Social media is evolving at an alarming rate. Even in the last 6 months we've seen some social media sites rise to the limelight whilst others fade into the distance. Most European travel companies have now implemented some form of social media initiatives. The question is - what next? This presentation by Digital Visitor's Managing Director was given at the Online Marketing and Social Media Strategies For Travel Conference in Prague 2010. Some of the questions asked in the session included: - How is social media likely to evolve and how can you ensure your business is in the best position to capitalise on it? - Issues still remain as to how to drive engagement and real return. Is the ROI there to justify developing your social media strategy further? - To what extent will social media influence the way we buy and sell travel in the future? - Which up and coming social media sites should we watch out for? - How is social media evolving in other parts of the world and what can we learn from this?

1. Preparing Your Business for The Next Level of
Social Media
By Anthony Rawlins
Digital Visitor

2. Introduction
Social media and social networking solutions to the global leisure and travel
industry. 200+ social media solutions globally
Integrated seamlessly with existing applications and websites to deliver increased
traffic, enquires, business, loyalty...
Clients include:

3. Over the last 12 months
A changed landscape. Top 3
1 An explosion in travel specific social media
websites.
2 Reviews and social media are more popular
than ever
3 Fastest growing demographic are over 50s.
42% now have FB or Twitter profile cf. 22% ,
12 months ago

4. Where does this leave us?
The biggest challenge is surely – Which
channels should I Invest in?
Our answer is ALL of them.
Many companies are now investing in their
own communities and social media
environments
P and O, Eurostar, Virgin Holidays, Flight
Centre, Kuoni, Contiki, VJV, My Sweden, STA
years ago and many others...
A shift in social media activity
Your own solution should be at the centre of
all your social media activity.

5. Q .Why build your own community?
A. To maximise the benefit of your
own social media
By Creating a HUB on your own website -staff
and online visitors alike can contribute to your
marketing.
This content can be distributed far and wide to
drive traffic BACK to your website
1 review = 15 organic visitors per annum
1 review per day = 2.5 x facebook fan group per
month

6. Distribute your content far and wide
Key drivers of FB group activity is content – give them what they want.
Facebook Connect
Tube Mogul
Hootsuite

7. Distribute your content far and wide
‘ShareThis’ button
Connects your content to over 287 social media
websites

8. Distribute your content far and wide
By encouraging all social media activity first and foremost in
your own community, then distributing this content far and wide
across all the social media sites of the world, this provides traffic
back to your own site AND also generates additional organic
traffic to your own website.
Why build your own community?

9. London Clubs International
Casinos, owned by Harrahs –
Caesars, best casinos and clubs in
Las Vegas
KPIs are repeat visits and visits to
new venues in the group
Staff
Staff update FB
1 year = 1000 reviews = 15,000
new organic visitors p.a
Content still goes on Facebook
group – but indexed on their own
site

10. London Clubs International
Visitors
Add content themselves
Create groups
Add profile information to
allow tailored
communications to them

11. The next 12 months...
Relevancy
Already begun with Trip Advisor
Our most forward thinking clients
are asking for RELEVANCY
Don’t need to see 1000 reviews
Need to see a few relevant to me

12. The next 12 months...
Relevancy
Using a community members can
be profiled
delivered highly specific content
and adverts
Where do you want to go on
holiday next?
What activities are you interested
in?
See reviews by families with kids
the same age as yours etc.
Relevancy index will surpass
number of reviews
Next years challenge is relevancy...

13. Thank you
Anthony Rawlins anthony@digitalvisitor.co.uk or through LinkedIN