A Chicago Treasure with a Unique Challenge
Lincoln Park Zoo is one of Chicago’s most iconic attractions, offering visitors an immersive wildlife experience in the heart of the city. Completely free of charge, this free zoo is a cultural gem and a vital community resource. However, in a competitive tourism market where paid attractions dominate advertising space, Lincoln Park Zoo faces a unique challenge. They must ensure that potential visitors know about its free admission and world-class experience.
Products included
• Search
• Display
• YouTube
• Paid Social Media
Despite its strong reputation locally, the zoo desired to amplify awareness among regional travelers and day-trippers who might assume that a zoo of this caliber comes with a ticket price. The goal was clear, to reinforce the message that Lincoln Park Zoo is not only exceptional but also accessible to everyone, without cost.
Our Partnership Was the Perfect Fit
Advance Travel and Tourism specializes in connecting destinations and attractions with highly engaged audiences through data-driven digital strategies. For Lincoln Park Zoo, this meant crafting a campaign that didn’t just generate clicks, but built meaningful awareness and inspired visits. By leveraging our expertise in full-funnel marketing, we ensured that every stage of the traveler’s decision-making process was addressed, from initial discovery to on-site engagement.
“We didn’t just run ads—we told a story that mattered. By showcasing Lincoln Park Zoo’s unique value as a free destination, we connected with audiences in a way that inspired visits and built lasting awareness.”
Emily Timmons, Account ExecutiveTactics and Outcomes
The campaign deployed a multi-channel approach designed to maximize reach and impact:
Paid Search (Google/Bing)
CTR: 15.13% (well above travel benchmark of 8.73%)
13,694 new users and 6,586 key events
Engagement rate: 65.21%
Display Re-messaging
38 key events
1,913 pages viewed by click-through users
Paid Social
CTR of 2.3%, well above industry average of 0.90%
581 key events
Video was a top performer in the social spaces
YouTube Video
View rate: 66.61% (benchmark: 52%)
Completion rate: 66.22% (benchmark: 52%)
The campaign delivered strong results, generating over 2.1 million impressions and achieving a 2.48% CTR. It attracted 26,000 new users and drove 7,211 key events. Year-over-year performance showed significant growth, with total users up 8.1%, engaged sessions up 11.44%, and key events surging by an impressive 423.65%, underscoring the campaign’s effectiveness in boosting awareness and engagement.
Where We Go From Here
Looking ahead to 2026, the focus will be on deepening engagement through personalization and leveraging emerging platforms. Key recommendations include maintaining annual campaign continuity to preserve learning and optimization, increasing the use of video assets due to their strong performance, and implementing targeted display campaigns for greater flexibility in creative messaging and audience segmentation. Additionally, expanding into TikTok with trending audio and behind-the-scenes content will help reach Gen Z audiences, while geofencing near competitor attractions and family-friendly destinations will capture in-market visitors and drive spontaneous attendance.
Why Full-Funnel Strategies Win for Attractions
Destinations and attractions thrive when marketing strategies address the entire customer journey. A full-funnel approach ensures that awareness campaigns don’t stop at impressions—they nurture interest, drive consideration, and ultimately convert curiosity into visits. For Lincoln Park Zoo, this meant pairing high-impact video storytelling with precise search targeting and retargeting tactics, creating a seamless path from discovery to action.
“The friendly Advance Travel & Tourism team has been instrumental in our ability to reach new audiences we’ve not been able to reach before with our standard marketing toolkit. They elevated our tourism-focused campaign to a new level, helped us try new channels and strategies and were thorough in their reporting to us. Because of their work, we were successful in achieving our traffic goals this year and have actionable insights for the next year.”
Lincoln Park Zoo’s partnership with Advance Travel and Tourism demonstrates the power of strategic, full-funnel marketing in driving awareness and visitation. By combining creativity with data-driven tactics, we helped amplify a message that matters—accessibility to all. This campaign is a blueprint for how destinations can thrive in a competitive landscape by leaning into their unique strengths and leveraging the right digital tools.
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