Best Practices in Content Marketing for the Travel Industry

Best Practices in Content Marketing for the Travel Industry

How to Create Content Travelers Love

Caitlin Domke @NewsCred – Brand Strategist

@caitlindomke

It’s clear that traditional advertising methodologies are no longer working.

70% of consumers prefer getting to know a company through content vs. ads

72% of marketers think branded content is more effective than advertising

Source: Content Marketing Institute

#ULTRA15

Source: Custom Content Council

@CaitlinDomke

of millennials said that a compelling advertisement

would make them trust a brand more.

1%

*Forbes/Elite Daily study, Jan. 2015.

#ULTRA15 @CaitlinDomke

Banners? You are more likely to . . .


“Rather than talk at consumers, we’re shifting to speaking with them using attention-grabbing content that adds value to consumers’ lives by

providing them with information and entertainment at the right time

and in the right context.”

– David Beebe, head of Marriott International Content Studio


Why build your house on rented land?

Publish on your own Content Hub.


NewsCred is dedicated to helping brands connect with their audiences

through great content.

Software Services Content


Today

•  What is content marketing

•  How to build a successful content marketing strategy •  Utilizing content across the traveler’s buyer journey

•  Content distribution + amplification


What is Content Marketing? How to Build a Successful Content Strategy

Content Distribution + Amplification

Utilizing Content Across the Traveler Journey

“Content marketing is the marketing and business process for creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience – with the objective of driving profitable customer action.”

-Content Marketing Institute

•  Not advertising or PR

•  It is continuous

•  Customer, not brand-focused

•  Seeks to answer customer questions across the buyer journey

•  Owned media = An Asset for your business with ROI

Content Marketing Defined


The Promise of Content Marketing:

To earn your audience . . .

. . . versus buying it!


Unique Point of View Trap

Too easy to become consumed with your story, not your customers.


“Content marketing is like a first date. If all you do is talk

about yourself, there won’t be a second date.”

– David Beebe


Ann Handley: “Take your brand out of the story. . . . . .Make your customers the hero.”

Our Natural Instinct

Content Marketing

Brand Purpose

What Customers

Want

Charity


Content Marketing Success

How to Build a Successful Content Strategy



Steps to achieve content marketing success:

1.  Start with a strategy. 2.  Create great content aligned with the buyer’s

journey.

3.  Share strategically.

4.  Track ROI


18

Determine and document your content strategy.

Why is it important to have a documented content marketing strategy?

Source: CMI


•  Thinking and acting like a publisher

•  Delivering content your audience wants

•  Managing content as an asset (with an ROI)

What is a Content Marketing Strategy?


Content Marketing Roadmap

Discovery Destination Team Topic Models Customer Journey

KPIs / Reporting Optimization

•  Audience insights

•  Business Case

•  Current State

•  Budget

•  Branding/Design

•  Platform

•  Firm Integration

•  Who does what?

•  Agency

•  NewsCred

•  Distribution

•  Structure

•  Topics

•  Types

•  Content by Stage

•  Conversions

•  Subscriptions

•  Define report

•  Who / when?

•  Content

•  Platform

•  Distribution


YOUR BRAND PURPOSE

Content Marketing

Brand Purpose

What Customers

Want

KEY AUDIENCE INSIGHTS

YOUR MISSION

STATEMENT

Developing your mission statement


Follow this template:

Become a destination for [target audience] interested in [topics]. To help them [customer value].

This will help us [content marketing goals]

•  Earn your audience’s attention vs. just buying it •  Reach, engage and convert NEW buyers

NewsCred Example: Become a destination for marketers interested in content marketing. To help them be better at their jobs and achieve marketing success. This will help us reach, engage, and convert new buyers and engage with existing customers.


Key responsibilities

Content Marketer /

Editor Strategizes, writes,

and oversees

content projects to

ensure brand

consistency and

alignment with

business

objectives.

Community Manager

Distributes content

across social

channels, engages

online communities,

and contributes to

content projects.

Designer Brings content to life

through the user

experience and rich

visuals.

Contributors Any content creator-

blogger,

photographer,

designer — who

contributes to your

project.

SEO / Paid Specialist

Manages the paid

distribution of

content online.

Analytics Defines best/ worst

performers,

conversion

optimization and

measurement

communications.

Curation Fines and re-

purposes the best

content from your

business and from

around the web.


Key factors to content marketing success: 1.  Documented content strategy and mission statement

2.  Have someone accountable for content

3.  Consistently publish quality content

4.  Map content to consumer journey

5.  Balance Paid, Owned, and Earned Media

6.  Track Content Marketing ROI


Give yourself a grade!

Best Practice R Y G

Have a documented content strategy?

Have someone managing content

Content maps to the buyer journey

Publishing quality, volume and variety

Social activation of content

Measurement template / ROI defined

Overall:

?



Building a Successful Content Strategy



Licensed Content Custom Content Social Content

Utilize the Right Mix of Content

Licensed Content Boost credibility, publishing cadence and

direct traffic with a high-volume of fully-

licensed, compliant content.

Custom Content Share on-brand stories and recipes which

are created specifically for your brand.

Social Content Leverage snackable content through UGC

that engages your target audience.

Custom Content Share on-brand stories which are created specifically

for your brand.

Community Content Leverage content from customers, employees,

influencers that grows and engages your community.

Licensed Content Boost credibility, publishing cadence, and direct traffic

with a high-volume of fully-licensed, compliant content.


Licensed Content Custom Content Social Content

Utilize the Right Mix of Content

Licensed Content Boost credibility, publishing cadence and

direct traffic with a high-volume of fully-

licensed, compliant content.

Custom Content Share on-brand stories and recipes which

are created specifically for your brand.

Social Content Leverage snackable content through UGC

that engages your target audience.

Custom Content Share on-brand stories which are created specifically

for your brand.

Community Content Leverage content from customers, employees,

influencers that grows and engages your community.

Licensed Content Boost credibility, publishing cadence, and direct traffic

with a high-volume of fully-licensed, compliant content.

+28%

brand engagement


According to Google, travelers visit 22

different sites over an average of 9.5 sessions

before booking.


Content across the traveler’s buyer journey •  Broader, shareable content that inspires travel •  Aim to start long relationships, don’t over-emphasize your brand or push

for conversions yet (but make sure to have CTA) •  Channels: social/video/photo sites; search engines; email

•  Help your customers plan with destination-specific content •  Don’t pressure towards bookings (but make sure to have CTA)

•  What makes your brand/company unique? Tell those stories. •  Consider UGC (user reviews, testimonials and brand advocates) to

speak for you.

•  Keep the conversation going with a consistent cadence of TOFU/MOFU content

•  Email and social are great channels for this

Inspiration

Retain

Research & Discovery

Booking & Preference


Reach, Engage and Convert the Right People.

Early-‐stage Searches

Middle-‐stage

Brand Searches

Search / Social Volume

“What are the world’s best beaches?” (10-‐3000 X)

“What should I do in Bali?” (2-‐10 X)

“Four Seasons in Bali”


INSPIRATION + AWARENESS STAGE


of people don’t know where they want to go when first

looking into booking a trip.

70%

*Google/Ipsos MediaCT


Many leisure travelers go into planning undecided on a brand.


RESEARCH + DISCOVERY STAGE


Search terms that travelers use in planning


BOOKING STAGE


Content directly influences purchase decisions.

85% of consumers regularly seek out trusted content when considering a purchase.

Source: Nielsen


Information sources used by U.S. travelers while planning/booking their most recent trip

40%

38%

38%

25%

19%

18%

16%

13%

Hotel sites

Online travel agencies

Airline sites

Search engines

Travel publications/sites

Family/Friend

Rental car sites

Search engine travel sites

Source: eMarketer/

Expedia Media Solutions

conducted by comScore Nov

2014


User-Generated Content during Booking Stage

of travel planning study respondents report

reading travel reviews prior to booking

95%

Source: New York University and TrustYou; 2015

of millennials post on social networks and

share experiences with friends while traveling

97%


Source: Chase Card Services Study, 2014

To what extent do you trust the following forms of advertising?


Some tips: •  Make sure to obtain legally!

•  Ask for testimonials from notable or loyal clients

•  Show off UGC photos via rights-cleared photo companies

•  Compile the best UGC, like Warby Parker


Case Study:

Four Seasons Magazine


Four Seasons Magazine

•  Mission statement: “providing interesting and evocative content about some of the world’s most fascinating travel destinations”

•  Reads like a high-quality travel magazine •  Beautiful imagery •  Frequently publish •  Clear site architecture

•  Content pillars: Travel, Food, Style, Weddings

.


SAMPLE INSPIRATION STAGE CONTENT



SAMPLE RESEARCH AND DISCOVERY STAGE CONTENT

SAMPLE BOOKING AND PREFERENCE STAGE CONTENT

SUBSCRIPTION

SAMPLE RETAIN STAGE CONTENT (NEWSLETTER)

Case Study:

Mr. and Mrs. Smith blog


SAMPLE RESEARCH AND DISCOVERY STAGE CONTENT

SAMPLE BOOKING STAGE CONTENT

SAMPLE RETAIN STAGE CONTENT (NEWSLETTER)





Building a Successful Content Strategy

Share your stories. Even great content needs a push.


Average Hollywood movie splits 40-50% production with 50-60% distribution


Maximizing the Reach of Your Content We believe in a “converged media” approach utilizing paid, owned, and earned media to deliver content the audience wants and maximizing the reach of that content.

Paid Social Influencer/ movable media

Leverage your owned content and channels

Maximize organic buzz, social engagement,

and PR

Organic Traffic & SEO

Quickly grow your audience & jumpstart

engagement

Converged

Native Ads (Nativo) Paid Content Distribution (Outbrain, Sharethrough)

Earned Paid

Owned


In conclusion…


Key factors to content marketing success: 1.  Documented content strategy and mission statement

2.  Have someone accountable for content

3.  Consistently publish quality content

4.  Map content to consumer journey

5.  Balance Paid, Owned, and Earned Media

6.  Track Content Marketing ROI


Hope you’re excited to create amazing content!


Thank you!

[email protected]

@CaitlinDomke