{"id":20730,"date":"2021-08-06T10:05:30","date_gmt":"2021-08-06T10:05:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hammerandnailmarketing.com\/why-boat-marinas-should-be-using-marinas-com-to-market-their-marinas-to-boaters-copy\/"},"modified":"2023-09-27T21:35:23","modified_gmt":"2023-09-27T21:35:23","slug":"how-to-install-and-increase-marina-reservations-using-dockwa-on-your-wordpress-site","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hammerandnailmarketing.com\/how-to-install-and-increase-marina-reservations-using-dockwa-on-your-wordpress-site\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Install and Increase Marina Reservations Using Dockwa on Your WordPress Site"},"content":{"rendered":"[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_header title=”THE BOARD” subhead=”A Blog To Help The Business Owner Understand Online Marketing” text_orientation=”center” header_scroll_down=”on” scroll_down_icon=”%%0%%” background_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.37)” logo_image_url=”https:\/\/hammerandnailmarketing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/amp-3.png” content_max_width=”none” _builder_version=”4.16″ subhead_font_size=”20px” background_color=”rgba(255, 255, 255, 0)” background_image=”https:\/\/hammerandnailmarketing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/6.jpg” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_button_one=”on” button_one_border_width=”3″ button_one_border_color=”#ffffff” button_one_icon=”#||divi||400″ button_one_icon_placement=”left” custom_css_main_element=”padding-top:15%;” background_url=”https:\/\/hammerandnailmarketing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/6.jpg” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”50.5156px|0px|50.5156px|0px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_post_title date=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”4.16″ meta_text_color=”#0f0f0f” background_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0)” custom_css_post_meta=”font-family: ‘JosefinSans-Regular’;||display:block;” module_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0)” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/hammerandnailmarketing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Dockwa.jpg” alt=”Dockwa” title_text=”Dockwa” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

The Dockwa marine management software team states that 35% of all dockage requests<\/a> occur after marina business hours. 35%! That\u2019s not the type of percentage you want for passing 8th-grade math, but it is a chunk of potential customers that are looking for a way to contact your marina and might turn their search elsewhere without a convenient way to connect.<\/p>\n

A boater can download the free Dockwa app<\/a> and that\u2019s great, but a healthy demographic within the boating community still resorts to shopping and clicking from a personal computer. A current telecommunications study<\/a> states that 85% percent of Americans owned a smartphone as of February of 2021. That\u2019s a healthy percentage, but that means 15% percent of Americans don\u2019t even have access to the app, and it\u2019s in a marina\u2019s best interest to be present and visible on every available platform. Dockwa advertises its app features<\/a> as a simple process of \u201cTap. Book. Dock.\u201d A marina\u2019s reservation process should be no more difficult. Here\u2019s how to increase your marina\u2019s reservation conversion rate by as much as 50%<\/a> and make your marina website as easy as \u201cClick. Book. Dock.\u201d<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

Smooth and Easy: Installing the Dockwa \u201cBook Now\u201d Web Badge on Your Site<\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/hammerandnailmarketing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/book-now-with-dockwa.jpg” alt=”book now with dockwa” title_text=”book now with dockwa” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

Dockwa offers two primary methods for the integration of its online booking features into your website. You can add a \u201cbook now\u201d button or Dockwa\u2019s straightforward reservation form. Since everyone loves convenience, we\u2019ll start with the easiest method: adding the Dockwa \u201cbook now\u201d web badge to your WordPress<\/a> site.<\/p>\n

Consider this process like making a pot of pasta, except on the internet and you\u2019ll still be hungry afterward. Adding the Dockwa \u201cbook now\u201d badge involves copying and pasting a piece of Dockwa HTML code. Here’s the step by step route to get it done:<\/p>\n

1. <\/a>Login to your Dockwa account<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Click on your Account Settings page<\/a>: Once logged in, click on “Account” and then “Settings” from Dockwa\u2019s main navigation area.<\/p>\n

3. Consider this the \u201cstep three\u201d of making pasta\u2014you need to dump the noodles into the pot. In our scenario, this means copying the badge\u2019s HTML code from this page and pasting it onto your marina site\u2019s homepage. To do this, locate the piece of code on the \u201cSettings\u201d page in the upper left corner. Copy it, go to your site\u2019s page, and make sure to paste it into an \u201cHTML\u201d module. This way the \u201cbook now\u201d badge will manifest on your webpage as a button, rather than just a piece of actual code.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, there\u2019s no shame in being website illiterate. If you need more explicit support in this process, you can contact Dockwa\u2019s web support team<\/a> at mayday@dockwa.com<\/a> and they\u2019ll guide you directly.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/hammerandnailmarketing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/dockwa-web-badge.jpg” alt=”dockwa web badge” title_text=”dockwa web badge” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”10px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

Still Smooth and Easy? Yes. How to Add the Dockwa Reservation Form<\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/hammerandnailmarketing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Dockwa-booking-form.jpg” alt=”Dockwa booking form” title_text=”Dockwa booking form” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

The Dockwa reservation form contains the same boater information that is entered within the Dockwa web badge, and which call to action you\u2019d like to display is your personal preference. Adding the reservation form requires less clicking through your Dockwa account settings and a tad more communication.<\/p>\n

The simplest way to add the reservation form is this:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Send the Dockwa web team the contact information to connect them with your webmaster. The two current emails linked by the Dockwa team are mayday@dockwa.com<\/a> or katharine.kirk@dockwa.com<\/a>, one of their primary web support administrators.<\/p>\n

2. If you are the master of your web page, it\u2019s as simple as reaching out to your Marine Success Manager<\/a> with a request to add the form for you. They will ask you for the necessary information to display it on your website, and your Dockwa booking form will be displayed on your webpage by the next day at no charge.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”7px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

Protecting Your Website\u2019s Privacy: Securing Your Site with Free TLS\/SSL to Receive Dockwa Reservations<\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

The Dockwa reservation form includes a customer\u2019s payment and personal details. This requires a greater degree of security than simply posting the form and receiving a stream of sensitive information. Because the form takes a credit card, you must ensure that your website meets the proper security standards (read more on PCI compliance here<\/a>). Therefore, this is the point of your Dockwa web presence that is a degree above \u201csmooth and easy\u201d. The traffic between your website and Dockwa to take reservations must be encrypted.<\/p>\n

First off, what are those strange acronyms? TLS means \u201cTransport Layer Security\u201d and SSL stands for \u201cSecure Sockets Layer\u201d. Without spiraling into a rabbit hole about cryptographic security protocol, its purpose is in securing internet communications for privacy.<\/p>\n

If it feels like fruitless tedium, adding encryption will carry a couple of tangible benefits. Securing your website will boost your presence in Google search results and funnel traffic to your marina site. It conveys to the customer a visual presence of safety and trust and a greater degree of professionalism offered by your business. Your customers can basically sit in their chairs and feel like they\u2019re wearing an internet seatbelt.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Like setting up the reservation form, this is a free process, although Dockwa strongly recommends consulting with your IT or website provider before beginning the process. Dockwa encourages its marina users to reach out for help<\/a> at any time. They\u2019ll schedule a call with you and can directly carry you through the steps. You will need to create a free Cloudflare<\/a> account to complete the process, and this will provide your website with a proxy layer, enable you to serve static assets quickly via a CNS, and protect against malicious security threats like a DDOS attack.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”12px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

Completing the setup:<\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

1. Create your Cloudflare account<\/h3>\n

Visit the Cloudflare website here<\/a>. Enter your information. Create the account.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/hammerandnailmarketing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/create-a-cloudflare-account.jpg” alt=”create a cloudflare account” title_text=”create a cloudflare account” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

2. Add your marina site to Cloudflare<\/h3>\n

The next screen will prompt you to add your web address. It\u2019s imperative that when you do this, only add your \u201cbase domain\u201d. This means typing out \u201cwebsitename.com\u201d rather than the longer \u201cwww.websitename.com\u201d. Click \u201cScan DNS Records\u201d and continue to the next screen. Here, you\u2019ll see a Cloudflare introduction video, and you can watch this as Cloudflare finishes scanning your DNS records. When it completes, click \u201cContinue\u201d and double-check your DNS records for accuracy. Click \u201cContinue\u201d and move on.<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

3. Choose the \u201cFree Website\u201d Plan<\/h3>\n

Okay, easy enough. Choose the plan and click \u201cContinue\u201d.<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

4. Access Your New Cloudflare Nameservers<\/h3>\n

On this screen, Cloudflare will prompt you to change your site\u2019s nameservers<\/a>. To complete this step, you\u2019ll need to login into your domain name provider\u2019s website, which could be WordPress, GoDaddy, Squarespace, etc. Log in to your domain name provider and look for the settings function where you can manage domain names. GoDaddy will have this function under \u201cAll Domains\u201d. Click on your marina site\u2019s domain name. Keep your domain name provider tab open, as you\u2019ll need it for the next step.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/hammerandnailmarketing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/nameserver-settings-1.jpg” alt=”nameserver settings” title_text=”nameserver settings” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

5. Change Your Nameservers<\/h3>\n

Find the \u201cNameservers\u201d menu item. Click on \u201cEdit\u201d. Copy the Cloudflare nameservers and paste them into the settings in your domain name provider. Continue to follow the Cloudflare instructions and save your settings before exiting.<\/p>\n

Okay, you\u2019ve saved your settings in your domain name service provider, and you\u2019re almost home. Head back into Cloudflare and click “Continue”. Now, click “Recheck Nameservers”.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, it\u2019s not instant gratification\u2014your site\u2019s security can take up to a full day to fully realize. To check whether it\u2019s achieved full security, test your website using https:\/\/. For example, you would type “https:\/\/dockwa.com” in your web browser.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/hammerandnailmarketing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/recheck-nameservers.jpg” alt=”recheck nameservers” title_text=”recheck nameservers” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

The magic indicator that your site security has gone live is the handsome green \u201clock\u201d icon, shown below in the screenshot:<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/hammerandnailmarketing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/https-icon.png” alt=”https icon” title_text=”https icon” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

If you still don’t see the green “https” lock on your page after 24 hours, follow this support link for instructions on how to automatically redirect all visitors to the \u201chttps\u201d url:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/support.cloudflare.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/200170536-How-do-I-redirect-all-visitors-to-HTTPS-SSL-<\/a><\/p>\n

Dockwa also recommends forcing \u201chttps\u201d on all the third-party links throughout your site. You can do this by following the instructions at this link:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/support.cloudflare.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/227227647-How-do-I-use-Automatic-HTTPS-Rewrites-<\/a><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”14px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

Breaking Through the Tedium: Let Hammer and Nail Handle It<\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

If you\u2019re a marina owner who is adamant about taking care of these tasks by yourself, you can think of the sweet customer boost you\u2019ll achieve by opening up reservations on your site 24 hours a day. If you just about threw your computer (or phone) across the room reading through the steps to build your Dockwa web presence, you have an alternative option: Let Hammer and Nail Marketing<\/a> set up and maintain your Dockwa website connection for you.<\/p>\n

We are a boutique marketing agency that specializes in helping small to mid-sized marinas get noticed by boaters. Not only are we experts at creating engaging marketing solutions for marinas, but we are boaters ourselves from the background of operating a family-run marina.<\/p>\n

Your marketing needs can be a cumbersome responsibility of time and effort. If you want to focus on the daily operations of running your marina, get in touch with us<\/a>. We\u2019ll help you build and maintain your digital presence and ensure that the last thing a local boater sees before heading out is your marina.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” header_5_font_size=”17px” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

Relevant Links:<\/h3>\n