Search, PR and the Social Butterfly session at SES in New York. Problem: Iceland is hit by a Volcano that halts most flight traffic and threatens tourism at a critical moment Solution: A multilingual multi-channel strategy was created focusing on Google Universal. YouTube/Vimeo Videos were created, Facebook Fan and Like Pages and ad campaigns based on selected demographics, on top of that Twitter bursts and blog posts. The strategy among other was to attach Iceland to high profile brands and names such as John Lennon, Lonely Planet, CNN and general search phrases like music festival, travel destination and so on. Targeted phrases had close to ten million monthly searches. Implementation: New web site was launched, unique content was written and distributed in 7 languages focusing on key stakeholders such as journalists, travel agents and the general traveller raising awareness of Iceland. Results: Information about inspired by Iceland was viewed over one hundred million times through this multi channel multi lingual approach. First numbers in Q1 2011 indicate a growth year on year in bookings and the season is just starting. Following screenshots illustrate the impact

1. Social Media
Search, PR and the
Social Butterfly
@optimizeyourweb

2. Case Study
Inspired by Iceland

3. Crisis & Social Media
• 5 ways to contain a crisis through social media
– Be Prepared
• Sit down with your team and brainstorm all the things that could possibly
go wrong before they actually do.
– Monitor
• Crisis situations can pop up anywhere at any time. Rather than waiting
for a situation to spin out of control before you even hear about it.
– Craft messages appropriately
• During times of crisis, communications to your internal and/or external
audiences can either help a situation or make it worse.
– Be informative and helpful
• When crafting these messages, include information that will help all
stakeholders, not just your company.
– Be truthfull
• One of the unofficial commandments of social media is to be authentic
and true. This is even more applicable during times of crisis.

4. The POST Method/Model
• People
– Don't start a social strategy until you know the capabilities of your
audience.
• If you're targeting college students, use social networks. If you're reaching out
business travellers, consider ratings and reviews.
• Objectives
– Pick one. Are you starting an application to listen to your customers, or
to talk with them? To support them, or to energize your best customers
to evangelize others?
• Strategy
– Strategy here means figuring out what will be different after you're done.
Do you want a closer, two-way relationship with your best customers?
• Technology
– A community. A wiki. A blog or a hundred blogs. Once you know your
people, objectives, and strategy, then you can decide with confidence.

5. @optimizeyourweb

6. Strategy in Short
• Problem: Iceland is hit by a Volcano that halts most flight traffic and threatens
tourism at a critical moment
• Solution: A multilingual multichannel strategy was created focusing on Google
Universal. YouTube/Vimeo Videos were created, Facebook Fan and Like Pages and
ad campaigns based on selected demographics, on top of that Twitter bursts and
blog posts. The strategy among other was to attach Iceland to high profile brands and
names such as John Lennon, Lonely Planet, CNN and general search phrases like
music festival, travel destination and so on. Targeted phrases had close to ten million
monthly searches.
• Implementation: New web site was launched, unique content was written and
distributed in 7 languages focusing on key stakeholders such as journalists, travel
agents and the general traveller raising awareness of Iceland.
• Results: Information about inspired by Iceland was viewed over one hundred million
times through this multi channel multi lingual approach. First numbers in Q1 2011
indicate a growth year on year in bookings and the season is just starting.
• Following screenshots illustrate the impact
@optimizeyourweb

8. The Video

10. Imagine Peace - English
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11. Lonely Planet - Dutch
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12. John Lennon - English
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13. John Lennon - English
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14. John Lennon – English (Twitter)
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15. From 0 to 121,000
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16. From close to 0 to 428,000
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17. Video Distribution
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18. Video Distribution cont.
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19. Direct Media Impact
150,000 visitors
in the first week
Total 1.1 million
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20. Direct Media Impact
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21. Inspired by Iceland in the Media
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22. Bottom line
• By leveraging Google Universal and focusing
on a multi channel approach we were able to
take over and hold visibility for very strong
search terms over a important period of time
• This was a vital part of an overall branding
strategy keeping Iceland top of mind when it
came to being the travel destination
• A tourist summer that looked bleak was on
par with a very successful 2009 and 2011
looks really good
@optimizeyourweb

23. Thank you
Kristjan Mar Hauksson
@optimizeyourweb
kmh@nordicemarketing.com