This document discusses how to build an army of social media champions to promote tourism. It recommends starting with locals and using search tools like hashtags and Pinterest to find relevant influencers. The best champions are those who connect with the target visitor market through their niche focus. It's important to develop relationships with champions by engaging with them on their preferred channels and meeting them both online and offline. Building champions is a long-term process that requires supporting one's strategic goals and measuring meaningful metrics.

1. Building Your
Army of Social
Media Champions
Sheila Scarborough
Tourism Currents

2. First
Things
First @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

4. The Basics Still Matter
 Social media should support
YOUR strategic plan, marketing
goals, & customer/visitor service
 Who are you trying to reach?
 What do you want them to do?
 How will you measure progress
toward your goals?
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

6. Why Online
Coverage
Matters
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

7. 65% of leisure travelers
are inspired by online
sources, most notably
through social/video sites
and search
Google’s “Traveler’s Road to Decision 2014”
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

10. Online Advantages
 SEO boost – links & social signals
 Longevity & staying power
 Reach niche markets more easily
 Online publishers are on multiple
channels – more impact
 They bring their audience along
with them
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

12. The media coverage
& social media that
matter the most?
Those that reach
YOUR market(s)
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

13. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Your perfect online champion
connects with your perfect visitor
Gumby storm trooper - JD Hancock on Flickr CC

14. The real power
of online media
is often niche
coverage @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

15. Boomer travel?
Donna Hull / My Itchy Travel Feet

16. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Equestrian destination?
Nancy D. Brown / Writing Horseback

17. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Middle of the U.S.?
Adam Sommer / Visit Flyover Country

18. The "blogger"
who is the best
fit may not even
have a blog
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

19. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

20. 130,000+ downloads of this
30 minute travel podcast

21. Building your
army of online
champions
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

22. Finding
them
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

23. Go Where
They Are!

24. Photo courtesy Valerie Yermal at Flickr CC
Start with locals & build out
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

25. Building a Network
Start with local online-savvy folks
Get help from the social media
“hive mind”
Lots of detailed Googling
Locals on Instagram
Locals on Pinterest @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

34. Instagram
hashtag
searches
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

38. Pinterest
search can
be a gold
mine @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

40. Example: one
online
champion,
many outlets@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

46. Example:
niche video
star in
Hamilton, MO@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

50. More Places to Connect Online
 #TBEX - #TTOT - #TravelSkills
 Other Twitter chats relevant to
your market & goals
 Passports with Purpose bloggers
 LinkedIn (esp for B2B)
 Etsy crafters by location
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

51. Go Where They Are Offline
 TBEX travel blogger conferences
 Travel Media Showcase
 New Media Expo & BlogHer
 Niche conferences - Beer, Food,
Parenting, Crafts, Pets
 Travel Massives
 Local coworking spaces &
MeetUp.org
 Social Media Clubs & Breakfasts @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

53. Pay to Play
 PTBA (Professional Travel Bloggers
Association)
 Paid database info includes blogger stats
 Navigate Media Group
 iAmbassador
 Observe these brand bloggers:
 G Adventures "Wanderers in Residence"
 Expedia Viewfinder bloggers
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

54. You have a short list.
Now what?
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

55. Dog catches car (courtesy ex_magician on Flickr CC

56. Build the Relationship!
Remember the SOCIAL in social media
>>Do not stick them on your email list
Say hello with tweets, blog post
comments, Instagram comments &
re-posts, a Facebook hello if they tag you
Listen on social, & respond
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

57. Meet them
where they are,
including offline
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

61. Takeaways & Summary
 Have a media plan that supports
your strategy & goals
 Measure what matters to you
 It’s OK to start with a small list
 These are human relationships!
 Play the long game. Good things
will happen.
@SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
#MOtourism

62. Thank You!
Sheila Scarborough
Tourism Currents
Find these slides here:
www.slideshare.net/SheilaS