How SiteRank Helped Alcatraz Escape Games Boost Bookings by 240%

The Customer

Alcatraz Escape Games is a premier escape room entertainment company founded by James Bernard, operating multiple locations across Utah (Draper, Lindon) and Arizona (Tempe). With over 20 years of experience in immersive entertainment design, Bernard has built Alcatraz into one of Utah’s most popular escape room destinations, featuring high-production themed rooms like “The Row,” “Zombie Panic,” and “Wizard Hysteria.” Known for their storytelling approach and cutting-edge technology, they serve families, corporate teams, and groups seeking unique entertainment experiences, including their innovative mobile escape bus for off-site events.

The Challenge

Despite having over 1,500 five-star reviews and being recognized as Utah’s premier escape room venue, Alcatraz Escape Games faced increasing competition from new entertainment venues and franchise operations. Their ideal customers — families planning memorable outings, corporate teams seeking engaging activities, and groups looking for unique date night experiences — were often discovering competitors first through online searches, limiting Alcatraz’s ability to showcase their superior production values and immersive storytelling.

The Solution

SiteRank identified significant opportunities to leverage Alcatraz’s exceptional reputation and unique offerings through targeted SEO optimization, local search dominance, and content marketing that highlighted their distinctive experiences and James Bernard’s expertise in immersive entertainment design.

The Results

Alcatraz Escape Games achieved remarkable growth, with a 180% increase in organic traffic and a 240% increase in online bookings, establishing them as the dominant online presence in Utah’s competitive entertainment market.

Alcatraz Escape Games had built an outstanding reputation through exceptional customer experiences and innovative room designs. James Bernard and his team had created some of Utah’s most immersive entertainment experiences, earning thousands of positive reviews and loyal customers. However, their digital marketing presence wasn’t capturing the growing number of people searching for “escape rooms near me” and “things to do” activities. Their customer acquisition relied heavily on word-of-mouth referrals, while potential customers were often finding newer competitors with stronger online visibility first. With that in mind, Alcatraz Escape Games partnered with SiteRank to modernize their digital marketing strategy.

In April 2024, we were able to quickly establish Alcatraz’s authority for competitive local entertainment searches that had been dominated by newer franchises and corporate chains. This was a breakthrough they had struggled to achieve despite their superior customer experience and innovative room designs.

From Hidden Gem to Market Leader

SiteRank immediately identified critical technical SEO issues and local search optimization gaps preventing Alcatraz from reaching their full potential online. After addressing site performance problems and implementing comprehensive local SEO strategies across their multiple locations, we developed a content approach showcasing their unique strengths: James Bernard’s two decades of design expertise, their high-production room themes, and their exclusive mobile escape bus offering.

We were able to rapidly rank Alcatraz for valuable terms like “escape rooms Utah,” “corporate team building activities,” and “unique date night ideas Salt Lake City” — keywords that were capturing their ideal customers but directing them to competitors. SiteRank’s entertainment industry SEO expertise, combined with our multi-location optimization strategy, brought their most valuable search terms to life and directly contributed to their booking goals.

The Results

Recognized Excellence in Entertainment Marketing

Now, Alcatraz Escape Games has the commanding online presence to match their exceptional customer experience. Their expertise-driven content regularly appears in local entertainment searches, and they’ve become the go-to resource for Utah families and corporate teams researching immersive activities. The improved booking quality has enabled James Bernard’s team to focus on what they do best — creating unforgettable entertainment experiences.

“SiteRank transformed how people discover us online. We went from being Utah’s best-kept secret to the first choice people see when searching for escape rooms. The quality of customers has been outstanding — they come in already excited about our unique themes and ready for our premium experience.”

James Bernard, Partner