Top Digital Marketing Strategies for Museums

Museums walk a tightrope between educating and entertaining their visitors, making marketing efforts a mixed bag.

The good news: In the past five years, 10% more people say art and history museums are “welcoming to people like me,” a study notes. The challenge is getting them to come inside — and come back — all on tighter budgets.

Here at Zoe Marketing & Communications, we understand the fluidity of your audience and the nuance of connecting with them.

So, what are the best digital marketing strategies for museums? Let’s focus on where to put your marketing dollars for the best results.

5 of the best digital marketing strategies for museums

1. Identifying and targeting audiences

Start by honing in on who you want to reach. With most museums allocating just 2-4% of their annual budgets to marketing, prioritizing your target audience is essential.

Broad audiences may include:

• Returning visitors
• Prospective newcomers
• Out-of-area visitors
• "On-the-fringe" attendees drawn by specific exhibits

You may also focus on various demographics, such as:

• Families/parents
• Single people/couples
• Ethnically diverse populations
• Specific age groups (Gen Z, millennials, etc.)

With many options competing for limited funds, prioritizing your audience focus is critical. Test, track and adjust your strategy throughout the year to stay on course.

2. Delivering social media ads to key demographics

Museums have a built-in advantage: photogenic inventory. Engaging images of exhibits work well on Facebook, Instagram and even Pinterest.

On social media, be sure to target:

• People who like other museums or events in your area
• Those interested in art, science or history
• Parents with kids of specific ages

With Facebook and Instagram under Meta, you can place ads on both at once. Customize your reach by location, relationship status and more.

Don’t forget organic posts! These unpaid posts help build your audience and keep followers engaged with upcoming events and exhibits.

3. Using email marketing to lure visitors

Even if people know your museum exists, they might not think of you when making plans. Strategically timed emails can change that.

Why it works: Emails are action-oriented and timely — especially as people make last-minute plans.

There are two main approaches:

1. Paid email lists: Partner with a media influencer or marketing firm to access subscriber lists and deliver your message.
2. Your own email list: These first-party subscribers are your top fans. Keep them informed about special exhibits and events through regular, personalized emails.

4. Tapping into search-engine ads — especially retargeting

When people search for “things to do,” your ads should appear. Search engine marketing (SEM) is a powerful digital tool for museums.

• Start with search (text-only) and display (image-based) ads. Like social, you can target by location, age, interests and more.
• Retargeting is crucial. After someone visits your landing page, retargeting ads follow them around the web, keeping your museum top of mind. It’s a smart way to re-engage interested visitors and increase conversions.

5. Considering content marketing

Museums excel at storytelling. But is content marketing right for you? It depends.

• Sponsored content: Collaborating with a media partner can be effective — especially for long-term exhibits. However, “one-off” articles generally deliver lower results.
• Your own blog: If you have the bandwidth, writing blogs can boost SEO and approachability. Google favors informative, 300-600-word articles posted regularly. While it’s a deeper strategy, it can pay off in the long run.

Next steps for successfully marketing your museum

Even with tight budgets, museums can boost attendance with several digital strategies. Social media and email marketing are excellent starting points.

Ready to optimize your museum marketing budget? Talk to us at Zoe Marketing & Communications. We’ll help craft a plan that works for you.

Still exploring your options? Check out these helpful reads:

• Tips on setting a budget for a digital marketing campaign
• Why marketing to families is important for cultural institutions