Working with bloggers to create content for destinations

Dileep Mudadeniya- Head Brand Marketing & Vice President John Keells Group

How do we overcome the resistance to click on adds?

Answer is CONTENT MARKETING

• Leading brands like Coca Cola, Redbull, Marriott, PG and IBM integrating disruptive content which produce viral results

• 86% B2C marketers are using content marketing-Source- Content marketing inestate

• $118 million is spent on content marketing-Source 2013- Emarketing Report

What is Content Marketing?

Content marketing is creating and distributing strategies in order to attract, acquire and engage a target audience with the objective of driving customer action

It is not … It is…Copywriting Something useful

A blog Entertaining-no disturbance to the

consumer

Writing a post on social media

Shareable

Inspiring

• Frequent use of the internet by consumers

• In 2013 it was said that 3.5 hours spent daily on the web by travellers

• Content travels with us- 52% internet population engage with travel content across mobile devices- Source-Expedite and Com Score

• Content is how consumers research

• 22 different sites with 9.5 sessions before an actual booking-Source- Google Travel Report

• It extends into every channel

Why Content Marketing?

•How consumers research

•22 different sites with 9.5 sessions before an actual booking- Source-Google Travel Report

•Extends into every channel

Why Content Marketing?

•Not all about the brand•Conversational•Diverse- 37% that bookings are based on images•Authentic•Search friendly and shareable•Expert advice•Cross promoted, reused and repurposed•Integrated •Meaningful

Content in Content Marketing

•56% marketing create within a plan•Content goal•Target audience•Brand style•Content platform

Building a travel focused content strategy

1. Content audit2. Style guide3. Key consumer interest point/ emerging trends4. Content ideation5. Editorial calendar 6. Distribution plan

Steps for Content Strategy

• Content drilldownswhich pieces of content are generating the most interest, sales opportunities, most likes, shares or other engagement

• Traffic source analysiswhich traffic sources are increasing traffic(i.e, video, social media, articles, infographics etc.?)

• Viewing metricsHow far down a page are your readers viewing? How much time are they spending with each piece of content?

Measurement requirements

• Conversion funnel analysis

What paths of conversions are visitors taking? Where is the first and last click

• Conversion reports

what type of revenue- generating actions are coming from your content? How much revenue has your content generates?

• Social media

what type of social media activity does your brand have? How many people are engaging with your content( sharing, commenting, liking etc.)? How has your audience grown?

Measurement requirements

• Virtual video tours of hotel• Virtual video tours of area• Photos of Hotel/Resort facilities• User generated reviews• Digital Guidebooks• Distribution of content- (sharing of photographs,

social media integrations)

Role of Bloggers in content marketing

• Creation of entertaining and non-disturbing content

• Conversational content

• Authentic and credible content

Role of Bloggers in content marketing

TBCasia 2014-Impact createdSocial Media Report

Facebook -TBCasia Event Page-Continuous Updates Pre, During and Post Event-Dedicated Album Created - #tbcasia with over 500 photos

Twitter-#tbcasia was trending in Sri Lanka, while #cinnamonhotels receiving prominence as well-Over 150 twitter followers in two weeks

Instagram-#tbcasia has currently over 1000 photos-Accumulated likes would surpass 100,000 collectively

YouTube-Pre – Tour Video Uploaded with over 350 views-Event Video – 250 views

General Information

FacebookFacebook TBCasia Album-TBCasia – 551 Photos on #tbcasia dedicated album-Over 1000 likes and photoviews on album.

1000 Page Likes from 13th November – 20th November

Event Attendees - 212 Attendees on Facebook Event

Twitter

Instagram• 1054 posts on #tbcasia

YouTube• Live Stream went online on the 18th of November

2014•We had around 50 unique viewers throughout the conference.