Content marketing is the hottest news in the world of marketing today. This month alone Google launched their +1 tool for recommending great content and also announced that they will start tracking and will rank individual content creators (not just the web sites). So how does this apply to you and the adventure travel industry? A strategic online content marketing strategy can effectively bring travel experiences to life (using words, as well as video, images and more) and also establish you and your brand as an expert or thought leader in a specific travel niche. Further, unlike traditional marketing tactics, it’s an outlet over which you have complete control. This webinar, the first in a series on content marketing strategy, will introduce you to the basics of Content Marketing for the Adventure Travel Industry by illustrating how your blog can be the center of your content marketing strategy. Suppliers (properties and operators) and U.S. tour operators can partner to generate outstanding content and the webinar will conclude by offering three tips you can use immediately to start generating outstanding online marketing content.

1. Content is King!
Making the most of your supplier relationships
to enhance marketing strategies.

2. First, what is content marketing?
Content Marketing ; a marketing technique of
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.

3. Content Marketing 101 for the
Adventure Travel Industry
Use online marketing outlets to develop your
brand and emerge as a thought leader in your
particular niche.
ie: Ecotourism best practices in a particular
destination, best guide training practices, cuisine and
development of outstanding culinary elements, curate
art and enhancing décor in the property, etc.
This applies to both inbound and outbound
suppliers, operators and agents. Partnering and
collaborating to share this information will
enhance both of your brands.

4. 5 important steps to creating a
content marketing strategy
1. Know your brand.
2. Take a stand.
3. How are you going to help your audience?
4. Identify objectives.
5. Develop the editorial calendar.

5. TIP: Content marketing strategy
resources…
www.socialmediaexaminer.com, tips from
content marketing expert
www.junta42.com, great source of content
marketing info and access to outsource services
for generating content
www.copyblogger.com, tips on writing good
content
“Content Rules” by Ann Handley and C.C.
Chapman

6. The blog is the center of the
content marketing strategy. Here
you will tell your story, bringing
your company and your brand to
life and attracting ideal business
partners and consumers.

8. TIP: Marketing is about publishing great content. Great content always has an
objective. These objectives can be tweaked for your organization.
Web site: Online “face” of LinkedIn: Connect with
the company, establish professional Blog: Center of all online content professionals, build individual professional
voice and team personality, house marketing strategy. Identify one main credentials via recommendations, meet
case studies, white papers to show
how your brand lives in the world. objective and audience. professional contacts via intros, start
group conversation
eNewsletters: Establish Also identify your “voice” for all online You Tube/Vimeo:
regular lines of communication with key
audience, offer quick bits of information communications. Enhance online “voice” and spice up
content with video
to help audience.
Goal; 1-3 posts per week (see detailed
Batchbook: Track all editorial calendar)
communications and house master Twitter: Opportunity to interact
database. with broader audience, more “high
profile” contacts.
Flikr: Online storage of
images. The HUB: Interact with
Adventure Travel Community, industry
thought leaders.
Slideshare: Sharing Engagement: Establish
presentations, help establish as strategy to follow and engage with Facebook (company page):
other industry leaders, trade partners Connectivity and sharing information, high
industry thought leader. and consumers online, ignite Focus on interaction
conversation, including blog
Scribd: Sharing white papers comments, social media comments.
Facebook (personal page):
and more. Continue to develop individual online
voice.

9. Why Blogs are more
important than ever
• Blogs are yours…..they are where you share news, insight, photos and
stories with clients and with the world.
• They are not static
• Blogs offer RSS (real simple syndication) that larger sites and APPS can
pick up
• Postings on Facebook and twitter should direct people back to your blog

10. Your Trip
Feed
RSS=

11. Why Tablets are Changing
Things
• Live Magazine
• Content pulled in from
sources
• Create your own
magazine (Readers)

12. Your article with a
video/photo library
attached.

13. Your Feeds: Google Reader to Magazine Format online
ex: Feedly

14. See what your trips look like via a feed

15. TIP: Tap into supplier relationships to create
a robust editorial calendar for your blog.
#1: Select suppliers that share your brand’s
philosophy. Incorporate your supplier’s news
and updates into your editorial calendar. Have
them guest blog.
#2: Use suppliers video and images liberally.
Content marketing is not limited to written words.
#3: Use content created on tour. Have your
suppliers (and guides) as well as clients provide
that for you.

16. #1: Select suppliers that share
your brand’s philosophy.
Incorporate your supplier’s news
and updates into your editorial
calendar. Share last minute
specials. Have them guest blog.

17. Develop a Content Strategy for Shared
Content
Avoid duplicate content
When “duplicate content” might be OK? Email
newsletters, webinars etc. Places where you
are less focused on google ranking and more
focused on education and sharing.
Add value to re-purposed content: comment,
offer insight, aggregate from various sources to
offer a theme.
Approval and copyright issues (Creative
Commons Licensing, Linkbacks, references)
If you are repurposing content, know where the
“original” content lives and how you are linking,
posting, sharing with collaborators.

23. #2: Use supplier’s video and
images liberally. Content
marketing is not limited to written
words.

27. Ask for Videos to be unbranded: Create and share
relevant videos in one playlist

28. #3: Use content created on tour. Have
your suppliers (and guides) as well as
clients provide that for you.
Timely, gets people engaged
Work with guide to send photos/videos/text daily
“edit/curate” the text to ensure brand quality
Post daily to blog/tweet/facebook
Make it easy (and fun) for guide
Offer guests a place to share photos during their
trip (copy an email to your facebook page etc

29. Generate Content On
Tour
• Timely, gets people engaged
• Work with guide to send photos/videos/text daily
• “edit/curate” the text to ensure brand quality
• Post daily to blog/tweet/facebook
• Make it easy (and fun) for guide
• Offer guests a place to share photos during their trip (copy an
email to your facebook page etc

30. Press Trip/Live Tour
Tips for On the Trail Posting
•Set up a platform
•Assign Tasks
•Offer Tools
•Make it Easy
•Don’t sacrifice the guest experience!

31. Kathy Dragon’s Photos from the Trail

32. Assign a Blogger OR
post from the office
with on the trail
updates.
Tweet and share you
posts!

33. Apps to Share
Instagram,
iloader

37. Widgets help share
content
Destination News Tweets Share social content and (trip/blog)feeds in one place
from other sources

39. Tip: Ways to post content
• Blog: Write short, interesting posts
• Read and comment on other’s post and photos (be generous)
• Take photos and videos (using a mobile phone, flip video or digital camera)
• Share photos and videos (on Facebook, Flickr/Picassa)
• Tweet short updates and photos on location
• Checkin and add tips
• Embed Video Playlist relevant to tours (with hotels and activities)
• Embed slideshows from photo sites
• Embed Widgets onto your site or blog
• Distribution sites: using trips and reviews as content

40. Summary: Tap into supplier
relationships to create engaging content.
#1: Select suppliers that share your brand’s
philosophy. Incorporate your supplier’s news
and updates into your editorial calendar. Have
them guest blog.
#2: Use suppliers video and images liberally.
Content marketing is not limited to written words.
#3: Use content created on tour. Have your
suppliers (and guides) as well as clients provide
that for you.

41. 2011 trending: new media and technology
how it might effect your company??
New Mobile: smart phones and tablets use in travel-bookings, purchases,
updates, positing, connecting
New Social: changes in facebook, commenting, questions, group
messaging, twitter's use in global crisis, facebook email addresses
New Search: google +1, twitter rankings in google etc.
Location CheckIn: safety as well as relevant product upsales and tips
Deals: Group Buying/Flash Sales
RSS to Email Newsletter
Interested in a Webinar?

42. Thank You!
Kathy Dragon kathy@travelmarketingworldwide.com
Sarah Fazendin Sarah@travelmarketingworldwide.com
www.travelmarketingworldwide.com/blog