So, how do Visit Wales deliver integrated marketing programme and what are the opportunities for small tourism businesses to get involved?

1. The Changing Face of
Destination Marketing
Jon Munro | Visit Wales
Source | Flickr | kitskel

2. @ flyjon
First, of all a little bit about me
Fashion and Online Retail
So, a little bit about me
Plant Hire
Destination Marketing Charity and More …

3. Source | Flickr | lucyparry1
The Visit Wales Story
A hugely changing marketing environment
Our customers and the customer journey
Delivering integrated marketing activity
What is the big opportunity for destinations?
So, what about small tourism businesses?

4. Where shall we go?

5. Source | Flickr | lucyparry1
A hugely changing
marketing environment

6. Change
One quarter of US
18-34 year olds use
mobile and tablets
when booking air
tickets You know this stuff!
Source : Amadeus (2011)
Mobile
Social
71% of travellers 82% prefer consumer
use search as part reviews over a hotel’s
of the planning description of itself
and booking
Search
Source : Forrester (2006)
process
Source : Google (2010)

7. People of the screen
The “and” economy
Conversation culture over information culture
Convergent lifestyles and hyper collaboration
Learning to live within the earned media space
Source | Flickr | DeusXFlorida Reference | www.mediafuturist.com

8. Enter the Tourist Board
Land of contrasts
Something for everyone
Fun for all the family
Whatever you’re looking for
Inspirational scenery
Coastal splendour
Majestic mountains
Best-kept secret
Why not?
A unique blend

9. Content changes existing business models

10. The content a brand creates is everything
A world where
the content a
brand creates is
everything

11. Targets, Objectives and Strategy
Influencing £150 million in additional value
Big focus is improving reputation
Awareness, consideration and advocacy
“Those people who have not yet considered Wales”

12. Source | Flickr | lucyparry1
Our customers and
the customer journey

13. The ubiquitous marketing funnel
Source | Forrester (2007)

14. Complexity and off site engagement
Source | Forrester (2007)

15. Source | Flickr | Discover Carmarthenshire
Right content
Right person
Right device
Right time
Right action

16. Strategy
Paid Media
Website
Search
Social
PR
Data
Content
Adapted | Brilliant Noise (2012)

17. Who are our customers?
Source | Visit Wales (Digital)

20. We watch search like a hawk
Source | Visit Wales | Tracked search terms and volume (Log10)

21. Source | Flickr | lucyparry1
Delivering integrated
marketing activity

22. Owned, paid and earned media
Source | Forrester (2007)

23. Destinations have embraced social

24. Brilliant ideas are so important!

25. Develop themes and tell a story

26. Thinking beyond paid media
Source | iCrossing | Slideshare

27. Paid
13%
87%
Natural
52% of our traffic comes from search
34% Referral | 13% Direct | 1% Campaigns

28. Identify where the opportunities lie
Source: PIRE , Google Adwords , iCrossing competitive framework – Data May 2010

29. Little presence either directly or indirectly

30. Useful and engaging content on our site

31. Getting our engaged users involved

32. Develop creative and credible content

33. Reach out, place content and widgets

34. Find suitable partners and engage them

35. Maintain momentum

36. Improving search visibility
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
Romantic Break
Section Live 5
0
Positions 1-1:
Widget creation Long Tail Analysis
and placements and Optimisation Positions 2-5:
started Adjustments
Positions 6-10:

37. Increasing share of relevant traffic
2500 500
450
2000 400
350
Search Interest
1500 300
Visits
Romantic Break
250 Related Organic
Traffic
1000 200
150
Google UK Search
500 100 Term Interest for
'Romantic Breaks'
50
0 0

38. Comparing Wales and non-Wales traffic
35,000 70,000
30,000 60,000
25,000 50,000
Non Brand Visits
Brand Visits
20,000 40,000
Non Brand
15,000 30,000
Brand
10,000 20,000
5,000 10,000
0 0

39. Rinse and Repeat
“Useful, engaging and sharable (sometimes community
created) content placed in the environments where
people were already discussing holidays and breaks.
Linked back to pages on the Visit Wales website –
providing more in depth information but also
supporting natural search visibility”

41. Three distinct phases
Note | Planned (for illustration) rather than delivered (actuals)

42. The “invite” phase
Note | Planned (for illustration) rather than delivered (actuals)

43. Supporting the “visit” phase
Note | Planned (for illustration) rather than delivered (actuals)

44. The “legacy” stage – autumn
Note | Planned (for illustration) rather than delivered (actuals)

45. The communications plan
Note | Planned (for illustration) rather than delivered (actuals)

46. So what happened?
70%+ saw the campaign
196 video invites
19,000 facebook followers
128,000 requested views of content
11,500 subscribers, 37,000 brochures
100k got
34m UK Adults Reached involved
Contribution to over £100 million of
additional visitor spend during 2011

47. Five things we learnt along the way
Develop themes in line with the brand
1 story you are trying to tell. It will help you
innovate, deliver more than the sum of
the parts and support consistency across
your communications.

48. Five things we learnt along the way
Deliver those themes across multiple
2 channels. Develop conversations and buzz
in the short term that help support the
longer term and associated strategy.
Search visibility is a good example.
Use paid media to amplify your efforts …

49. Five things we learnt along the way
Leverage existing content assets and
3 repurpose the assets you develop for
delivery across multiple channels.
Create once. Publish everywhere. COPE!

50. Five things we learnt along the way
Commit budget with clear objectives
4 behind it. Leave a bit aside for
experimentation.
Test and learn. Take calculated risks.

51. Five things we learnt along the way
Success in digital is often about the sum
5 total of many small parts. It requires a
close working relationship between your
internal team, agency teams and anyone
else you work with.
Create an environment for that to work!

52. Source | Flickr | lucyparry1
What’s the big opportunity
for destinations?

53. Think great
editorial
content and
authoritative
sources

55. Piloting an approach on Flickr

56. #sharewales

57. A platform for
curating and
distributing
great
destination
content
Alongside
bookable
tourism
products

58. But one where we invest in adding content value

59. And businesses can get involved …
Check out
our three
explainer
videos J
http://www.sharewales.com/index.php/share-content/

60. So, what about tourism businesses?
Social and search are really important. So is mobile
Be found on things like TripAdvisor and Google Places
Facebook too. Then think about your own site or blog
There is a wealth of research available. Keep listening
Develop content around key themes. Get it out there
Be useful but add a little bit of shameless self promotion
Be visible for those long tail pre-purchase search phrases
Make sure you are bookable. Visit Wales and beyond
Test, Learn, Improve

61. The Changing Face of
Destination Marketing
Thanks J
Contact | jon.munro@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Call | 0300 061 6124
Connect | http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmunro
Follow | @flyjon | www.slideshare.net/flyjon