MARKETING JOURNAL.
Three Solid Trends In Event Marketing for 2017
It’s been almost a year since my first trip to New Zealand to work with the Crankworx Rotorua team, last March. To celebrate, I’m highlighting a couple of my favourite trends in event marketing:
It’s been almost a year since my first trip to New Zealand. At the time I was working with the Crankworx Rotorua team. It was an absolute blast to work with such an agile, multi-talented communications team. Here are some growing event marketing trends that I expect will take centre stage in 2017:
- Facebook Live - Live streaming is a freight train. From Facebook to Twitter to Periscope to Instagram, nearly every social media channel is integrating a live-streaming option into the way we produce content. Initially for brand managers, Facebook Live caused near hair-loss and cold sweats. There was very little creative control over what was produced once a brand “went live”. Instinctually, we want to always put forward a clear, polished representation of a brand to it’s fans. But we soon discovered there was beauty in imperfection. Fans could relate to and are transfixed by this raw and un-edited format.
A great example from Crankworx Whistler:
- Gamification - Looking specifically at racing events, not all fans will be competing, some are pure spectators. To more holistically engage all event goers, gamifying the experience engages people on a whole new level. It is also a rad opportunity to capture demographic data or emails for remarketing campaigns. Mainstream sports have been doing this for years, so it's awesome to see a niche version for the bike community.
Have a look at the Fantasy league, Crankworx rolled out in France last year:
- Micro-Influencers - It’s wonderful to watch an event unfold through the social channels of various attendees, especially those with a decent sized social klout and eye for photography. These people immerse users into the feelings, sights and sounds of the event. It’s fantastic when a communication manager’s understands the value in supporting or building itineraries for a these Micro-Influencers. Talk about an amped-up version of word-of-mouth marketing!
I love this example from @haydenkortemoore during the 2016 World Ski and Snowboard Festival:
Digital Marketing Touch Points - Tourism Attractions & Dining In New Zealand
I’m constantly scraping the internet to uncover cool restaurants and unique experiences between our adventures on foot and bike. As a marketer with an interest in the tourism industry and now officially a tourist, here are my top three suggestions for marketing to me through online channels.
Now that we're in full road trip mode through New Zealand, I’m constantly scraping the internet to uncover cool restaurants and unique experiences between our adventures on foot and bike. In my searches I've stumbled across some terrible review-site profiles, outdated google listings, and ridiculously tough to use websites.
My brother, Spencer joined us for some North Island exploring over the past few weeks. Curating his trip was a perfect time to delve into what pain points stand out in tourism marketing.
As a marketer with an interest in the tourism industry and at this point... a tourist, here are my top suggestions for reeling people like myself in the door:
First, TREAT TRIP ADVISOR LIKE GOLD
When we're on the hunt for places to stay or eat, this is the first site I go to. If we're in a rush or super hungry (even worse, han-gry) this may be our only impression of a business prior to making a decision. If a review site profile is the only touch point between a customer and business, it’s clear this is a critical marketing exercise to get right.
TripAdvisor is a major player in the tourism marketing game.
Success Looks Like:
First, get professional photos of the business and add them to the collection. User submitted photos rarely show a business in the best lighting. Secondly, make sure your hours and type of dining options are up to date. Lastly, respond to all of your reviews. It's nice to see a business supporting the strong reviews and responding kindly to negative ones.
Second, KEEP GOOGLE PLACES UP TO DATE
If we're traveling a long distance, we'll often search for places to stop via Google Maps as we approach a town. This is such an easy way to ensure travellers know that your business exists. You can't compete with other businesses if you aren't even listed.
Not to be ignored: The Google My Business Suite (including Google Places) can change your entire online presence.
Success Looks Like:
Google Places is part of the “Google My Business” marketing suite that is free for companies to use. First, claim your listing. Next make sure your listing always has current hours, a correct physical location and website url.
Third, HAVE A MOBILE FRIENDLY WEBSITE
Nine times out of ten I'm searching for tourism attractions, dining or accommodation through my phone. It's great to have a crisp, clean website for desktop visitors as a baseline, but prioritize your business’s mobile site. Not only does it help me navigate information and help streamline the decision making process, Google and Facebook will penalize websites that are not mobile friendly.
Gravity Nelson ticks all the boxes for mobile friendly browsing
Success Looks Like:
A businesses website, is the equivalent of a virtual storefront. It should be wildly easy to navigate and read. It’s fairly common for website visitors such as myself to quickly lose trust and patience with a business that forces a customer to read squished or overlapping text with images, the standard characteristics of a non-mobile friendly website. People will browse a website from a variety of tablets, phones and desktops so make sure that your website displays well on any screen size with clear buttons that lead to key information and menu navigation.
Finally, MAKE YOUR INSTAGRAM SING
This is more important for destinations, hotels and activity providers. I'll scroll tourism hashtags and business accounts to get a feel for a place. This is the modern travel brochure mixed with word of mouth marketing.
Success Looks Like:
If I could recommend a social channel that every tourism business take advantage of, it would be Instagram. Gather photos from guests/customers, a professional shoot, staff members and media/influencers and curate a regularly updated Instagram account. Half of the work is done by showcasing the experience to guests that are looking directly for your lodging, experience or food. The other half comes from using hashtags that when searched for put your content in front of people with zero brand awareness. Gold.
Helpful Articles:
- SEEN, shares some fantastic tips for Instagram Marketing like a boss.
- A more in-depth article about Mobile Website Optimization from eREACH.
- Shopify has written a helpful introductory article for Google Place and Google My Business.
- Check out TripAdvisor Insights for more information.
"A Couple of Things" Interview with Mikki Williden
Spurred by my current adventure in New Zealand, I've tracked down Mikki Williden, a well-respected nutritionist in the endurance sport community to ask her a couple things about how she markets herself online.
Before marketing, Let's talk nutrition.
Mikki has an analytical mind. I can tell she loves a good puzzle. When she hit her teenage years she confessed that she found herself slightly overweight. She accepted the challenge and pored over diet books and exercise guides. Retrospectively, her discovery years of nutrition were based on fad-diets, formal training came later in her days at the University of Aukland. I gathered that her passion came from the joy of replicating recipes, and the process of learning to get active and healthy. The seed for a nutrition career was planted.
The defining dish that sparked Mikki's love for her work?
Meringue Nests with Strawberries. The dessert was part of a trendy diet that she's long since abandoned in favour of the findings from her nutritional science degree but the creative fusion around taste and health is a strong undercurrent in our conversation.
Interesting Fact, please.
Mikki is a twin.
Is Mikki a nutritionist turned marketer or a marketer turned nutritionist?
Mikki laughed, she hadn't viewed herself as a digital marketer, rather a community builder. She thrives on sharing helpful information and breaking down scientific jargon barriers into digestible advice for her fans/followers online. From a marketing perspective, Facebook is her primary marketing tool.
Pictured Above: A recent post from Mikki's Facebook page.
What social media Influencers, bloggers or podcasters are shaping Mikki's industry online?
- Diane Sanfilippo - Balanced Bites
- Rhonda Patrick - Found My Fitness
- Rich Roll - Finding Ultra
Pictured Above: A recent Instagram post from Nutrition and Endurance Sport Influencer, Rich Roll
What does Mikki's content schedule look like?
She doesn't confine herself to a rigid content schedule, probably because she isn't shy about writing or publishing. Monthly, she contributes recipes and long form content to her blog. She likes to make her content easy to digest (see what I did there?) by using Facebook like a micro-blog platform. She shares her thoughts and well-researched reactions with fluidity rather than structure, almost daily.
Pictured Above: A recent Instagram post from Mikki featuring a tasty recipe
How Does She Come Up With All This Great Content?
Mikki notes recent nutrition questions from clients, combs a few nutrition authority websites and when in doubt Googles "Nutrition Memes". Can't blame her, there are new hilarious images posted all the time.
Mikki has an E-Book, Blog, Podcast, and accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. How much do these channels account for her overall lead generation?
Mikki estimates about 60% of her business comes through digital platforms. Not bad for a one-woman marketing team.
One last thing, Where is she looking to experiment in marketing next?
Mikki co-hosts the Fitter Radio Podcast (It's awesome, check it out). She had noticed other podcasters like IM Talk growing with dedication and persistence and employed the same work ethic with strong results. Although she's hesitant about "Live" or Real Time mediums she's optimistic about trying new marketing channels as they evolve.
A couple of these things piqued your interest? Learn more about Mikki on her website: http://mikkiwilliden.com/
