With the rising popularity of online ticketing, cinemas need to embrace their online presence. As we previously covered, there are many reasons why cinemas should care about online ticketing. From the majority of purchases shifting to being online, to the prevalence of mobile accessibility for all kinds of retail, we know online ticketing is a core part of today’s moviegoing landscape.
We’re here to help you understand how to take your online sales even further, with 5 avenues you can pursue to boost your online sales.
1. Target younger moviegoers
“Kids are always on their phones these days” may be a cliché to hear, but when it comes to purchasing movie tickets, there’s some truth to the trends. Younger audiences exemplify the shift towards online engagement more than any other demographic. 2024 to date has seen moviegoers aged 12-24 purchase more than 75% of their tickets online, and those aged 25-34 are only a few percentage points behind (71%).
These same audiences can have a significant impact on the box office and success of events. Look to the surprise success of 2023’s Five Nights at Freddy’s or attendance of Barbenheimer events and you’ll see a large proportion of young moviegoers in the audiences.
Engaging online offers cinemas the ability to tap into this audience further. And to keep younger generations engaged and returning to the cinemas, we need to target them on the platforms where they spend time. These next action points will give you the tools to do just that.
2. Have a consistent social media presence
Social media can be a simple and highly effective tool for amplifying independent cinemas’ voices.
Trends from social media are influencing the film industry more often than ever. Just look at the viral explosions of M3gan’s TikTok dance craze, Gentleminions, or the popularity of Barbenheimer double-features.
But cinemas don’t have to go as big as going viral to use social media to their advantage. Having a consistent presence on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and TikTok gives you a place to easily engage your moviegoers and attract new fans. Promote upcoming events or new releases to remind your audiences about the excitement of cinema experiences.
Stay tuned to Veezi’s channels for suggestions on how you can use social media to better engage your audiences.
3. Build loyalty
While social channels help to draw in new potential moviegoers and foster community with your audiences, it’s equally important to maintain the love with your existing loyal moviegoers.
Loyalty programs have been a key part of cinema life for years now, from the complex and multi-tiered to easy points-based rewards systems. How are you using yours?
Rewarding your most dedicated moviegoers, whether through points-based loyalty programs, discounts, or other exclusive offerings, provides not only a reason for them to keep coming back for more, but to do so more frequently. Veezi provides the tools in our Loyalty offering to configure the program that suits your cinema’s audience.
Recent studies have proven how simple discount promotions can enhance revenue, and just how loyalty programs enhance visitation, with something as easy as targeted email campaigns.
4. Maintain engagement and attendance with email
Keeping your moviegoers in the know doesn’t have to be complicated. As the study above shows, something as simple as a targeted email campaign can create a measurable increase in attendance.
Email marketing can be used to engage and encourage your loyalty audience to visit more often. Whether offering loyalty members specific discounts or promotional codes, or simply highlighting upcoming exciting releases, email marketing can entice your loyal moviegoers to return to your cinema more frequently.
5. Craft a modern web experience
At the heart of boosting your online sales is providing the best online ticketing experience. There are a number of ways you can ensure your website and online ticketing live up to modern standards.
Making sure your website is easy to navigate, your ticketing processes are clear and as easy to use as possible, and accessible on the go can all make a significant difference to how much your audience engage with you online.
Mobile responsiveness (websites that automatically scale for smaller screens like smart phones) is essential in the modern market, and having a responsive website can effectively turn every moviegoer’s phone into a mobile POS for purchasing tickets. Veezi's mobile-responsive internet ticketing solution, V-Tix, fits seamlessly into your website to provide a top-of-the-line online experience.
With Web, we’ve cracked the code to creating stunning websites for independent cinemas that are customized to your brand and put user experience at the top.
Online ticketing continues to rise in popularity, and these simple tips can help you make the most of it by connecting with the right moviegoers in the right ways. Whether creating a consistent social media presence, enhancing your website, or treating your loyalty members, engaging your audience online can make a difference.