Shoreline Sightseeing Makes Waves with a Comprehensive Digital Strategy

Facing fierce competition in Chicago’s tourism scene, Shoreline Sightseeing partnered with Responsory to boost ticket sales and cut through the digital noise. The result? A streamlined strategy that saw sales surge—and left the competition in its wake.

For more than 80 years, Shoreline Sightseeing has been a cornerstone of Chicago tourism, offering unforgettable boat tours and water taxi services. But even iconic brands face modern challenges. In an industry dominated by competitors with massive digital budgets, Shoreline needed to find smarter ways to drive sales and stay visible to tourists and locals alike.

Its challenges included:

• Seasonal Pressure: With peak demand condensed into a few months, Shoreline had limited time to capitalize on potential sales opportunities.
• Digital Roadblocks: Incomplete Google Business Profiles and disorganized PPC campaigns created missed opportunities for connecting with their target audience.
• Crowded Market: Competing against both direct competitors and aggregator sites like TripAdvisor and Groupon, Shoreline had to find a way to differentiate itself.
• Resource Constraints: Shoreline’s small in-house marketing team required additional expertise to handle the demands of optimizing campaigns across multiple platforms.

Shoreline sought a partner who could cut through the noise, enhance its digital presence and deliver results—fast. Responsory stepped in to transform these challenges into opportunities, creating a data-driven roadmap (nautical chart?) for success.

Responsory tackled Shoreline Sightseeing’s challenges with a streamlined, data-driven approach designed to make waves. The partnership began with optimizing Google Business Profiles to ensure tourists could easily find and trust Shoreline’s multiple dock locations. Next came a cleanup of PPC campaigns, refining keywords, ad copy and targeting to capture high-intent searches.

But the strategy didn’t stop there. Responsory expanded Shoreline’s reach by diving into new platforms like TikTok, Reddit and display advertising—meeting potential customers wherever they planned their Chicago adventures. With continuous optimization, creative ad assets and insightful reporting, Responsory empowered Shoreline’s small team to confidently navigate the competitive digital waters.

Shoreline Sightseeing didn’t just stay afloat—they sailed ahead, thanks to a smart, targeted digital strategy that delivered real, measurable results:

• 15.2 million impressions put Shoreline front and center, keeping them top-of-mind for tourists planning their Chicago adventures.
• 247,351 clicks turned interest into action, guiding potential customers straight to Shoreline’s website.
• A solid 1.6% click-through rate (CTR) showed that the right people saw—and engaged with—their ads.
• $1.85 million in ticket revenue flowed directly from digital campaigns, filling boats and driving sales.
• An incredible 8:1 return on ad spend (ROAS) proved that every dollar spent on ads brought back eight more in revenue.
• A 13:1 Return on Investment (ROI) on PPC campaigns made it clear that paid search was a game-changer.
• $32,000 in sales from TikTok in just one month highlighted the power of tapping into trending platforms.
• A 32% jump in online revenue showed significant growth in digital ticket sales compared to the previous year.
• A 47% surge in website traffic meant more eyes on Shoreline and more opportunities to convert visitors into customers.
• Consistent seasonal growth ensured Shoreline made the most of their busiest months, keeping tours packed and customers smiling.

With Responsory’s digital expertise, Shoreline Sightseeing cut through the noise, reached new audiences and turned clicks into cruises. The result? More boats full of happy tourists and a digital presence that left the competition in its wake.