Pure Michigan ranks #1 or #2 on more social networks than any other state DMO in the nation. Pure Michigan is also the #1 most popular travel brand in the world on Instagram as measured by the number of photos people have uploaded hashtagged #PureMichigan. In this presentation I gave to the Social Media Tourism Symposium in Australia, I share social media tips, tricks and best practices that can be applied to any business in any industry.

1. A Look Inside The Most Digitally Savvy
U.S. State Tourism Organization:
Pure Michigan
Presented to:
Social Media Tourism Symposium #SoMeT14AU
The Barossa, South Australia
Prepared by:
Chad Wiebesick
Director of social media & interactive marketing
Twitter: @Wiebesick
16 July 2014
@Wiebesick

2. Michigan Is Easy To Recognize

3. Michigan: Perception Isn’t Reality
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc2Mf7dw5FY
@Wiebesick

4. People Don’t Trust Brands

5. People Are Bombarded With Advertising

6. Key to Success: Make Fans the Hero
and Share Their Content
We empower our fans to
become brand ambassadors
and tell the story themselves
to their friends and family.
Follow the 80/20 rule: 80% is
relevant content from fans and
20% is from you (self-
promotion).
@Wiebesick

7. Ask Fans To Share Their Travel
Stories With You
Reinforce your brand by using the same hashtag and name
across all channels.

8. Align Your Social Strategy
To Your Business Objectives
Brand Goal: “Pure Michigan is majestic, mythic and magical –
a place with abundant natural beauty and authentic
destinations.”
@Wiebesick

9. Pure Michigan Ranks #1 on Instagram
Pure Michigan is the #1 most
popular travel brand in the world on
Instagram as measured by the
number of photos people have
uploaded hashtagged #
PureMichigan, ranking higher than
Hawaii, Australia, Museum of
Modern Art, Lonely Planet and
Carnival Cruise Lines.

10. Find Influencers
@TonyDetroit = 300,000 followers and following 311 people
@Wiebesick #SoMeT12

11. Engage Influencers
• Select an influencer to serve as an Instagram Guest
Photographer at popular events
• Sprint Cup NASCAR race August 21, 2012
• 75 million NASCAR fans nationally
@Wiebesick #SoMeT12

12. Instagram Guest Photographer
• Within 20 minutes of posting on Instagram, @TonyDetroit’s
photos appear on the Popular Photo Page@Wiebesick #SoMeT12

13. Instagram Guest Photographer
• Please do:
– Minimum posts per day: 3
– Maximum posts per day: 10
– Location to be noted in tag or caption.
– Name of photographer to be noted in caption (e.g.
Contributed by guest photographer @username).
• Please do not:
– Post photos of explicit content or any activity that
could be deemed illegal
– Any item(s) that do not represent the Pure Michigan
brand
– Comment to fans or answer questions on behalf of
Pure Michigan
@Wiebesick #SoMeT12

14. Takeaway: Find and Reward Your
Social Media Superfans

15. Michigan Ranks #1 or #2 on More
Social Networks Than Any Other
U.S. State

16. New York State Has The Largest
Number of Facebook Fans
• Yet, only 0.9% of their fans are talking about the page.
• The most popular age group are 13-17 year old teenagers.
• Most of their fans live in New York City.
@Wiebesick

17. State of Florida Has Far Fewer
Fans, But More Engaged
• Average age of fans are 35-54, a demographic more likely
to have budget to travel.
• Most fans live in out-of-state, a more lucrative traveler.
@Wiebesick

18. Takeaway: It’s Quality Not
Quantity of Fans That’s Important

19. Dec 6, 11:49 am
@Wiebesick

20. TravelWisconsin.com
@Wiebesick

21. Dec 6, 2:45 pm
@Wiebesick

22. Dec 6, 7:17 pm
@Wiebesick

23. What, If Anything, Do We Do?
• 1 tweet
• 11 retweets
• 1 story in Kalamazoo Gazette
@Wiebesick

24. Dec 7, 11:45 am
WhoIsTheRealMittenState.com
@Wiebesick

25. @Wiebesick

26. @Wiebesick

27. Dec 7, 4:43 pm
Statewide News
@Wiebesick

28. Dec 7, 7:23 pm
Wisconsin Releases Another Mitten
Travel Wisconsin put up a new version of the mitten in the green and
gold of the Green Bay Packers, boasting the football team's unbeaten
record and ribbing their rivals, the 7-5 Detroit Lions.
@Wiebesick

29. “Is Michigan or Wisconsin the Mitten State?”
Google AdWords
@Wiebesick

30. Dec 7, 10:20 pm
National News
@Wiebesick

32. Dec 13

33. The Mitten Drive Prompted
More Conversations

34. Dec 14, 2:20 International News
@Wiebesick
Results:
•Over 300 news stories from state, national and
international radio, newspaper and TV
•396 million media impressions
•$17.7 million in earned media value

35. Takeaway: Utilize real time content
marketing to be timely, relevant
and to resonate with audiences
• Within 15 minutes of
Super Bowl 2013
grinding to a halt
because the lights went
out, Oreo sent this tweet.
• Generated 15,000
retweets and 8,000 new
Twitter followers.

36. Thank You
• Chad Wiebesick
• wiebesickc@michigan.org
• Twitter: @wiebesick
• Facebook.com/cwiebesick
• Linkedin.com/in/wiebesick
• (517) 335-1083
@Wiebesick