2. Katie Hammel
Content Marketing Manager, Viator
Manages Viator’s blog network, special content
projects, and blogger ambassador program. Works
with bloggers to produce content about Viator tours
for use on the blogs and on Viator.com.

3. Alexandra Baackes
Digital Influencer, Alex in Wanderland
Blogging and traveling since 2009. Works with top travel brands
and DMOs to create beautifully branded content. Reaches a loyal
audience of 150,000 unique visitors and 300,000 page views per
month, with over 40% of readers making bookings or purchases
based on endorsements.

4. Who this session will benefit:
Travel brands and tourism boards who want to build successful
campaigns with travel bloggers.
What we’ll tell you:
How to select bloggers, how to build and execute a campaign, and
how to measure results, with perspectives from both the brand and
blogger point of view.

5. What are your goals from brand collaborations?
• Content you own?
• Brand awareness?
• Site traffic?
• SEO?
• Increase in social followers?
• Reaching a niche audience?
• Sales/revenue?
• Lead generation?
• Choose bloggers that best help you achieve your goals.
Things to Consider

6. Types of Campaigns… –
Social
Campaign
Branded
Content
Press
Trip
Brand
Ambassadorship
Social
Takeover
Content
Production
On The Blogger’s Platform On The Brand’s Platform

7. Viator Brand Ambassadors: 7 bloggers
• Chosen based on location, strengths (photography, social media), audience
diversity, travel niche (solo, female, adventure, family)
• Create blog post on blogger site and for Viator.com, with photos
• Provide customer review and photos
• Social media promotion
Case Study: Brand Ambassadorship

8. Case Study 1: brand Ambassadorship
• The Campaign: A year-long ambassador program.
• Why I Said Yes: I’d been working with Viator for years, making it a natural
progression of our relationship.
• Results: My announcement post received overwhelmingly positive comments, my
readers consistently give great feedback, and the program was renewed for a
second year.

9. Case Study 2: Instagram CAmpaign
• The Campaign: #PursueYourPassions, a campaign designed to get digital influencers out on
the road promoting the brand’s new Plus Your Points promotion.
• Why I Said Yes: I love road trips and I love Instagram!
• Results: Seven Instagram posts, three Facebook posts, and a blog post.

10. Case Study 3: paid press trip
• The Campaign: An individualized press trip to promote the $90 million dollar renovations to the
Hamilton Princess.
• Why I Said Yes: The personalized aspect of the trip allowed me to incorporate diving and other
interests and create unique content. The hotel fit my design aesthetic and travel style.
• Results: My Instagram takeover for the hotel resulted in the highest number of likes the
account had ever received. I wrote four blog posts and dozens of pieces of social content.

11. Case Study 4: Branded post
• The Campaign: A single branded post promoting Kayak’s new search features.
• Why I Said Yes: I’m a longtime user of Kayak and was given the freedom to create a post I
knew my readers would love.
• Results: A popular piece of content already excelling on social shares and organic search.
Happy clients and happy readers… and a happy blogger.

12. Case Study 5: Unpaid Promotions
• The Reality: Most bloggers work with brands who have a small or nonexistent budget
occasionally
• Why I Might Say Yes: A perfect fit, a personal experience, and a flexible and welcoming offer
• What to Expect: No guarantees, less control over the resulting content, a media relationship
versus a client one

13. • Does the blogger already work with any of your competitors? Is there any conflict
with brands the blogger has previously aligned with?
• Does the blogger’s audience fit your product?
• Do you enjoy the blogger’s content?
• How do you feel about the blogger? Trust your 6th sense!
• Ask for details on stats and reach.
Choose Your Partners Wisely

14. • Does he/she represent the customers you want?
• It’s not about the biggest numbers (but numbers matter). What audience
numbers does the blogger have?
• How much influence does he/she have?
• Is he/she an expert in a smaller niche (big fish, small pond)?
• Does he/she have syndication opportunities on bigger sites?
• Can he/she offer other content services (writing, photo, video) or consulting?
What Does the Blogger Have to Offer

15. How to get a bloggers’ attention…
• Be familiar with their content
• Know what they love & target your pitch
• Give plenty of lead time
• Pay, or keep pressure low
• Be transparent
• Be open to ideas and inspiration
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER?

16. 1. Search
2. Social
• Follow on Instagram,
Twitter, Facebook,
Pinterest, YouTube, etc
• Enlist the help of your
social team and PR team.
• Who is posting about
you on social?
• Use google alerts to
see who is talking
about you
Where to Find Bloggers
3. Travel groups and resources online
• Travel Bloggers Facebook Group
• Media Kitty
• TravMedia.com
4. Conferences and Tradeshows
• TBEX
• IBT
• Adventure Travel Summit
• SATW
• Women in Travel Summit

17. • Consumption metrics - Views per post
• Engagement - Real likes and comments (not just comments from friends and other
bloggers)
• Social media engagement - Likes, comments, RTs, shares
• Readers and demographic
• Successful referrals from past campaigns
• Audience growth
Blogger Metrics: What Numbers Matter

18. DO
• Your research - see what others in your industry are paying, learn as
much as you can about the blogger you are targeting
• Be realistic in what you are asking for and what you expect
• Expect to negotiate and... be prepared to not get what you want
• Get everything in writing, even if it’s an informal contract
• Be transparent
• Be creative
DON’T
• Take it personally
• Be afraid to walk away
Negotiating Fees and Deliverables

19. List exactly what you will provide:
• tour/trip dates or product delivery
• any payment
• special offers to blogger’s readers ie. discount code
• include requested AID/pub code, linking instructions, and social handles
List exactly what blogger will provide:
• number of blog posts, number of social media posts, number of videos
• any content to be delivered to you for use on your site
• deadlines for delivery and post-campaign wrap-up requirements
• preapproval on content, if applicable
Contracts and Expectations

20. • Don’t panic over constructive criticism
• Apologize sincerely
• Explain why it happened and what steps you are taking to correct it
• Escalate to someone with the authority to do so
• Resolve the issue
• Make good with the blogger, if possible
What to Do When Things Go Wrong

21. As part of contract, ask blogger to send a post-campaign report with:
• links to published work and stats of readers, comments, likes, shares
• links to social media posts and number of likes, shares, comments, RTs
• any “wow” metrics
Look at your own metrics
• How many people came to your site through the blogger’s (AID/pub code)
• How much revenue was generated?
• How many social followers did you gain?
• How many people used a discount code?
• How many people listed the blogger as a referrer?
Measuring Success

22. “Your post inspired me to set up flight alerts from NYC! Love
that it’s a short flight away and that the island’s so small. Had no idea; hope
to visit soon!” – Melissa
“I had no idea Bermuda was so easy to get to – or that Marcus Samuelsson had
opened a restaurant! It’s always been in an “eventually we’ll get there” spot on my
bucket list, but it just moved way up!” – Kristin
“Bermuda is definitely on my bucket list now! It’s so beautiful and I love that the
hotel has a very fresh feel and not that tacky tropical décor.” – Danielle
Examples of a wow
metric

23. Website
alexinwanderland.com
Instagram @alexinwanderland
Twitter
@wanderlandalex
Facebook
/wanderlandalex
Website viator.com
Instagram @katiehammel55
Twitter @katiehammel
Email katieh@viator.com
Where To Find US