Marketing Ireland Online Hotel Website Marketing 2009 Presented by Laughlin Rigby eMarketing Manager, Tourism Ireland

Online travel trends…… European Online travel market is €61 billion in 2008 (+22%) (Phocuswright) Over 50% of all U.S. travel is now purchased online (Phocuswright) Consumers visit on average 10 sites before booking travel (Phocuswright) 34% of consumers visit the company web site when choosing their travel (Phocuswright) For every 2 visitors that got to an OTA to research a hotel, 1 of them will end up booking directly ( Reizdor)

European Online travel market is €61 billion in 2008 (+22%) (Phocuswright)

Over 50% of all U.S. travel is now purchased online (Phocuswright)

Consumers visit on average 10 sites before booking travel (Phocuswright)

34% of consumers visit the company web site when choosing their travel (Phocuswright)

For every 2 visitors that got to an OTA to research a hotel, 1 of them will end up booking directly ( Reizdor)

Online travel trends…… In Ireland……. The first and third most popular online purchases by the Irish public related to travel i.e. Flights and Hotels/Accommodation. (JNIR ‘08) “ Travel” was the most popular website genre visited in the study by 49% of people surveyed (JNIR ‘08) 62% of Irish people book their holidays on-line (CSO Nov ’07)

In Ireland…….

The first and third most popular online purchases by the Irish public related to travel i.e. Flights and Hotels/Accommodation. (JNIR ‘08)

“ Travel” was the most popular website genre visited in the study by 49% of people surveyed (JNIR ‘08)

62% of Irish people book their holidays on-line (CSO Nov ’07)

Our Biggest Markets

Our New and Developing Markets

19 Languages 41 International Websites

10.3 m visitors worldwide ‘08 +53% (YTD)

Performance – visits by country 2008

Tourism Ireland: Digital Marketing Spend

Tourism Ireland’s eMarketing Strategy 3. Push (put our presence out on social media and eNetworks) Pull (drive visitors to the site) eMarketing Strategy: 2. Engage (enhance the website and increase consumer engagement)

Pull (drive visitors to the site)

1. Pull (drive visitors to the site) Online Advertising: all standard formats (banners, skys, MPUs), rich media Partnership Media Promotions : joint campaigns with individual sites e.g. lastminute, expedia, tripadvisor Email Marketing : TI database, Cold data, Media partner databases Search Engine Marketing: 27 markets, over €800,000 invested in 08, 2,000+ key search terms 1. Pull (drive visitors to the site)

Online Advertising: all standard formats (banners, skys, MPUs), rich media

Partnership Media Promotions : joint campaigns with individual sites e.g. lastminute, expedia, tripadvisor

Email Marketing : TI database, Cold data, Media partner databases

Search Engine Marketing: 27 markets, over €800,000 invested in 08, 2,000+ key search terms

1. Pull (drive visitors to the site) Search Engine Optimisation: continuous evolution of di.com to improve rankings and natural search traffic Offline Advertising: clear and inviting call to action to visit site across all offline media Campaign Site Inclusion: drive to traffic when appropriate to main site instead of once-off microsites 1. Pull (drive visitors to the site)

Search Engine Optimisation: continuous evolution of di.com to improve rankings and natural search traffic

Offline Advertising: clear and inviting call to action to visit site across all offline media

Campaign Site Inclusion: drive to traffic when appropriate to main site instead of once-off microsites

1. Pull (drive visitors to the site) Website launched March 2006 First phase of a global web development project Database of over 30,000 tourism products on all-island tourism database Post launch – usability study in 4 markets Ambitious evolution programme underway from 2007 through 2009 36 individual enhancement projects undertaken Deliver commercial platform, inspiration, engagement 2. Engage (enhance site/increase engagement)

Website launched March 2006

First phase of a global web development project

Database of over 30,000 tourism products on all-island tourism database

Post launch – usability study in 4 markets

Ambitious evolution programme underway from 2007 through 2009

36 individual enhancement projects undertaken

Deliver commercial platform, inspiration, engagement

Homepage Redesign: New homepage design, functionality, flexibility and Navigation

Rich Media: Launched 13 custom edited videos and 13 slide shows across key visitor interaction pages: Places to go, Things to see and do, About Ireland, Accom. Main PR video.

Things to See and Do: Golf: Entirely new section and enhanced functionality.

Key Industry Platforms Strategy ‘ L evel playing pitch ’ for all our Industry partners Provide platform to close sale Site does not have booking engine Listings, links, offers and partnership programmes Trade Offers XML Metasearch functionality for offers feeds from IHF, FI, NITB, Manor House hotels Incorporate Market Partnership programme 2009 Review of offers section Site analytics on offers, path analysis External benchmarking – what others are doing? Consumer Trends Quality Assurance of value for stakeholders and consumers

Strategy

‘ L evel playing pitch ’ for all our Industry partners

Provide platform to close sale

Site does not have booking engine

Listings, links, offers and partnership programmes

Trade Offers

XML Metasearch functionality for offers feeds from IHF, FI, NITB, Manor House hotels

Incorporate Market Partnership programme

2009 Review of offers section

Site analytics on offers, path analysis

External benchmarking – what others are doing?

Consumer Trends

Quality Assurance of value for stakeholders and consumers

1. Pull (drive visitors to the site) 3. Push (put presence on social media)

What is Social Media? The online reference website Wikipedia definition: “ Social Media refers to a collective group of web properties that are driven by users. These include blogs, discussion boards, vlogs, and video sharing sites. Social Media Optimization (SMO) is the process of trying to get your content more widely distributed across multiple Social Media networks.”

The online reference website Wikipedia definition:

“ Social Media refers to a collective group of web properties that are driven by users. These include blogs, discussion boards, vlogs, and video sharing sites. Social Media Optimization (SMO) is the process of trying to get your content more widely distributed across multiple Social Media networks.”

Social Media Site Stats…. Tripadvisor gets 25 million unique users a month 45 people employed to read all the content put up on the site 58% of users want hotels to be able to respond to reviews, and only 5% don’t

Tripadvisor gets 25 million unique users a month

45 people employed to read all the content put up on the site

58% of users want hotels to be able to respond to reviews, and only 5% don’t

Social Media Site Stats…. WAYN has approx 15 - 25,000 new members every day 5 million photos & 4 million trips added to WAYN Every new member brings in 13 other members

WAYN has approx 15 - 25,000 new members every day

5 million photos & 4 million trips added to WAYN

Every new member brings in 13 other members

Social Media Site Stats…. Yahoo travel, there are 130,000 trip plans (15% of which are public) Yahoo Answers has 100 million users worldwide

Yahoo travel, there are 130,000 trip plans (15% of which are public)

Yahoo Answers has 100 million users worldwide

Social Media Site Stats…. 40% of google maps traffic is travel related (Google)

Social Media Site Stats…. Over 150 million members on Myspace

Social Media Site Stats…. 200,000 new accounts are opening a day (10 times the size of flickr)

Social Media trends…… 50% of the online population are involved in Social media (Forrester) 55 million Blogs – Technorati Over 2 million articles written in over 100 languages on Wikipedia 40% of bandwidth is taken up by video (youtube) Online households watching web video in the U.S. grew from 32% to 63% in 12 months (ABI research) Nearly 50% of Youtube’s, Facebook’s and Twitter’s audience is over 35

50% of the online population are involved in Social media (Forrester)

55 million Blogs – Technorati

Over 2 million articles written in over 100 languages on Wikipedia

40% of bandwidth is taken up by video (youtube)

Online households watching web video in the U.S. grew from 32% to 63% in 12 months (ABI research)

Nearly 50% of Youtube’s, Facebook’s and Twitter’s audience is over 35

Social Media trends…… And for online travellers….. Over 80% of people consult videos or pictures of the property before booking (Google) Video increases sales by 55% and pictures increase sales by 69% for travel suppliers (Phocuswright) +3% of traffic from Social Network sites go to travel sites (Hitwise)

And for online travellers…..

Over 80% of people consult videos or pictures of the property before booking (Google)

Video increases sales by 55% and pictures increase sales by 69% for travel suppliers (Phocuswright)

+3% of traffic from Social Network sites go to travel sites (Hitwise)

Social Media Categories Forums Blogs, Vlogs, Podcasts Collaborative Knowledge Sites Review sites Applications Social Bookmarking Communities/Social networking sites Rich media

Forums

Blogs, Vlogs, Podcasts

Collaborative Knowledge Sites

Review sites

Applications

Social Bookmarking

Communities/Social networking sites

Rich media

10 rules for building brands using social media

10 rules for building brands using social media Gain the trust of your audience, always be transparent Don’t misuse social media sites to gain internal linking Mutual communication Educate, entertain, enlighten Communication that meets their needs Engage with your audience Make your website interesting/relevant Listen to your audience first Keep it real and don’t push the sales message Maintain your efforts and keep it people/place focused

Gain the trust of your audience, always be transparent

Don’t misuse social media sites to gain internal linking

Mutual communication

Educate, entertain, enlighten

Communication that meets their needs

Engage with your audience

Make your website interesting/relevant

Listen to your audience first

Keep it real and don’t push the sales message

Maintain your efforts and keep it people/place focused

Rich Media “ Within two years, travel web sites that lack video will look uninspired and outdated next to those that do, meaning that the time to get rolling with online video is now.” Forrester Research, “How Travellers Use Online” Video, June 2008

“ Go Where Ireland Takes You” - the series

eMarketing Checklist It is economical and easy to get involved and is more measurable than most traditional marketing channels Monitor your brand online and use right of reply Create a video of your business offering Add images, videos to your sites and on platforms such as YouTube Explore writing a blog or podcast Create a social network profile for your business Post replies on forums demonstrating your area of expertise Edit a wiki page for your service on Wikipedia Encourage visitors to leave comments on tripadvisor.com if they enjoyed their stay Use your metrics to know how visitors find you and what they do when they arrive Finally: Take chance, try something new, copy the trends, explore social media

It is economical and easy to get involved and is more measurable than most traditional marketing channels

Monitor your brand online and use right of reply

Create a video of your business offering

Add images, videos to your sites and on platforms such as YouTube

Explore writing a blog or podcast

Create a social network profile for your business

Post replies on forums demonstrating your area of expertise

Edit a wiki page for your service on Wikipedia

Encourage visitors to leave comments on tripadvisor.com if they enjoyed their stay

Use your metrics to know how visitors find you and what they do when they arrive

Finally:

Take chance, try something new, copy the trends, explore social media

For more information eStudio on www.tourismireland.com under “Resources for you” Download the “Wonderful World Wide Buzz” from Tourism Ireland publications at http://www.tourismireland.com/Home/resources-for-you/e-Studio/Interesting-articles---information.aspx Email: [email_address] Thank you!

eStudio on www.tourismireland.com under “Resources for you”

Download the “Wonderful World Wide Buzz” from Tourism Ireland publications at http://www.tourismireland.com/Home/resources-for-you/e-Studio/Interesting-articles---information.aspx

Email: [email_address]

Thank you!