@ AffWin # AWEvents # AllAboard2012
description
Transcript of @ AffWin # AWEvents # AllAboard2012
@AffWin#AWEvents
#AllAboard2012
Agenda
Time Event
1.40pm “Social Media Strategies for the Travel Sector” Julie Falconer
2.20pm Networking Begins (drinks & nibbles at the bar)
4.00pm Raffle Prize Draw in aid of
5.00pm Finish
What is All Aboard?
Why now?
Winter SunSki Holidays Early Summer Bookings
Talking points
Mobile
Payment
Tools available
Promotional Plans
Data Intelligence
Findings
• 65% invested more budget into Affiliate Marketing in 2012 (A4U Travel Report)
• Average Attribution to Affiliate Channel is 8.2% with some clients nearing 30% (A4U Travel Report)
• Email is growing in this sector when it comes to upstream traffic to travel sites. (Hitwise)
Social Media Strategies for the
Travel SectorJulie Falconer
14 November 2012
Social Media in Action
Hashtag: •#AllAboard2012
Twitter: •@aladyinlondon•@AffWin
Brief Introduction
Julie Falconer is a London-based travel writer and consultant. She writes an award-winning travel blog, A Lady in London, for which she has traveled to 90 countries and developed a strong social media presence.
Originally from San Francisco, Julie came to London in 2007 after leaving a career in finance, during which she worked for Goldman Sachs and a hedge fund. When she's not traveling, she enjoys tweeting pictures of her food.
http://www.aladyinlondon.com
How to create and monitor an effective social media strategy in the travel industry
Creating a Strategy
Creating a Strategy
What is your goal?
How much time and resources do you have?
What are the motivations of your audience or customers?
What is your goal?
This will dictate your overall strategy
Goals can include:EngagementCommunity buildingSalesTraffic
How much time and resources do you have?
This will dictate how many platforms you use
With limited time and resources, you should only use one or two social media platforms
A Twitter account with 1 tweet from a year ago looks bad
What are the motivations of your customers?
This will dictate which platforms you use and how you interact on them
Find out where your target market is and don't bother with social media platforms that your users aren't on (e.g. if you target men, Pinterest might not be a good use of time)
Implementing a Strategy
Implementing a Strategy
Set up profiles
Tailor your strategy to each platform
Build your following
Profiles
Make sure to have consistency across social media platforms, across your brand and across your online and offline marketing efforts
Fill out profiles completely and customize where you can
Profiles
Use TweetDeck or another platform to manage multiple accounts
Connect your Google+ page to your blog so your photo comes up in search results
Put icons on your site so people can find your social media profiles
Tailor your strategy
Don't automate or cross-post
Facebook is good for offers; people will "like" your page if they feel they'll get something out of it
Pinterest and YouTube are good for competitions
Twitter is good for customer service and networking
Build your following
PartnershipsBloggers, businesses, PRs
Find, follow, and engageJournalists, experts, industry leaders
Use hashtags
Build your following
Look at who is following your competitors or similar companies and follow them / engage them
Host an event and have a live Twitter feed and hashtag
Cross-promote via your other channels
Give a reason to follow
Post interesting and engaging content
Offer an incentive Facebook – landing pages,
new tool for deals and offers
Give a reason to follow
Run a competitionYouTube, Pinterest, Instagram
Invite users to collaborateGroup Pinterest boards, ask questions, etc
What Works in Travel
What Works in Travel
Visual
Creative
Collaborative
Visual
Travel is a very visual industry
Show me, don't tell me
A picture is worth 1,000 words, especially in real time
I’m on a beach
I’m on a beach in Madagascar
I’m on a white sand beach in #Madagascar
Visual
Photography - share on all platforms
InstagramPinterestStumbleuponFlickrTwitter (#FriFotos)Facebook (EdgeRank)Google+Blogs
Visual
Video - inspire peopleDestination guidesInterviews and demosAdventure travelExamples:YouTubeVimeoEmbed in blog posts and websitesFacebook
Visual
Infographics - so hot right nowBe creativeGood for viral effortsGreat way to present a press
release visually
CreativeHave a creative take on a destination or offering:
Writers Travel CompaniesOffer a unique perspective on a popular destination
Tell people about a destination your competitors don’t offer
Cover an off-the-beaten-path location
Post about a tour of an off-the-beaten-path location
Get backstage Show that you offer backstage access
Interview someone Tell about how you offer access to someone
Creative
Blogging - integral part of websiteHighlights of your product or service offeringsTrip reports, top picks, interviews, etcLet your personality or that of your brand shine through Make sure to include photos, video, and other media
CreativePique curiosity
“I’m drinking a cocktail”
Creative
Pique curiosity“There's a cocktail in this honey pot”
CreativeAsk questions to encourage engagement
“Can you guess where this is?”
Creative“Do you know what kind of animal this is?”
CreativeInspire people to do something
“If I can run a marathon, so can you!”
Creative
Crowdsource
“Where should I travel next month?”
“What would you like to see us offer?”
“Help us design a new…”
“I just arrived in…” [use local language]
Collaborative
Networks and groups on FacebookGlobal Bloggers NetworkUK Travel Bloggers
Groups and connections on LinkedInConnect with key playersJoin discussions
Collaborative
Twitter networking and hashtagsFollow influencersParticipate in #FriFotos and other industry memes
Forums and message boardsLonely PlanetFodorsFlyerTalkBe relevant, don’t spam
Collaborative
Offline - tweetups, eventsGreat ways to network with those you interact with on social media and meet new people to engage with and partner withExamples:Travel MassiveLondon Bloggers MeetupWorld Travel Market (WTM)ITB Berlin
Ensuring Effectiveness
Ensuring Effectiveness
Monitor results to improve effectiveness
Stay updated
Monitor results
Bitly and Hootsuite
Google and Facebook Analytics
Monitor results
Big brands can benefit from listening tools
Free tools to see the best time to tweet, etc
Use the data to refine your strategy, tailor content to your audience, time posts, etc
Stay updated
Stay updated on new trends in social media (e.g. Facebook EdgeRank) by subscribing to blogs or newslettersSocial Media Today
New social media platforms Pinterest, Instagram
Thank You
Hashtag: •#AllAboard2012
Twitter: •@aladyinlondon•@AffWin
@AffWin#AWEvents
#AllAboard2012