How Bloggers Benefit Your Business | Professional Travel Bloggers Association ATM 2015

How Blogging Creates Value for Your Brand

Main Presenter: Matt Gibson President Elect: Professional Travel Bloggers Associations

Xpat.Media / XpatMatt.com / TravelBloggersAssociation.com

Co-Presenters: Samantha Dancy and Shane Dallas

Time & Date

#ATM2015 @SamanthaDancy @TheTravelCamel @XpatMatt

http://bit.ly/workwithtravelbloggers

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QUESTIONS?

#PTBA@ATM


Why Blogging?

• Detailed analytics

• Control over messaging

• Consumer trust

WHY BLOGGING?


Most importantly

WHY BLOGGING?


It works

WHY BLOGGING?


“92% of social media users are influenced by travel blogs with up to 72% willing to change their destination choice based on the opinion of friends and networks on social media.

2015 ITB Berlin Travel Trends Report

WHY BLOGGING?

Source: Mail and Guardian, 2015


“ I generally begin researching online before I decide how or where I want to travel.

65% leisure travelers & 69% business travelers

WHY BLOGGING?

Source: Google 2014 Traveler’s Road to Decision


“56% of travelers say they find inspiration for trips on the Internet

WHY BLOGGING?



“ Which online sources typically inspire you to start thinking about your personal or leisure trips?

83% Social networking, video, or photo sites61% Search engines

WHY BLOGGING?



“ I generally begin researching online before I decide how or where I want to travel.

65% leisure travelers 69% business travelers

WHY BLOGGING?



Travelers search online for:

INSPIRATION

INFORMATION

RECOMMENDATIONS

WHY BLOGGING?


They find them on

BLOGS & SOCIAL

MEDIA

WHY BLOGGING?


Blogging + Social Media =

INSPIRING travelers to visit your destination

WHY BLOGGING?



Getting in front of travelers

searching for

INFORMATION

WHY BLOGGING?



RECOMMENDATIONS

that travelers trust

WHY BLOGGING?


*The Early Adopter Advantage

WHY BLOGGING?


1. Content Creation

2. Sponsored activities

3. Brand Ambassadorship

4. Spokesperson

5. Social media promotion

HOW IT’S DONE


2 MAIN STRATEGIES

1. Onsite: Building up your own blog and

social channels

2. Offsite: Working with bloggers to

increase awareness through their

channels

(these work best when done together)

STRATEGIES


YOUR BLOG

YOUR CHANNELS


“Nobody is interested in what a DMO says about a destination; [but] when a DMO creates a platform for stories by local people, top bloggers and travellers, magic happens.

Mariette du Toit-Helmbold: Cape Town Tourism/Destinate

YOUR CHANNELS


Source: The Mail & Guardian, 2015

BENEFITS

1. SEO2. Visibility3. Trust4. Lead Generation5. Sales6. Ownership7. Control

YOUR CHANNELS


EXPEDIA VIEWFINDER

YOUR CHANNELS


“Much of our most powerful work comes from partnering with travel bloggers….travelers are turning to travel bloggers more and more when they are getting inspired and planning trips.

Sarah Keeling: Expedia Worldwide Director of Public Relations

YOUR CHANNELS


Source: ITB 2012

G ADVENTURES LOOPTAIL

YOUR CHANNELS


“While these channels provide an opportunity to communicate to people who already subscribe to our brand, they also serve as a window to the world to inspire those who have never considered travelling, who can’t presently afford to travel, or who are too young to travel — but one day might.

G Adventures


Source: ITB 2012

YOUR CHANNELS

Why You Need Experienced Bloggers

1. Technical knowledge

2. Social following

3. Blogging cultural understanding &

connections


YOUR CHANNELS

G ADVENTURES

YOUR CHANNELS


EXPEDIA

G ADVENTURES

YOUR CHANNELS


EXPEDIA

Andrew HickeyThe Brooklyn Nomad

Spencer SpellmanThe Travelling Philosopher

YOUR SITE

THEIR CHANNELS


“Webfluential has, over the past eight months, paid over R2-million to South African influencers alone. We’ve executed over 150 campaigns across Africa. Influencer marketing is no longer a future trend, it’s a current tactic.

Kristy Sharman: Webfluential

THEIR CHANNELS


Source: The Mail & Guardian, 2015

BENEFITS

1. SEO2. Visibility3. Trust4. Lead Generation5. Sales6. Timeliness7. Measurability

THEIR CHANNELS


HOW IT WORKS

Bloggers use their audience to

ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS

THEIR CHANNELS


GOALS

1. Improve SEO

2. Build social following

3. Grow subscriber lists

4. Gain exposure

5. Change perception

6. Drive sales

THEIR CHANNELS


STEPS

1. Define goals

2. Create a plan and clear contract

3. Vet and hire bloggers

4. Execute

5. Measure

6. Analyze, adjust, repeat

THEIR CHANNELS


“We have seen an immediate impact on new direct passenger bookings by consumers referencing the exclusive promo code we established with ThePlanetD.

Greg Hayes: eCommerce Manager, Quark Expeditions

THEIR CHANNELS


Source: Planet D Media Kit, 2015

“The 2011 social media outreach campaign, including #GoJordan, was immensely successful leading to Jordan being on travellers’ and on many top travel lists, including Conde Naste Traveler, New York Times Travel, Virtuoso, and National Geographic, among many others.

Jordan Tourism Board

THEIR CHANNELS


Source: JTB & Social Media Presentation

?

VETTING BLOGGERS


VETTING BLOGGERS


THERE IS NO FORMULA

DEPENDS ON YOUR GOALS

VETTING BLOGGERS


CRITERIA

1. Brand alignment

2. Audience match

3. Audience engagement

4. Experience and professionalism

5. Audience size

PTBA SEARCH ENGINE


VETTING BLOGGERS

PTBA SEARCH ENGINE


1. Niche

2. Audience by country

3. Social networks

4. Experience and professionalism

VETTING BLOGGERS

VETTING BLOGGERS


HOW TO AVOID DISASTER

A CLEAR WORK AGREEMENT

VETTING BLOGGERS


NEXT STEPS

1. What are my goals?

2. Onsite vs. offsite?

3. Free consultation

VETTING BLOGGERS


FREE CONSULTATION

[email protected]

Phone number

http://xpat.media

mailto:[email protected]

QUESTIONS?

#PTBA@ATM


http://bit.ly/workwithtravelbloggers


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How Bloggers Benefit Your Business | Professional Travel Bloggers Association ATM 2015

Social Media

travelers road

leisure travelers

travelers trust

travelers search

business travelers

inspiring travelers

blogs social media

social media users