"How To Use Social Media To Drive Your Destination Business" Amy Marshall, Webbed Marketing May 6, 2009

Webbed Marketing Internet Strategy

Quick Social Media Quiz! How many of you: Have a listing on Google Local for your business Have a listing on Yelp Read news online Comment on news online Have a personalized Google or Yahoo! page (iGoogle/MyYahoo!) Use RSS feeds Read blogs, view videos on YouTube or download shows on iTunes Have a blog (Wordpress, LiveJournal, Blogger) or a microblogging account (Twitter, Jaiku, etc.) Have an account on a social network (LinkedIn, Facebook, Ning, MySpace, Plaxo, etc.)

How many of you:

Have a listing on Google Local for your business

Have a listing on Yelp

Read news online

Comment on news online

Have a personalized Google or Yahoo! page (iGoogle/MyYahoo!)

Use RSS feeds

Read blogs, view videos on YouTube or download shows on iTunes

Have a blog (Wordpress, LiveJournal, Blogger) or a microblogging account (Twitter, Jaiku, etc.)

Have an account on a social network (LinkedIn, Facebook, Ning, MySpace, Plaxo, etc.)

Is Social Media Marketing for You? Are you goal-oriented? Can you fast track legal, marketing and branding concerns? Is it okay if EVERYONE hears about this program? Can you stand behind your product and program in the face of criticism? Can you be edgy?

Are you goal-oriented?

Can you fast track legal, marketing and branding concerns?

Is it okay if EVERYONE hears about this program?

Can you stand behind your product and program in the face of criticism?

Can you be edgy?

Agenda Define Social Media Social Media trends Social Media trends in the travel industry What social media tools should you focus on Specific examples of using social media tools to drive business Measuring the success of using social media Integrating social media with traditional marketing

Define Social Media

Social Media trends

Social Media trends in the travel industry

What social media tools should you focus on

Specific examples of using social media tools to drive business

Measuring the success of using social media

Integrating social media with traditional marketing

Business Conversations “ We can't open this up to our employees, it will pull them away from work.“ "What about legal implications? The FDIC regulates all our communications. An employee can distribute un-reviewed content to the world and we could liable.“ "We lose control of our brand."

“ We can't open this up to our employees, it will pull them away from work.“

"What about legal implications? The FDIC regulates all our communications. An employee can distribute un-reviewed content to the world and we could liable.“

"We lose control of our brand."

What are they talking about? Blogging? Twitter? Facebook? LinkedIn?

Blogging?

Twitter?

Facebook?

LinkedIn?

History Repeating Itself The year is 1995, and that's a conversation about e-mail!

The year is 1995, and that's a conversation about e-mail!

Parallels

Parallels

Parallels

What do you believe? (source: The Open Brand) Companies use marketing to control their message Customers influence the messages marketers send Companies own and orchestrate the brand Customers co-create the brand Feedback only happens when brands invite it Customers give feedback, expect to be heard and make noise if they’re not Ideas that matter come from the brand Customers have ideas that matter to other customers The web is for extending campaigns (if there is leftover budget) Customers start with the web or end with the web – and increasing do both Online chatter is white noise Consumer online chatter is a crystal ball and a sounding board Bloggers are amateurs who should stick to their day jobs Customers trust bloggers as the new tastemakers and truth tellers

Definition of Social Media or Social Network An online meeting place for consumers and influencers to create, share and interact with content.

An online meeting place for consumers and influencers

to create,

share and

interact with content.

What is Social Media?

Examples of Social Networks Twitter YouTube Facebook MySpace LinkedIn Amazon Technorati Flickr CitySearch Wikihow Wikipedia Craigs List Newsvine Yahoo! Answers Digg

Twitter

YouTube

Facebook

MySpace

LinkedIn

Amazon

Technorati

Flickr

CitySearch

Wikihow

Wikipedia

Craigs List

Newsvine

Yahoo! Answers

Digg

Social Media Travel Sites

Social Media Trends 79% of travel industry executives view social media as a long-term part of the online marketing mix. Only 36% of people think price is important. 47% of all respondents said they would go to a social networking site to download coupons or search for gift ideas if those services were available; 45% said they would visit a social networking site to find out about upcoming sales in stores or discounts on products; 22% said they would read or write a product review on a blog.

79% of travel industry executives view social media as a long-term part of the online marketing mix.

Only 36% of people think price is important.

47% of all respondents said they would go to a social networking site to download coupons or search for gift ideas if those services were available;

45% said they would visit a social networking site to find out about upcoming sales in stores or discounts on products;

22% said they would read or write a product review on a blog.

Traveler Booking Trends Survey of 702 people: 57% of people booked their last vacation online 19% doing so by telephone 25 to 44 year-old age groups were the most web-savvy 68% saying they booked their last vacation online Good ratings/feedback on travel websites (51%) was the reason for choosing a destination

Survey of 702 people:

57% of people booked their last vacation online

19% doing so by telephone

25 to 44 year-old age groups were the most web-savvy

68% saying they booked their last vacation online

Good ratings/feedback on travel websites (51%) was the reason for choosing a destination

Why Social Networks Matter

Social Networks Are Very Visible Consumer Generated Media (Content) Many time will rank above an official Website!

Everyone Builds Content

Tracking Search Patterns with Google Trends

Keyword Research Tool – SEOBook.com

Social Media Trends for Hocking Hills

Trended Terms hocking hills ohio get away ohio getaway ohio romantic weekend ohio vacations

hocking hills

ohio get away

ohio getaway

ohio romantic weekend

ohio vacations

Hocking Hills Daily Search Volume

Searches by Social Media Source

Demographics for Hocking Hills

Gender & Age of Hocking Hills Influencers

Where are the Influencers?

Examples of Posts

“ Hocking Hills” on Twitter

Trends for “Hocking Hills” Online Avg 7 searches a day Message forums are talking about “Hocking Hills” the most Blogs then Twitter next A majority of the influencers writing about “Hocking Hills” are male, and over 50 years old Top sites talking about “Hocking Hills” are: Bloglines.com, TripAdvisor.com, Flickr.com, Wikipedia.com,

Avg 7 searches a day

Message forums are talking about “Hocking Hills” the most

Blogs then Twitter next

A majority of the influencers writing about “Hocking Hills” are male, and over 50 years old

Top sites talking about “Hocking Hills” are:

Bloglines.com, TripAdvisor.com, Flickr.com, Wikipedia.com,

Where to Focus for the Best ROI

Areas to Focus Monitoring blogs, message boards Blogger outreach and participation Target getaways and packages to 40s/50s crowd Use Twitter to promote packages, deals, events Be active on TripAdvisor.com Be visible for keyword searches

Monitoring blogs, message boards

Blogger outreach and participation

Target getaways and packages to 40s/50s crowd

Use Twitter to promote packages, deals, events

Be active on TripAdvisor.com

Be visible for keyword searches

Social Networks to Focus On Facebook Fan page and Group page TWITTER!! YouTube (even though it doesn’t appear high in the usage, it helps with search ranking results) Top Travel blogs and Ohio blogs TripAdvisor.com

Facebook Fan page and Group page

TWITTER!!

YouTube (even though it doesn’t appear high in the usage, it helps with search ranking results)

Top Travel blogs and Ohio blogs

TripAdvisor.com

Define a Social Media Strategy That Can Be Executed AND Delivered!

Online Research – What are people saying about you? Google your company name Google your competitors Google keywords you think people type in to find your product/service (this is the hard one!) Determine where you are ranking Look at Google blog posts about your product/service Perform a Twitter search on your company name, product/service ( www.search.twitter.com ) Look for topic Facebook pages Analyze demographic information on Quancast.com Search in YouTube for relevant videos and channels

Google your company name

Google your competitors

Google keywords you think people type in to find your product/service (this is the hard one!)

Determine where you are ranking

Look at Google blog posts about your product/service

Perform a Twitter search on your company name, product/service

( www.search.twitter.com )

Look for topic Facebook pages

Analyze demographic information on Quancast.com

Search in YouTube for relevant videos and channels

Online Setup Install Google Analytics Set up Google Alerts on your company name, product/service and competitors names Track your website traffic (and competitors) with Compete.com Set up TwitterBeep to track keywords

Install Google Analytics

Set up Google Alerts on your company name, product/service and competitors names

Track your website traffic (and competitors) with Compete.com

Set up TwitterBeep to track keywords

Set Clear Goals Can’t measure “more buzz” Define measurable metrics – 16 media placements, 40 relevant links, increase sales 12% Take baseline metrics before campaign starts SEO metrics, social media metrics Break metrics down into quantifiable goals Mentions in blogs, social networks, links to the site… You can quantify metrics

Can’t measure “more buzz”

Define measurable metrics – 16 media placements, 40 relevant links, increase sales 12%

Take baseline metrics before campaign starts

SEO metrics, social media metrics

Break metrics down into quantifiable goals

Mentions in blogs, social networks, links to the site…

You can quantify metrics

Determine the “Hook” Set goals before determining the “hook” Questionnaire to determine need – what gets the participants excited? Examples: free sample, white paper, video, online calculator/application, stunt

Set goals before determining the “hook”

Questionnaire to determine need – what gets the participants excited?

Examples: free sample, white paper, video, online calculator/application, stunt

Determine the Distribution Plan Earn your way into distribution Avoid using the word “free” to describe online Look for specialized networks or “celebrity” bloggers that don’t often get pitched Rate the value of each participant and determine the pitch

Earn your way into distribution

Avoid using the word “free” to describe online

Look for specialized networks or “celebrity” bloggers that don’t often get pitched

Rate the value of each participant and determine the pitch

Determine the Distribution Plan Think in terms of most efficient coverage Examples: pitch a blogger, obtain a following on MySpace/Facebook, use tagging sites, Tweet to your target, make new connections on LinkedIn and build a presence on targeted social networks Great Content + Great Distribution=Great Word of Mouth

Think in terms of most efficient coverage

Examples: pitch a blogger, obtain a following on MySpace/Facebook, use tagging sites, Tweet to your target, make new connections on LinkedIn and build a presence on targeted social networks

Great Content + Great Distribution=Great Word of Mouth

Using the Specific Social Media Tools

Facebook

Facebook Online social network People connect with friends Share stories, photos, causes Widgets/Applications: Trip Advisor, Where I’ve Been, Going Places

Online social network

People connect with friends

Share stories, photos, causes

Widgets/Applications: Trip Advisor, Where I’ve Been, Going Places

Facebook – Connecting

Facebook Group

Facebook Fan Page

Facebook Pages vs Groups

Twitter

Twitter What are you doing right now? Web, IM, Phone Real time interaction in one sentence 140 characters to be exact! Twitter “handle” can only be 15 characters

What are you doing right now?

Web, IM, Phone

Real time interaction in one sentence

140 characters to be exact!

Twitter “handle” can only be 15 characters

Twitter Eight million members Traffic increased 800% in one year! Twitter accounts have monetary value Who uses Twitter: State Department Barack Obama NASA Reporter, buyers, analysts, media…..

Eight million members

Traffic increased 800% in one year!

Twitter accounts have monetary value

Who uses Twitter:

State Department

Barack Obama

NASA

Reporter, buyers, analysts, media…..

How to Use Twitter To listen! to consumers and the media are talking about you in real time, openly and honestly Build brand perception To learn about the competition To communicate (but not to sell) Build your profile and start connecting Build personal relationships! Promote deals – maybe only available through Twitter Promote events Promote facilities

To listen! to consumers and the media are talking about you in real time, openly and honestly

Build brand perception

To learn about the competition

To communicate (but not to sell)

Build your profile and start connecting

Build personal relationships!

Promote deals – maybe only available through Twitter

Promote events

Promote facilities

www.search.twitter.com

Twitter Home Page

Key: Finding People to Follow!

YouTube

YouTube 44% of online video market 5 billion page views per month 75% of Internet users watch video online The average viewer watches 80 videos per month 92 million viewers per month $175,000 per day for a homepage ad Nearly perfect representation of Internet users

44% of online video market

5 billion page views per month

75% of Internet users watch video online

The average viewer watches 80 videos per month

92 million viewers per month

$175,000 per day for a homepage ad

Nearly perfect representation of Internet users

YouTube Tens of thousands of views!

YouTube Channels for “Hocking Hills”

Buy a Flip camera Set up a YouTube Channel Start connecting with partners, prospects, clients, coworkers and friends Video Tours Cost per impression is next to nothing!! How to Use YouTube

Buy a Flip camera

Set up a YouTube Channel

Start connecting with partners, prospects, clients, coworkers and friends

Video Tours

Cost per impression is next to nothing!!

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor Can double conversions on your website by integrating TripAdvisor reviews on the website Get listed – free listing (75 words & a photo) Monitor reputation regularly – reviews AND forum Participate without selling Number of reviews is key on TripAdvisor – Need to be listed AND have active, recent reviews Ask your advocates to promote you – ask when they leave, send out thank you emails with a link to write a review

Can double conversions on your website by integrating TripAdvisor reviews on the website

Get listed – free listing (75 words & a photo)

Monitor reputation regularly – reviews AND forum

Participate without selling

Number of reviews is key on TripAdvisor – Need to be listed AND have active, recent reviews

Ask your advocates to promote you – ask when they leave, send out thank you emails with a link to write a review

Other Social Media Ideas for Travel

Other Social Media Ideas Add a blog – fresh content – topics could be “best kept secrets”, “hole in the wall restaurants”, events, promotions Add RSS feed to website and/or the blog Google Maps – Register your business with Google Maps Register in Yelp

Add a blog – fresh content –

topics could be “best kept secrets”, “hole in the wall restaurants”, events, promotions

Add RSS feed to website and/or the blog

Google Maps – Register your business with Google Maps

Register in Yelp

What are your other social media marketing ideas?? Thank You Amy Marshall Twitter: @amymarshall [email_address]

Thank You

Amy Marshall

Twitter: @amymarshall

[email_address]