Digital Destinations workshopTourism Management Institute conference

Broadening Our Horizons

www.budigitalhub.co.uk

LinkedIn (digital destinations group)www.pinterest.com/digitaldest http://www.slideshare.net/DigitalHub

ddp@bournemouth.ac.uk@PhilipAlford | @SchoolofTourism

#DDBU

The project aims • The project aims to create templates of best online marketing

practice for the visitor economy sector and to create a ‘learning destination’.

• Position on-line marketing as a central strategy for your business.

• A strategic approach is essential, effectively managed and measured

• This programme will help you to maximise your potential and impact, create and share best practice

• On-line marketing is developing quickly and this programme will help you identify and develop the best routes for your organisation

Aims - summary

To create a knowledge network for the creation and sharing of small business digital marketing

best practice and knowledge.

To identify the determinants of small business engagement with the Internet.

Economic and Social Research Council“We are the UK's largest organisation for funding research on economic and social issues. We support independent, high quality research which has an impact on business, the public sector and the third sector. Our total budget for 2012/13 is £205 million. At any one time we support over 4,000 researchers and postgraduate students in academic institutions and independent research institutes.”

More information at: http://www.esrc.ac.uk/about-esrc/

Importance of small businesses

• In the UK micro enterprises account for around 87 per cent of hospitality businesses

• 91.8% of businesses in the EU are micro (less than 10 employees) (European Small Business Alliance 2013)

• EU FP7 funding program to support research in support of SMEs

• Web-checkers tourism SME LinkedIn group (Fáilte Ireland)• Support programs provided by National and Regional DMO• Federation of Small Businesses

Why small businesses need help• Annual turnover rate of 23% for tourism businesses• Small businesses in general lag behind with online marketing• However despite the significance of small businesses in the

visitor economy, “most studies of tourism SMEs have focused on conditions of entry and paid very limited attention to business development and growth processes” (Pearce and Butler 2010: 83).

Pearce, D. G. and R. Butler (2010). Tourism research: a 20-20 vision / edited by Douglas G. Pearce and Richard W. Butler, Oxford: Goodfellow.

Shaw, G., & Williams, A. M. (2010). Tourism SMEs: changing research agendas and missed opportunities. In D. Pearce, & Butler. (Eds.), Tourism Research: A 20:20 vision. Oxford: Goodfellow Publishers. Chapter 7.

Support for small tourism operators - England

Supporting small businesses - NI

Supporting small businesses - Wales

Supporting small businesses - Scotland

Formation of overall project group• Recruit 60 ‘visitor economy’ businesses – diverse membership• Divided into six 10-strong knowledge networks / sub groups• 6 sub-groups spread over geographic area• Each group has a leader / champion• Each group features a mix of businesses in terms of:

– Size– Sector– Skills and knowledge

• Case studies of digital marketing engagement from each group• Overall focus on co-production and co-delivery of knowledge• 60 student placements as part of Digital Marketing course at BU• 4 ‘official’ seminars at BU• 4 ‘action learning’ cluster meetings• Ongoing communication via online channels

60 Organisations

• Accommodation• Arts & Culture• Conference & Events• Education & Outdoor Adventure• Attractions• Retail• DMO

Criteria for selecting applicants

The criteria include:•Current level of online marketing•Aspirations•Level of commitment•Geographic location•Size of business•Sector

Application form

• Please tell us what particularly inspired/motivated you to apply for this programme.

“Having recognised the importance in the fast growing nature of digital/ online marketing, a key priority to us over the next 12 months is to focus on online marketing within our marketing strategy - making the most of the various online marketing

channels we currently use, as well as effectively implementing new ones. This programme has come along at the perfect

time to help us make the most of the opportunity.”

Application form

• What do you see as the key benefits of attending this programme?

“From a personal perspective, I am looking forward to the prospect of being able to enhance my understanding of online

marketing, as well as learning about the best routes we can take for the business.”

First seminar – needs analysis

1. Digital Olympians 2. Apps Fab3. Online Crusaders4. AppPrentices5. Digital Dragons6. Social Maniacs

Second seminar - planning

• Aim – to start the planning process and work on specific campaigns

Developing the strategy

Situation: where are we now?

Objectives: where do we want to be?

Strategy: how do we get there?

Tactics: how exactly do we get there?

Action: what is our plan?

Control: did we get there?

Student-Business

Student-Business

Student-Business

Student-Business

Student-Business

Participant blogs

Participant blogs

Final student reportsPaultons Park (Georgi Oliver working with Rob Lee)

Feedback on campaign

“To add 400 new followers in 7 days is a great result for us. When celebrities have mentioned us before we have had added around 100-200 new followers depending on

their following. Naturally Paultons Park generate around 20-30 new followers per week”

(Rob Lee, Digital Marketing Manager, Paultons)

Conclusion - issues• Lots of information on the ‘why’ but little on the ‘how’• Lack of time and human resource (the owner/manager syndrome - doing

everything)• Inadequate IT skills• Lack of marketing know-how - while small businesses have entrepreneurial skills

they lack the formal marketing knowledge required to plan effectively• Lack of measurable goals for their digital marketing mainly due to being unaware

of the online metrics that can be set – focus on end sales• Lack of awareness of the customer engagement process and channels/KPIs that

apply at different stages of that process• Related to point above, many small businesses not completely convinced of the

ROI on digital marketing• Outsourcing some or most of their digital marketing without having a clear plan or

knowledge thereby losing control and insight

Next steps/opportunities

• Small businesses need a ‘roadmap’ for their digital marketing

• The final seminar in June will start that process• Potential exists to create collaborative networks to

share knowledge• Focus on analytics and measurement – ROI• Identify specific skills and knowledge gaps

Perception of digital marketing (DM) benefits/costs:- more complex than just website- therefore harder to clearly identify benefits- how does it translate into clear value for customers?- costs of social media difficult to measure – time- better awareness of KPIs needed- create a test and learn approach to DM

Strategic digital marketing (DM) development:- a vision for digital marketing- which includes a clear online value proposition- the concept of OVP needs clarification- specific online objectives needed to measure DM

Simmons, G., G. A. Armstrong, et al. (2008). "A conceptualization of the determinants of small business website adoption: Setting the research agenda." International Small Business Journal 26(3): 351-389.

Digital Destinationswww.budigitalhub.co.uk

LinkedIn (digital destinations group)www.pinterest.com/digitaldest http://www.slideshare.net/DigitalHub

ddp@bournemouth.ac.uk

@PhilipAlford | @SchoolofTourism#DDBU