In this delightful conversation with @SEKeener, director of Boots N All Travel Network, @Elliottng VP of Marketing for Uptake.com and @KimMance editor-in-chief of gogalavanting.com and founder of TravelBlogExchange.com discuss the importance of travel blog communities and how tourism businesses can connect with travel bloggers.
If you are a tourism business looking to connect with new media don’t miss this insight-filled conversation about bloggers and their communities.
Background:
- Boots N’ All Travel Network – 6-7 year old blogging community connecting people.
- Uptake – 1.5 year old travel information site / search engine just launched a travel blog network that helps promote the search engine and promote richly tagged search.
- TravelBlogExchange – over 400 bloggers have joined in less than three weeks forming small groups discussing all kinds of issues relevant to travel blogging
The value of networking – connecting bloggers has many benefits:
- bloggers get exposure that may lead to exposure in many different locations including high profile publications
- community participation leads to comments and feedback on content that a blogger can’t get without connecting via networks.
- cause-related issues – Passports with a Purpose and blogging networks can move issues.
- bloggers can help one another by focusing on their strengths and helping one another grow their skills and abilities.
- travel blogging networks provide more visibility for individual bloggers
- coming together like the mom-bloggers gives the community more power and influence
- The social side of blog networks can be difficult to monetize or at least measure, but the power of stories to influence travelers decisions is huge.
How does a tourism business get their story told by a blogger?
- experiment with all kinds of media, don’t try to follow others
- connecting with folks in social media – connect with the people who care the most about your destination
- search the Travel Blog Exchange to find bloggers to tell a story
- It’s all about relationships: Why should a blogger care about your business?
- foster relationships with bloggers to get exposure for your business
- connect with bloggers in their medium, using the social networking tools they use
- be personal and transparent- don’t hide behind your business brand
- be interesting
Kim’s 3 Tips to connect with bloggers:
- Email the blogger by name and reference something relevant that you have seen on their blog
- Provide and link to great photos.
- Develop a database of customized discount codes for the blogger to use to promote their story.
Twits you might want to know more about that were mentioned in this podcast:
- Debbie Dubrow – @DeliciousBaby
- Pam Mandel – @nerdseyeview
- Kevin May @travolution,
- Jens Traenhart
- PhilCaines @philcaines,
- Guido vandenElshout @happyhotelier
- @Soultravelers3
Other Websites of interest noted in this podcast:
- Tips from the T-list
- Passports with a Purpose: Travel Bloggers raise over $7000 for Heifer Int’l.
- Blogher
- CNReviews.com – Elliott Ng’s blog on China
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