Dragging operators into the online starting gates

Dragging Operators into the Online Starting Gates

Liz Ward

Should it be this hard to…

to get operators digitally engaged?

© Digital Coaching International Pty Ltd


Sales Performance

Lead

ersh

ip

Your Role in Destination Success

4

OperatorsConsumers

Tier 2 OTAsVICs

Copyright Digital Coaching International 2015© Digital Coaching International Pty Ltd

Distribution Eco System

Dreaming

Planning

BookingDestination

Post holiday sharing

The Purchase Cycle


Continuing Transition to

Cloud

Big Data

Personalisation New Business Models 3D

printing

The Internet of Things

Impactful Digital Trends in 2015


Social

Mobile


Strategic Insights for Destinations

Google and the

Consumer

Social Conversion

Disruption is

Inevitable

Evidence Based

Decision Making

Dreaming

Planning

BookingDestination

Post holiday sharing

The Purchase Cycle


Gap in Digital Capability

80% of travellers use internet to plan their holiday85% use smartphone and tablets while on holidays40% of leisure travellers share their travel videos with online communities51% of leisure travellers watch online videos

© Digital Coaching International Pty Ltd9

Customer Industry40% of industry have optimised their website for search50% of industry’s websites are mobile friendly23% of tourism businesses create online videos

You can be the bridge to close that gap…

but this isn’t about you and the operator,

it’s about you and your customer© Digital Coaching International Pty Ltd

You must be Exemplary Regional Distributors

Attract

Convert

Engage


Be OptimisticYou know your target marketThey trust youYou have a niche role in tours and attractionsYou have both bricks and mortar and online presencesYou are local expertsYou are passionate about your destinationYou’re here…so you want to learn


Be Clear About Your Role and Goals


Sales are the indicator of your ability to

attract and convert your customers

Sales are the measurable incentive to attract operators

Sales

Lay the Foundations to Grow Sales

Integrated Digital Strategy

Sharable Content Strategy

Your Website Mobile Friendly Social Strategy


The Fundamental Role of Shareable Content


Right content Right context More $ales

The Power of Content to Convert


Your website

Top Priority!Your websiteMobile friendly – test it here https://www.google.com.au/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/Valuable information

MapsSuggested itinerariesEventsReviews

FunctionalityMake it easy to buy from you


Why do your customers share?They want their followers and you to see their posts!You get:

Free feedbackFree contentFree opportunity for engagementFree recommendations and promotion


You have to Listen and Engage to leverage social media for conversion


Shareable Content – Your Most Valuable Digital Asset


ImagesVideo

InformationStoriesBlogs

Forms of Content to Attract, Convert and Engage


ImagesVideoInformation eg maps, details of wineStoriesBlogs____________________________________

Influencers’Your customers’Operators’

Self promotion 30%Promote others 30%Valuable content 30%Inspiration/Quotes 10%

NAVIGATING THE SOCIAL LANDSCAPE

TO DEVELOP YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA

STRATEGY


The Big 4

1.2 Billion active users; 728 Million daily users

302 Million active users

1 Billion active users

300 Million active users and growing fast


They have their favouritesThe average Internet user has 5.54 social media accounts and is active on 2.8216-24 year olds have the highest average number of social media accounts at 6.624-36 year olds are active on the largest number of social media networks at 4.28% of Internet users visited Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Google+ in the past monthOne third of Internet users visited YouTube, Facebook and Twitter in the past month90% of Facebook visitors also visit YouTube and almost half visited Twitter in the past month


Measuring Social Conversion

It’s not about the size of audience

It’s a bit about the number of likes, friends,

followers, connections

It’s mostly about the engagement

Engagement = social media conversion


ConversionCommentsRetweetsShares+1s#’s@ mentionsLeads to your website!Visits to your VIC!!Booking with you!!!Positive TripAdvisor reviewsRecommendations to friendsRepeat visitationRepeat purchases

Attract

Convert

Engage

Prioritise your activity and effort


All sorts of information; always incl image or video; share other peoples’; Q&A with customers; targeted marketing

Product updates; events; always incl image or video

Post videos; integrate in your website; share other peoples’ videos

Fabulous images; #[destination], #[thisisqueensland],#[goldcoast]; collaborate; display hash tags

Planning will optimise your effort

A social media strategy has two main components:

Social media guidelinesConversation calendar


Social Media Guidelines

Create a policy and include at a minimum:Your goalsThe type of people you want to connect toAny standards that you would like to adhere toWhat you will do if your social media accounts are sabotaged or used incorrectly


Conversation CalendarUse it to schedule in different posts and initiatives you plan on publishing on each site. A good conversation calendar will take into consideration:

multiple social media networks, products/services, traditional marketing and the high and low seasons of the yearwho will write and post the content

You can start building a conversation calendar in your diary or as part of an Excel spreadsheet. Simply note down any upcoming events in your area, specials you have planned, holiday periods etc.


Conversation CalendarOnce you have your events scheduled use these to create corresponding posts or content that you can post before, during and after the event.E.g. you could create different mini conversation calendars for each social media platform you will use:

Facebook conversation calendarYouTube calendarTwitter conversation calendar


HOMEWORK: DIGITAL CHECKUP



Digital Marketing Efficiency

RelationshipsEducation

Digital Leadership to Drive Conversion


• Lead by example• Content• Mobile• Social



Digital Marketing to Drive Conversion




Increased Efficiency through Digital




Positive Relationships with Shared Vision for the Destination




Continuing Education is Key


• Lead by example• Content• Mobile• Social

• Digital productivity

• Analytics

• Productive industry relationships

• Operators• Stakeholders

• Your own development

• Industry Education



Digital Leadership to Drive Conversion

39

Sales

Education

Strong sales results and continuing

education will increase operator

engagement

You Don’t Have to Know Everything


For Advice and Ongoing Support

An online community designed just for you


65 tutorials written by experts

Tourism Tribe for continual support and learning


Recap…it’s too early for a night capSales and your value as a distributor is the carrot to attract operatorsBut your focus has to be on the consumerRemove all barriers to conversion on your websiteUse best practice digital strategy to attract and convertContent is key; and think mobile and social first when designing your content strategyYou are a leader in your community and can enable growth through marketing and educationBe a leader in Tourism Tribe


Thank you for considering this information

[email protected]: +61 419 578 200


Dragging operators into the online starting gates

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