Presented at the Hawaii Social Media Summit 2012 in Honolulu, Hawaii, with an emphasis on the power of photos (especially from mobile devices,) how to take better photos, how to create more content in less time by re-using them and how simply titling, describing and tagging them helps SEO. My team and I do online and in-person training in social media for tourism and hospitality at Tourism Currents - http://www.tourismcurrents.com

1. Social
Photography
Visual Storytelling
#smshi
Sheila Scarborough
@SheilaS
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Tourism Currents

2. What's In This For You?
● Better storytelling that connects
with customers
● Joy & universal language of
visual sharing
● More content in less time
● SEO (Search Engine
Optimization) boost
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

3. Disclaimer ….
I'm self-taught
#NotAnExpert
You can do
this, too!
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

4. Why
Photos?
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

5. Surfing:
A boy balances on a
surfboard & catches
his very first wave,
near Diamond Head
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

6. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

7. On Facebook, people
Like photo updates
twice
as much as text
updates.
Ragan link: Photos & video drive the most engagement
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

8. Other ways
to tell visual
stories
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

9. Instagram
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

10. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

11. Instagram is....
A Micro Art
Gallery
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

12. Tips for Instagram
● Severe cropping drives composition
● Slow data rates make it hard to share
● It's a mobile-first platform
● Most only use a few filter options
● Mashable link: Which filter when
● Easy to Like & Comment on the go
** Bought by Facebook
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

13. Foodspotting
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

14. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

15. Foodspotting is….
Grinds
Porn
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
(so ono!) #smshi

16. Tips for Foodspotting
● Spot unique food or drinks
● Locals are a huge help!
● Use Macro setting for close-ups
● Slow data rates/GPS can hamper
● Dim restaurant lighting a problem
● Easy to Like & Comment on the go
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

17. Foursquare & Yelp
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

18. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

19. Foursquare/Yelp
are….
I was here.
You should go!
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

20. Tips for Foursquare/Yelp
● Check-in & review photos are
more service-oriented
● Exterior shots ---> Is this the
right place?
● Interior shots ---> What's it like
inside there?
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

21. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

22. @SheilaS
Savannah, Georgia CVB
@TourismCurrents #smshi

23. @SheilaS Columbus, Ohio CVB
@TourismCurrents #smshi

24. Pinterest is....
A Digital
Inspiration
@SheilaS Board
@TourismCurrents #smshi

25. Tips for Pinterest
● Hugely, suddenly popular
● Some legal concerns with pins
● NOT the place to be hard-sell
● Destination marketing hot there
● Anne Hornyak Link:
DMOs on Pinterest (Google Doc)
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

26. Don't Forget Old School
● Photos to Twitter
– Twitpic, Lockerz, Yfrog, others
– Easy from your phone
● Photos to Facebook Pages
– TIP: use email to send photos from phone
– Each Page has unique email address
– Works in low data rate areas
– Can do it from feature/flip phones, too
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

27. Even MORE Old
School:
Go offline with
photo walks
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

28. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

29. Use snail
mail for
your pics
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

30. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

31. Lots of photos?
Create an
Animoto video
out of them
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

32. No time for
all this?
Create
once, use
over and
over
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

33. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

34. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

35. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

36. Now that you're
a photographer,
learn to think
like one
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

37. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

38. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

39. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

40. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

41. Your last move
before shooting
with a phone
camera?
Wipe off the lens.
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

42. Big social
photography benefit:
SEO
(Search Engine
@SheilaS
Optimization)
@TourismCurrents #smshi

43. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

44. Takeaways
● A photo is a story
● Your phone = publishing machine
● Create once, use many times
● Think like a photographer
● Give search engines descriptive
text for SEO
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

45. Photo Credits
● All photos my own except....
● Me with camera:
BJMcCray on Flickr CC
● Boy surfing: Waikiki Beach Services
● Screaming woman:
kandyjaxx on Flickr CC
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents #smshi

46. Thank
You!
Sheila
Scarborough
Tourism Currents
@SheilaS www.slideshare.net/SheilaS
@TourismCurrents