case study · Shamwari Private Game Reserve, Eastern Cape
from big 5 dreamers to direct bookings.
a safari is a big, considered purchase. we used Google Ads, Meta lead ads and SEO content to bring more of the right travellers to Shamwari and turn them into real conversations with the reservations team.
the results
the results at a glance.
six numbers across three channels, each one reported exactly as it was measured. no rounding up.
compared with the previous six months.
industry average click growth is 10%.
at a cost of R15 per lead.
the main goal of the content programme.
more people finding Shamwari through search.
“spekboom: 5 amazing facts about this wonder plant”.
safaris are expensive and complex. very few people click “book now” on a first visit, and Shamwari wanted to rely less on online travel agents and paid platforms for its bookings.
Shamwari needed three things at once: more qualified traffic from people already searching for a safari, a way to start a real conversation with travellers who weren’t ready to book yet, and a website that earned visits on its own through search.
so we gave each channel a clear job. Google Ads captured intent, Meta lead ads opened conversations, and SEO content built a steady source of organic enquiries.
more clicks, nearly double the conversions.
Shamwari’s search campaigns reached more of the people actively planning a safari, and far more of those visitors took action once they arrived.
clicks grew more than four times faster than the industry average, while conversions rose by 84.55%. That combination of lower costs, higher engagement and stronger conversion efficiency gave Shamwari a clear edge in a competitive tourism market.
“over just 6 months, campaign performance far exceeded industry benchmarks, with a rare combination of lower costs, higher engagement, and nearly doubled conversion efficiency, giving the brand a clear competitive edge in the tourism space.”
increase direct bookings from social.
a cold “book now” button rarely works for a safari. lead generation ads turn anonymous clicks into one-on-one conversations with a reservations consultant, which close at a much higher rate.
what we did
- ran two creative routes on Facebook: special offers for South African travellers, and emotional appeal ads built around escape and adventure
- used instant lead forms that collect an email or WhatsApp number, plus intent signals such as travel month, party size and budget
- passed every lead straight to Shamwari’s reservations team for a personal follow-up
- used the lead data to power remarketing, lookalike audiences and nurture flows, reducing reliance on online travel agents and paid algorithms
at R15 per lead.
organic traffic that ends in an enquiry.
the goal was to grow organic traffic to Shamwari’s website, and then turn more of those visitors into “enquire now” clicks.
what we did
- researched the keywords travellers use and what competing reserves rank for
- planned and wrote SEO-optimised blogs that give website visitors real value
- used the organic search channel to grow enquiries, not just visits
three channels, one booking journey.
each channel met travellers at a different stage, and each one sent them to the same place: a conversation with Shamwari.
- 01/ 03search
catch the intent.
Google Ads reached people already planning a safari, with clicks up 42.34% and conversions up 84.55%.
- 02/ 03social
start the conversation.
Meta lead ads turned interest into 2,051 named leads for the reservations team, at R15 each.
- 03/ 03content
earn the visit.
SEO blogs grew organic traffic by 29% and doubled “enquire now” clicks.
want results like these?
tell us where your bookings come from today, and we’ll show you where the next ones could come from.
Google Ads figures compare the six months of the campaign with the previous six months. Meta lead figures cover six months. SEO figures are as reported in Shamwari’s analytics.
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