or Sidney may or may not travel downtown. Service areas and ad targeting should reflect real drive times on the Peninsula and the West Shore.
Reviews that
win the next customers
Before calling, customers read reviews. I help you collect them and reply in a way that builds trust.
- Review request after the visit
- A reply to every review
- Reviews visible on Maps and in AI
Where Victoria
businesses start
Each link leads to the full service or industry page.
Marketing for
hotels and lodges
Direct booking, clear room pages and remarketing to returning guests.
Travel agencies
and tours
Campaigns that reach visitors while they plan, not only on arrival.
Web design
Booking-ready sites on hand-written code or a custom CMS.
Google Ads
Seasonal campaigns for visitors and steady ones for locals.
Email marketing
Bring past guests back with CASL-compliant newsletters.
A year with me,
season by season
-
01
Winter
Build and fix
Website, booking flow, tracking and listings, while things are quiet.
-
02
Early spring
Planning-stage ads
Campaigns aimed at people researching a trip to the island.
-
03
Summer
Peak management
Ads tuned every two weeks; focus on last-minute and nearby searches.
-
04
Fall
Review and email
Results report, newsletter to past guests, and a budget plan for next year.
Digital marketing in Victoria for a seasonal city
Digital marketing in Victoria has a rhythm that a lot of agencies ignore. From late spring through early fall, cruise passengers, ferry travellers and road-trippers fill the Inner Harbour. In winter, the local market of residents, government staff and students carries most businesses. A good plan spends heavily when visitors are planning, holds steady for locals and uses the quiet months to fix the website.
That is why I like to start Victoria projects in winter, when owners actually have time to answer questions and review drafts. A new website with direct booking, clean tracking and an updated Google Business Profile can be ready before the first spring searches.
Direct bookings for hotels, B&Bs and tours
Booking platforms help fill rooms and tours, but each reservation costs a commission. You can win back a share with three steps:
- A fast site with real availability and a simple booking flow.
- Google Ads on your own brand name, so platforms do not take that click.
- Remarketing and email to people who visited your site or stayed before.
More on this approach is on marketing for hotels and lodges. Tour operators face a similar challenge; see travel agencies and tours.
Services for island residents
Plenty of Victoria businesses have nothing to do with tourism: dentists, home care, renovation, accountants, landscapers. For them, the plan looks more like any local service business, with one island twist. The Peninsula, Saanich, downtown and the West Shore behave like separate markets because of drive times. Ads and service areas should follow where you are actually willing to go.
Residents also search differently from visitors. A local types "furnace repair Saanich" or "dentist Langford" and wants a phone number now. A visitor types "things to do in Victoria" weeks before the trip and wants photos, prices and a booking button. Mixing both audiences in one campaign usually hides which one is paying off, so I keep them apart from the start and report on each separately.
Prices and terms
| Service | Price (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Business website | from $3,000 |
| Google Ads setup | $650 |
| Google Ads management | from $750/month |
| Meta ads management | from $700/month |
Ad spend is paid directly to Google or Meta, and management has no minimum term, so you can scale down after the season. I work remotely from abroad, with Zoom calls in Pacific time. To see if this fits your business, book the free consultation.
Other island and
coast cities
Victoria
FAQ
Can I really move guests away from booking platforms?
Not all of them, and you should not try. Platforms bring guests you would never reach yourself. The realistic goal is a bigger share of direct bookings: returning guests, people who find you on Google Maps and visitors who check your site after seeing you on a platform. A fast site with clear booking and remarketing helps.
When should I start advertising for summer?
Usually in spring, while people plan. Start brand and planning-stage campaigns first, then shift budget toward last-minute and nearby searches in July and August. For the website itself, aim to have it finished in winter.
Can I email past guests?
Yes, with consent that meets CASL, Canada's anti-spam law. Guests who opted in can get a newsletter; each email needs sender details and an unsubscribe link. I set up the opt-in on your booking and contact forms.
Do you have clients on Vancouver Island?
No. My Canadian clients are in Edmonton and Winnipeg, and the rest are mainly in Poland. I would be glad to work with a Victoria business and will show you comparable projects on the call.
What is a sensible first budget?
Many small hospitality businesses start with the Growth package from $4,300 (website, Google Ads setup and analytics) and around $1,000 a month in ad spend during the season. Management is from $750 a month and can pause off-season with one month's notice.
When is your busy
season in Victoria?
Tell me what you run and when your best months are. I reply within one business day.
- 9 short steps
- No obligation
- I reply personally
- I reply within 1 business dayPersonally, by email or on WhatsApp, whichever you prefer.
- A 30-minute call, freeI ask about your business, customers and budget. Beforehand I review your website and ads.
- A proposal with a price, in writingWhat I’ll do, by when and for how much. You decide with no pressure.
What do you need most?