Tips & Tools to help you make the most of the mobile and social Web

To say I’m excited about Facebook Fan pages would be the understatement of the year. Ever since Google extended social networking to your Web page with Google Profiles and Google Connect I’ve been waiting for Facebook’s response.

Finally, Facebook goes beyond the Walls

It’s taken a while, but by using Facebook Fan Boxes (Embeddable Facebook Pages), businesses can leverage Facebook platform in a number of ways without needing to be a code monkey.

Three Reasons to Celebrate Facebook on your Site

This new widget is a huge opportunity to: Grow your following, build credibility, and keep current!

• Instant Opt-in: grow your opt-in audience with one-click access to becoming a Fan. Users of Facebook Fan Pages already know how easy it is to update Fans updates whenever you have something to share.
• Credibility Plus: build credibility by showcasing your fans on your Web page
• Keep your site Current: instantly update your Web page or blog by simply updating your Facebook status.

How to set-up Facebook Fan Boxes:

Look under your fan page for the link to your Fan Box - embeddable widget.

Copy the embed code, paste into your blog or Web site

Voila, Facebook on your site.

Summary:

Facebook Fan Boxes definitely up the ante against Google FriendConnect. The biggest enhancement Facebook brings is status. By comparison, Google’s widget offers a business card approach to networking, but without status updates (I’m sure it will come along soon). I’ve already dropped it on our blog and home page at Northern Edge Algonquin to integrate Facebook status updates and Fans into our home page. How will you use Facebook Fan Boxes to grow your business?

Links:

• Mashable article on Facebook Fan Boxes: Embeddable Facebook Pages
• Google Profile and Google Connect are Game Changers

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I just read an interesting post about Chris Anderson’s new book Free, the Future of a Radical Price. This article gives a number of text passages that were lifted from Wikipedia and published in the book without citation.

This isn’t the first time we’ve discussed the idea of harming your credibility by using improper content to promote your region.

Sometimes, it’s just not possible to get the photos you want. You may also stumble-upon text that you think would be great for marketing your tourism business or region.

Use this simple test to determine if you should use the content:

Ask yourself, “Would I feel comfortable answering the phone to talk with the original content creator to explain my use of their content without permission?” If it’s Creative Commons content and you give credit, no worries, otherwise - DON’T USE IT, no matter how perfectly it appears to match your needs. Plagiarism is illegal after all.

Never sacrifice industry relationships for the possibility of luring a new customer

In the past, we’ve had competitors use our tourism experiences and create exact duplicates of three day experiences and then market them right in our backyard. We’ve had a tourism business offer a trip in a region for the first time using pictures of our staff and our guests in the destination to market their trip.

As difficult as these situations were for me, it must have been extremely difficult to be on the other side of the phone trying to make things right.

Difficult times breed innovation

Use challenging economic times to get creative and dream up new offers for your ideal guest. Pay attention to what others are doing to stimulate new business ideas, just make sure they’re your own, and give credit where it’s due.

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Is this the year you focus on getting quality video interviews for your Web presence?

Katie Couric gives advice on how to be a good interviewer. The five minute video is a springboard to Google’s new Reporters Centre channel http://www.youtube.com/reporterscenter which aims to help make citizen journalism more mainstream.

The gist of Katie’s advice on How to Conduct an Interview:

• Put people at ease.
• Calibrate your tone.
• Know your interview subject.
• Go with the flow.  Be prepared to shift direction.
• Listen well and respond authentically to responses from your subject.
• Serve your audience and don’t get in the way of your subject sharing their story.

Got any other advice to getting great video interviews?

Links:

• Have a gander at The Uptake’s video instruction on how to organize a citizen journalism project that uses video.

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What is Google City Tours?

Google has launched a new Labs innovation called Google City Tours. The premise is that Google knows what the attractions are in each region and can provide maps with links to attractions and provide relevant multi-day itineraries that help you explore the city

Why Google is no threat to DMO’s and Visitor and Convention Bureaus

While the idea is great, this Labs innovation falls flat for a number of reasons:

• Google City Tour misses obvious attractions. In my search of Leamington, Ontario Google failed to identify Point Pelee National Park as worth seeing. Point Pelee is just a few km away and a national treasure!
• Selected locations are not diverse. Most seem to be historical / museum-type attractions. When I searched cities I know well, the routes chosen overlooked obvious and locally renowned attractions such as wineries, gardens, parks, retail destinations, etc.
• Google City Tour demonstrates absolutely no local knowledge - which is critical to giving real, helpful travel advice. Human powered advice sites like TripAdvisor provide much better and more relevant information for travelers.
• Every traveler is unique. The idea of a mapped itinerary is a good one, but wouldn’t families, foodies, adventurers, shopaholics, museum lovers, etc. each want to visit different types of attractions? Yes, they would.

Google City Tours shows DMO’s what they should already be doing

Thanks to Google Labs City Tour for reminding DMO’s, visitor centres, Visitor and Convention bureaus and regional travel associations that Google provides some great technology for helping travelers find their way to meaningful, memorable travel experiences in your region.

• Google.com/maps MyMaps feature allows DMO’s and travel regions to create their own customized map - for free. This post showed how tourism regions or businesses could do this over two years ago. DMO’s should be creating custom maps using icons, routes and local knowledge to share travel information that has real value.
• Consider designing specific maps based on the interests of diverse types of travelers.
• These maps can be embedded in Web sites like ours at Northern Edge Algonqui

Thanks to Twitter friends who pointed out Google Labs latest innovation:@anneh632 @mosherifdeen @travel2dot0 @wilhelmus - Give ‘em a follow.

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I’ve been a strong advocate of Twitter for quite a while. There are significant benefits for users, but not everyone needs access to the “here and now web” for communication. I’m becoming more convinced that only a thin minority of people will use Twitter as a communication platform in the future.

Why Twitter isn’t for everyone

• “I don’t have the time” or “I don’t want to be connected all the time!”- Twitter requires a commitment to both sharing content and listening.
• “I don’t get it” - Twitter timeline is a stream and every tweet doesn’t need to be read, but many people who don’t use Twitter daily miss out on most of the relevance of time-sensitive information
• “I don’t need another thing to check!” or “I really don’t care about this stuff”- The value of access to relevant and timely information just isn’t there for many people.  If it’s important, they’ll hear about it on another channel, but they don’t need to know now.

Why Facebook is better for most mainstream people

• “I don’t have to think” - Facebook information is purely social in nature. It’s fun! It’s about family and friends. Twitter is very often about connecting with people with common interests and has more of a business information orientation.
• “I check it every few days and can see what everyone is up to” - Twitter users are more continuously connected (by computer or handheld), while Facebook users can drop in every three days and still feel like they are getting relevant information about their friends and family.
• “I know the people on Facebook” - Facebook is always relevant. These are people I know.

Curious People Use Twitter

• Twitter is for teachers and learners - People who are thirsty for information and knowledge. Twitter users stay on top of news, generate business ideas, monitor leads and are more actively engaged in distributing information, ideas, links, knowledge.
• Information spreads quickly across Twitter, while Facebook posts generally earn comments from people you know.

So, Do you Tweet? Why or why not?

Many people rely on others for their news. If you are a source of information for others, Twitter will  continue to be a very important part of your world.

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What are people talking about NOW

It seems nearly impossible, but the travel product development and marketing & sales cycles are getting shorter and shorter due to the way we use technology

I use Twitter Search on a daily basis to monitor conversations about:

• recession travel trends
• people talking about regional travel destinations
• green travel
• . . . and much more

There are a number of tools for continually monitoring the conversations that are occuring in near real time on Twitter. My favourite is Seesmic Desktop, which allows the sorting of searches into columns that automatically update themselves whenever individuals twitter about the keyword phrase that interests me.

On my handheld device I use Summizer for iPhone to do much the same thing when away from my computer. I can choose the keyword phrases to monitor and jump in and see who’s talking and respond from almost anywhere.

Using the information in these columns as leads, I can jump right in NOW and:

• build relationships by offering assistance to people
• monitor who else is talking about things of interest to me and follow them, building my twitter contact list
• stay on top of current trends and adapt my offer accordingly
• distill news to share with fans and friends

Last Minute Traveler wants help NOW

For travel industry professionals, perhaps the most important use of Twitter is connecting with the last minute traveler.

I know what you might be thinking.  “Who has time for this? I will not be spending my time monitoring conversations.”

You might also not be interested in last minute business.  Keep in mind that the airlines earn a large portion of their income by charging a premium for last minute planners.

The last minute traveler using keyword phrases on Twitter:

• can benefit from our assistance NOW
• wants to establish relationships with people in the medium of communication they choose to use (ie. Twitter)
• is interested in travel planning using this new medium

As the product development and marketing & sales cycle get shorter and shorter, what tools are you using to make more sales to the last minute traveler?

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Report on Luxury Travel during the current recession

Results are from survey of over 2000 luxury travelers and over 200 luxury hoteliers. What is interesting is that the trends identified in this report have relevance for the entire tourism industry regardless of whether serving a luxury or budget traveler. I’ll highlight a few points I gleaned from the report, but you may want to download and read the report pdf Luxury Travel during the recession from Marketing Matrix.

Word of Mouth Matters more than ever

Key Point: Almost 30% of respondents were inspired to visit a new destination on the recommendation of friends or acquaintances.

Interesting to note: Nearly 8 of 10 respondents said they have read user-generated reviews online, and 1 in 3 has posted a review after their stay. These rates of usage among luxury guests are higher than industry averages.

Take away: Be great and your guests will tell others. Refer to the post on boosting revenue 20% with Trip Advisor referrals.

Travelers are increasingly booking online

Key Point: For making hotel reservations, all segments have increased their use of the internet, but luxury hotels show the biggest jump in usage over the past two years.

Percent Booked on Internet 2006 vs 2008 (note - these are increases in percentage booking online, not % booked online - which unfortunately is omitted from the report)
Economy + 4.8%
Midscale w/ F&B + 3.5%
Luxury + 8.2%

Take away: Give your guests clear, simple navigation and let them book online! Paypal makes it easy for even small operators to take bookings online.

Seeking Enriched Guest Experiences

Key Point: People are seeking educational experiences and adventure travel that provides opportunities for “personal growth”. A key demographic that is leading the way is women traveling with female companions (sisters, mothers, best friends) in record numbers.

Take away: Develop female-friendly oferings and getaways focusing on special interests: (women and wine, adventure women, women’s golf, etc.)

Destination Decisions Changing

Key Point: As a result of the recession, about 50% of those surveyed indicated they would be changing or canceling planned trips in 2009. About half of the luxury travelers polled said they would reduce their expenses by making fewer or shorter trips, travel shorter distances or change destinations entirely.

Take away: Think local. While respondents indicated a need to cut costs, the focus is on cutting back on the cost of getting to the destination, while keeping high end accommodation / experience options.

In Summary:

• be great and continue to encourage your guests to share positive word of mouth.
• encourage online booking
• enrich your experiences (and increase value) by targeting your preferred niche markets.
• boost your marketing in nearby markets to capture those traveling closer to home.

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How Travelers Think

The main reason for not having success online is many business think about the things they want to share with their guests, rather than meeting their guests’ needs.

Before reviewing your Web site, establishing or refreshing a social media strategy for your tourism business think about the last trip you went on and the kind of information and advice that was most useful.

Did you:

• Talk to friends and family who had gone there?
• Speak with a local?
• Consult a destination web site or business sites?
• Use a search engine?
• Refer to a social site like Facebook, Trip Advisor for planning advice?
• Use your handheld to access information at the destination?

Think about:

• How far ahead did you plan: things to do, places to stay, dining.
• What kind of online resources did you use : before your travel, while at the destination, after returning home.
• What ways did you use the Web to gather information?
• What ways did you use the Web to share your trip with others?

Ask:

• Ask your current guests where they got their information and how they planned their visit.
• Talk to other travelers, family and friends and ask them to look at your Web site, social presence and comment.
• Act like your ideal guest: search for your travel experiences and look for information. How well are competitors and regional marketing organizations meeting the needs of your ideal guest.

Review:

• Search for your business name and note the web sites where have a presence. Is the information correct, up-to-date, inspiring?
• Identify the Web sites where you need to establish a strong presence.
• Review the existing information you are providing your guests on your web site and review your profile on social networks.

Links:

• How Travelers use social media - Mashable
  

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Who is your Ideal Client?

Take a few minutes and describe your ideal client.  In the travel and tourism industry painting a clear picture of who your BEST Clients or Guests are can help you avoid situations like those depicted above.

Think of the buying behaviors and relationship triggers that satisfy the needs of this client.  In your marketing messages, focus on meeting the needs of your ideal clients.  In return, you’ll get fewer of the clients you don’t want, and more of the clients you do want.

Describe your Ideal Client Behaviours

Consider often-overlooked behaviours such as:

• frequency of visit - how often do you want them to visit
• price sensitivity & ability to pay in a timely manner
• interest in sharing experiences with family and friends
• appreciation for the values and principles that govern your business

Benefits of attracting your Ideal Clients and Guests

When you successfully attract your ideal clients, not only will you enhance your bottom line, you’ll have happier staff who are interacting with guests and clients who appreciate your business for what you are, not what you aren’t.

What are the characteristics of the ideal guest you are trying to attract?

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