The State of Tourism Marketing

Page 1 +BronwynWhite | @BronwynWhite | @Travelresearch0 | email me: [email protected]

www.TourismMarketingBlueprint.com

3Tourism Marketing Plan Blueprint


Changes in the Digital Landscape –Tourism Marketing Plan Blueprint Repeat




Today

• Example of Marketing Plan Blueprint Group coaching calls• Marketing, what happened?• How to connect your business in the world of semantic search• Create authority, influence and trust• Role of social media• A mobile future• Content Marketing• Tactical implications

• QUESTIONS?




The Internet Revolution

• Industrial revolution of our time, and we are still at the beginning of it. – Think of it as like the mid 19th Century – a time of wonder and

opportunity.

• We are in a time where you have the opportunity to strengthen your business or destination brand in a way that you will never be able to do again.

• How strong and tight your brand is will determine your success.

• We are on a level playing field for the first time in years and years. So let’s do this! Because we are at the beginning,

opportunities are nigh for big and small business.



The Internet Revolution

• When Google switched over to semantic search (contextual search) a couple of years ago, it changed everything.

• These are the greatest evidenced-based opportunities you are likely to see for 2016 and in fact…for a very long time.

We are on the cusp of big things. Never will we be here again.



Semantic SearchBiggest change since the Internet begun

Draws on the personal information it has collected from the user

The algorithm uses true meaning, intent and context, to identify and

prioritise pages with relevant content

And provides real answers to search queries rather than returning

keyword stuffed pages

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+BronwynWhite | @BronwynWhite | @Travelresearch0 | email me: [email protected]

Examples could include:Past search history, likes, shares

comments on social media, geographic location, IP address

Content



Implications

What appears on Page 1 of a Google search result is different for every search query, every mobile device

and every desktop.



Why should we care?The traveller path to purchase

Internet search is the one constant tool people turn to for inspiration and travel planning at every point across the path to purchase. We spend 13 hours online researching before we book!

Google has changed the way our potential customers find us and what information they will receive, and in doing so, has profoundly changed how

we need to market our businesses and manage our online presence

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HOW TO CONNECT YOUR BUSINESS OR DESTINATION TO YOUR CUSTOMERS IN THE WORLD OF SEMANTIC SEARCH

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FIRST - PLAN FOR A MOBILE FUTUREThe Semantic Web



• The most important trend and biggest shift in search since the Internet began, its now official

”…more Google searches take place on mobile devices than on computers in 10 countries including the US and Japan” Google

http://adwords.blogspot.de/2015/05/building-for-next-moment.html

The semantic future is mobileTo Provide an optimal mobile user experience




• The way we perform searches has evolved• We may ask our phone a question as we

would a friend• Search is more conversational• Users simply ask their phone questions like a

friend– “What is the weather going to be today?”

• Products like Google Now emerging




• Implications - last year, we witnessed ‘Mobilegeddon’

• If your site is not mobile friendly, Google will penalise you

• You stand to lose business

• Google – Google mobile friendly tool


Still wondering about mobile?Stats to get you and your stakeholders over the line

About 84% of users take their

smartphone wherever they go.

71 % never have time out from their device

by turning it off.

68% say they check their phone within 15 minutes of waking up

in the morning.

87% of millenials always have their

smartphone at their side, day, and night.

We check our phones 150 times a

day.

We spend 177 minutes on our phones per day.

30% are willing to admit that they

actually get “anxious” when they don’t have their phone on them.

91% of users of them turn to their phones

for ideas in the middle of a task.

88% of Australians research hotels

MORE online than they do offline.

https://think.storage.googleapis.com/images/micromoments-guide-to-winning-shift-to-mobile-download.pdfhttp://www.news.com.au/technology/gadgets/telstra-smartphone-and-tablet-index-reveals-australians-are-addicted-to-smartphones/story-fn6vihic-1227078120633The Google Consumer Barometer Survey 2014 / 2015 – Australian base

https://think.storage.googleapis.com/images/micromoments-guide-to-winning-shift-to-mobile-download.pdf

http://www.news.com.au/technology/gadgets/telstra-smartphone-and-tablet-index-reveals-australians-are-addicted-to-smartphones/story-fn6vihic-1227078120633

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CONNECT THROUGH BRANDING AND CONTENT


To earn trust reputation and authority for the search engines we need to create fresh content on consistent and regular basis to ensure that the machine learning algorithms of semantic search can understand the context of the brand and destination so that it meets

customers along the path to purchase.

This means, your web pages are more likely to be presented when travellers are searching



Content – Publish or PerishThe role of content marketing in semantic search• It’s now time to think about yourself as publishers of compelling content

– become trusted authorities of sound reputation in the eyes of the search engines

– Recognised as influencers– Recognised as speaking with authority on your topic

“Content marketing has become so vital to all of search engine opitimisation in the semantic web that it underpins many activities that a business or brand needs to engage in”. David Amerland

+BronwynWhite | @BronwynWhite | @Travelresearch0 | email me: [email protected]



Case StudyTrust Reputation and Authority

Nowhere is reputation more important perhaps than the tourism, hospitality industry. Thanks to the widespread prevalence of reviewing systems such as TripAdvisor and Yelp and the use of social media to share experiences, the hotel industry can finally begin to win attention and market share by doing what it does best: focus on providing great service and the best

end-user experience possible” David Amerland, Author of Google Semantic Search


.And these are only

the people who shared…imagine the thousands who read

this

17,000 followers

360,000 followers

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• Recognised as an authority in travel research and marketing by Google over:– TRA– TTRA– And

competitors

• All done through our content and engagement

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Branding – “The gap between the online and offline world is getting smaller”. David AmerlandYou have 2 customers – Google and your travellersGoogle• So that it can understand what you

are about• Give context• Be consistent and tight with your

online presence• It’s OK to branch out, but make sure

you show the relevance• In fact, branching out a little can give

context– And, be helpful to travellers

along the path to purchase

Travellers

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SOCIAL MEDIA AND SEMANTIC SEARCH

The Semantic Web

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Social mediaThe power of social signals in semantic search

• Importance of social sharing and engagement of content

• Verify veracity and quality of website content• Helps generate:

– A clearer understanding of the meaning behind the content

– Better indexing of the content– An assessment of authority and trust– And assessment of the contextual value

Google Semantic Web, David Amerland

Content, search and social media are now inextricably related

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How to connect your business or destination in the world of semantic search – basic checklist

Your business / destination• Mobile optimised• Clear and distinct brand position• Create compelling and authentic

content (veracity)• Post often (volume)• Variety of output• Link online activities• Quality and legitimate links that

relate to the travel industry• Natural language• Geo-coding / make it local• Social media engagement and

interaction (velocity)

Potential customer search query• Previous search history and

interests• Geographic location (at the

time of search)• Social media interactions

Matchwith

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TACTICAL IMPLICATIONS



An SEO checklist used to look like this

http://www.slideshare.net/David-Amerland/what-is-hummingbird-and-the-entity-search-revolution

Old SEO Checklist

Keyword optimisation and placement

Website development

Link structure

Backlinks

Domain and Hosting

On-page SEO

Link building

Easily gamed by practices like building artificial links and stuffing poor content with keywords

“Keywords are so 2012”


www.TourismMarketingBlueprint.com Now looks like this

• Time for businesses and destinations to think more like publishers of content.

• A whole range of dynamic entities at play working together

• Yes, you do need to work hard at it!

Source: Eric Enge, Stone Temple Consulting


Volume

• Content length posts• Freshness• Mentions / citations• Quality links• Website traffic• User generated

content (comments)• Social media profiles• Volume of

followers is persuasive BUT only if they are active

• Engagement (conversations)

• Interactions – likes, reshares, retweets

Velocity

• The speed at which content it is produced

• Website traffic – the rate at which a website grows

• Mentions across the web

• Links• User generated

content• Social media profiles• The speed at which

it grows• Interaction• Engagement

Variety

• In Content• Formats such as

text, images, videos, audio, PDF’s

• In social media• Inbound links –

authoritative and related

• Web traffic from a variety of sources

Veracity

• Be authentic and keep it real!

• Authentic:• Content• Links• Comments

• Quality not quantity

Unlocking the secrets of semantic searchVolume | Velocity | Variety | Veracity

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Linking it all together

From

• Keywords• On-page SEO• Backlinks• Publishing frequency• Link dumping in social

networks• Content length• Keyword stuffing• Keyword placement• Anchor text• Link building

To

• Search queries• Intent • Trust • Authority• Reputation• Citations / listings• Social network

footprint• Comments• Social proof• Band equity• Authenticity

How

• Link your entity online

• Mobile optimised• Compelling content• Ensure a variety of

output• Connection to your

business and USP’s • Speak to a persona• Develop a clear

distinct brand• Social media signals• The 4 V’s



Key take-outsWhat to do back at the office• Review current SEO practices

– Do you have them? If you employ a company, ask questions– Webmaster?

• Review and audit your content – Don’t forget from a local perspective including lots of links to local

businesses and information in your destination.• Ensure content is socially engaging , authentic and relevant and

hashtagged• Be mobile and run your business through the Google Mobile Friendly

Test• Check out our semantic web checklist



Group coaching calls(I will send these through)

Date Topic About29th April10am

Introduction to Semantic Search

Are you marketing today the way you were last year? You should be worried if you are. We take you through why you need to start creating trust, reputation and authority to rank well in the eyes of Google and meet your traveller in the path to purchase.

10 May10am

Branding Blueprint To build a strong brand, you need to build trust, reputation and authority in the eyes of your customers and Google. In today’s world of semantic search, if your branding is not clear, you run the risk of doing damage to your online brand and you are less likely to be presented in search results on Google.We take you through the MyTravelResearch.com Tourism Branding Blueprint and how to apply the principles to your business or destination

24 May 10am

Your Customers You cannot be all things to everyone. We take you through how to create a persona unique to your business or destination

1 June-10am

What trends apply to me How do I choose which trends in the Tourism Marketing Plan Blueprint to focus on for my business or destination?

22 June10am

SWOT How do I personalise my SWOT

29 June 10am

Action Plan How do I operationalise these findings? In an information overload age, we take you through the ultimate DIY marketing toolkit for Tourism professionals. Top 5 Evidence-based actions you must include in your tactical action plan



What’s in Tourism Marketing Plan Blueprint

• The plan addresses:– The latest trends and travel insight/research– Branding best practice – we help you build a solid brand from strand or build ‘on’ your

brand– Tactical execution -how to operationalise the research – Example campaigns that you can create as a result of the findings– Examples of imagery, words and communications to appeal to your market personas

• Your job is to personalise the plan to suit your destination or business. You will need to pick out the bits best suited to your needs and create your strategy.

• We have our coaching calls for you to ask questions and we take you though how to customise the plan. These calls happen every 2 weeks. – For the next 12 months on rotation

• Awesome bonus• And please email us directly with any questions or would like a copy of the slides

– [email protected]– [email protected]

• Available at $1497

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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Bonuses

• Sign up today you will receive our limited time bonus

• VFR Travel Research– Hosts and Visitors

• Our foundation MPB members will also get this bonus


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It may not be suitable for other applications. The use of this data for any other purpose should be discussed with the lead author. MyTravelResearch.com accepts no responsibility for unauthorised use of this data by a third party.

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