Having the right marketing foundations in place can make a significant difference. Great tourism experiences deserve to be seen – whether you’re attracting visitors through Google searches, inspiring travellers on social media, or showcasing your business through high-quality photography.
To help tourism and hospitality businesses across the region strengthen their marketing presence, Tourism Midwest Victoria (TMV) has developed a collection of practical Business Basics Toolkits. These free resources have been designed to help operators build confidence, improve visibility, and make the most of the digital channels that influence visitor decision-making.
Start with the basics
Many travellers will discover your business long before they arrive through an online search, a social media post, or your ATDW listing. Ensuring your information is accurate, up to date and visually appealing can significantly improve your chances of being found and chosen.
TMV’s new toolkit collection focuses on the core marketing essentials every tourism business should have in place, including:
- Photography and visual storytelling
- Social media planning and content creation
- Google Business Profile optimisation
- ATDW listing enhancements
- Marketing planning and goal setting
Whether you’re new to tourism marketing or simply looking to refresh your existing approach, these resources provide practical guidance that can be implemented immediately.
Showcase your business through great photography
High-quality imagery is often the first impression potential visitors have of your business. The Photography Checklist helps operators understand the types of images needed to effectively showcase their experiences, products and spaces across websites, social media, Google listings and tourism platforms.
From hero images to detail shots and seasonal content, the checklist provides a useful framework for building a stronger visual library.
Access the Photography Checklist here.
Make social media work harder for you
Maintaining an active and engaging social media presence can feel overwhelming, particularly for small businesses with limited time.
The Social Media Toolkits provide practical tips on content planning, storytelling, audience engagement and creating content that aligns with your business goals. Whether you’re developing a content calendar, promoting an event, or sharing behind-the-scenes stories, these resources offer simple strategies to help you stay consistent and effective.
Access the social media toolkits here:
Improve your online visibility with Google
For many travellers, Google is the first stop when researching destinations, experiences, accommodation or dining options.
The Google Business Profile Toolkit outlines simple steps to optimise your profile, manage reviews, update business information and increase your chances of appearing in local search results. A complete and active Google Business Profile can help build trust with potential visitors and drive more direct enquiries. With a rise in AI searches, Google Business Profiles also drive traffic from Large Language Models (LLMs) and AI-powered search features by acting as a structured, trusted data source that AI engines cite.
Access the Google Business Profile Toolkit here.
Strengthen your ATDW listing
Your Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) listing is a valuable marketing asset for tourism businesses. It provides content that can be distributed across multiple tourism websites, including Visit Victoria, Visit Ballarat and Ballarat In The Know platforms.
The Enhancing Your ATDW Listing Toolkit offers practical advice on creating compelling descriptions, selecting strong imagery and ensuring your listing is working effectively to showcase your business to potential visitors.
Access the Enhancing Your ATDW Listing Toolkit here.
Develop a clear marketing plan
Successful marketing doesn’t need to be complicated. The Basic Marketing Plan Template helps businesses identify their target audiences, set marketing objectives and develop simple actions that support business growth.
Whether you’re planning for a new season, launching a product or preparing for a major event period, having a documented plan can help keep your marketing focused and measurable.
Access the Basic Marketing Plan Template here.
Helping industry thrive
At TMV, we’re committed to supporting tourism businesses with practical tools, training and resources that strengthen the visitor economy across our region.
We encourage all businesses, regardless of size or experience, to explore the resources and identify opportunities to enhance their marketing approach.
Explore the Business Basics Toolkits today and take the next step towards improving your digital presence.