Workshop 1: Essentials of Internet Marketing

Blueprint for the Bush (B4B)

Workshop Programme

• Series of 3 workshops• Building block approach• Emphasis on practical applications to

empower YOU to drive business results

Workshop 1

• Principles of Internet Marketing• Components of online strategy• Website design performance• Domain names and hosting• Basic SEO• Blogging Basics• Continual Evaluation

Workshop 2• Web 2.0 and Tourism Industry• Consumer Behaviour Trends• Experiential Marketing• Website Optimisation• Use of Interactive Media• Search Engine Optimisation• Pay Per Click/Action Campaigns• Online Booking/Distribution• Email Marketing• Analytics and Reporting

Workshop 3• Social Media and Tourism• Benefits of Embracing Social Media• Monitoring• Customer Reviews• Responding to Feedback• Principles of Engagement• Blogging• Twitter• Facebook

Question?

What are your current experiences and use of

internet marketing?

Principles of Internet Marketing

• Global reach – not just major brands• Personalisation• Interactive marketing• Right time marketing• Integrated marketing• Levelling the Playing Field• “Channel Shifting” – Value Added

Components of Online Strategy

Key Components• Website design• Search engine optimisation• Pay Per Click Campaigns• Email marketing• Online distribution

strategies• Social media marketing

Components of Online Strategy

Customer Integrated into Process

Internet Usage and Consumer Behaviour• Online shopping increasing at

exponential rate• ABS - over 17 million Australians

spend at least half an hour per week online – over 61% of this number spends more than 8 hours a week online.

• Researching travel most popular for all demographics

Internet Usage and Consumer Behaviour• Igeneration (target markets)• Characteristics of the tourism

product– Intangibility– High risk purchase– High decision making involvement– Seasonal and perishable– Highly competitive

Internet Usage and Consumer Behaviour

Internet Usage and Consumer Behaviour

Question?

• Website self designed or professionally built

• What design principles were followed• Emphasise marketing or information• Customer engagement?• Social Media?• What do you expect to achieve?

Planning/Reviewing Website

Picture Website as Central Component of online strategy

Assess the target market – research websites in your area

Define structure of site based on content (site map)

Write a brief with the above

Select company or do yourself? Write content; finalise photos, video, analytics

Website design – Key principles

• Visual design (consumer behaviour)• Content• Consistency• Usability• Visibility• Evaluation• Updating – current content

Website: User Behaviour• A user will automatically associate

the quality of your website with the quality of the business and its offerings

• Web users are impatient and expect instant gratification

• Users don't make optimal choices• Users follow their intuition• Users want to be in control• Users don’t read, they scan

Website: User Behaviour

Website: DesignThe best performing websites are characterised by

-Simple layout-Centered orientation-Design the content, not the page-3D effects, used sparingly-Soft, neutral background colours-Strong colour, used sparingly-Use images that are relevant, meaningful-Plenty of whitespace

- Nice big text, easily readable fontsand 1.5 line spacing

Simple Layout – Centred Approach

• Content feels up-front and confident• Need to easily guide the user through certain

pathways of behaviour – guiding the eye

Website Content

• Modern web designs put less energy into designing the canvas and rather focus on designing the content itself.

• Draw attention to the message, not the design • Marketing vs. information• Emotive and experiential text• Information: Relevant and concise content –

update regularly• Consider target market

Website Consistency

• Coherent Pages• Consistent = Professional• Contributes to ease of use• Consistent promotion of Brand

Website Usability

• Simple, simple, simple• Keep navigation simple and

consistent• Adhering to Standards• Consistent Pages

Address customers needs• Think about what your customer

needs versus what you are trying to achieve

• Clear Call to Action – Give your customers the satisfaction of completing their goal

Practical: Website Development

Think about user tasksWhen a user comes to your site what are they actually trying to do? List out the different types of tasks people might do on a site, how they will achieve them, and how easy you want to make it for them.

Site Maps

High Performing Sites as Benchmark

• Internet as research tool• Search the competition, both in Australia and

overseas• Don't need to reinvent the wheel• Take the design concept from company that

has already spent the investment in design and content principles

Website Development

www.wix.com

Website Design/CMS

• Sign Up• Create Site• Design Aspects• Adding Pages• Navigation• Content – Writing• Content – Interactive Media• Applying Pathways to Action

Domain Names

• Domain name is the address used to find your site on the internet

• East to recognise, not too lengthy and meaningful to the target market

• Reflect brand name• com.au or com• Use alternatives if name taken

Domain Names

www.auda.org.au/registrars/accredited-registrars

www.austdomains.com.au/pricing.html

www.crazydomains.com.au

http://domains.webcity.com.au

www.cheapdomains.com.au

Hosting

• All sites must be hosted on a web server• Key generating regions determine where to host –

Australia• Disk space• Monthly traffic• Number of domains• Email Features• Site publishing• Support

Hosting/Web Options

http://hosting.webcity.com.au/hosting-starter.php

www.digitalpacific.com.au/hosting/sitebuilder

www.redalto.com.au/web-design.html

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): The Basics

SEO – The Basics

• The process of designing and updating a Web site such that it is likely to show up in organic listings for relevant user queries on popular search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN.

• Keywords, page titles, content

https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

Blogging: The Basics

• Allows a business, at no expense to create a presence on the internet

• Search popular tourism blogs – ideas for design, content, etc

• Peruse/trial• Brand and populate

Practical: Blogging Research

www.tourismindustryblog.co.nz

www.ecotourismblog.com

Practical: Blogging Account

https://www.blogger.com/start

http://wordpress.com

Continual Evaluation

• Website• Blog• What’s working• Get input from industry, friends, etc on design,

usability, etc

Summary of Workshop

• Internet Marketing• Website centre of internet marketing • Consumer behaviour• Website design principles• Planning/redesigning website• Hosting/domain names• Search Engine Optimisation• Blogging