How to Collaborate with Travel Bloggers

to Create a Compelling Marketing Campaign

By

World Travel Market London | 5th November 2015

Keith Jenkins | CEO, iambassador | Publisher, Velvet Escape Melvin Boecher | COO, iambassador | Founder, Traveldudes

Nicholas Montemaggi | Director Marketing, iambassador Mariette du Toit-Helmbold | CEO, Destinate

Create a Compelling Marketing Campaign That Maximises Your Budget

By

World Travel Market London | 5th November 2015

Melvin Boecher | COO, iambassador | Founder, Traveldudes Nicholas Montemaggi | Director Marketing, iambassador

Mariette du Toit-Helmbold | CEO, Destinate

Print Media As We Know It

Is Dead

Where is Your Audience? Digital: 47.2%

Of which:

23.3% mobile

18% desktop

TV: 36.5%

Radio: 10.9% Source: eMarketer

A Simple Comparison 813,262 Condé Nast total circulation 132,885 one full page advert in Euro 187,000 Guardian total circulation 24,358 one full page advert in Euro 10,647,387 total exposure of 50 top bloggers Source: Condé Nast, Guardian

Ad Blocking Software •  0.12% standard banner ad

click through rates •  ad block rates 10 - 40% •  16% of Firefox Mobile

users use ad blockers •  ad blocking grew by 41%

last year •  86% banner blindness in

humans

Content is the New Advertising Content… •  informs, educates,

entertains •  is relevant •  meaningful, value for

readers & the brand •  based on behavior

(engagement & reach), not on cookies

•  $ 7 influencer marketing return for each dollar spent (top 13% up to 20$)

•  90% savings by using an influencer network (time & resource costs)

•  influencers are trusted & authentic

Source: Tomoson, TapInfluence

Influencer Impact (1)

See: http://www.iambassador.net/2015/06/the-impact-of-travel-bloggers-on-local-businesses/

Influencer Impact (2) #RoadTripGoT (Tourism Ireland) 2 persons: 6 days Actual views: 340,000 (not OTS) Engagement: 47,000 Online AVE: 180,000 € Costs: > 12,000 €

Influencer Impact (3) #UnexpectedGB (Visit Britain) 3 persons: 5 days Twitter chats: 73m OTS Blog posts: 15 Instagrams: 115 (55.5k Likes) Content for Countryside microsite Total OTS: 205m Online AVE: USD 4.1m Costs: ±USD 40,000

Influencer Impact…

Good stats is nice…engagement is key.

#Stellenblog Blogger Campaign

1 - 8 May 2015

HOOK IN A WIDER AUDIENCE AND TAKE THEM ALONG...

MAKE THE CONTENT WORK FOR THE DESTINATION

MEASURABLE RETURN ON INVESTMENT

MEASURABLE RETURN ON INVESTMENT

(GBP  933,000)  

FROM BLOGGER TO STORYTELLER & INFLUENCER…

What surprised me the most is how much there is to see and do in Stellenbosch. It is definitely an active culinary destination that is completely different from places like Cape Town.

From the artwork, shopping, and restaurants downtown to spending some time on wine estates with 360 degree views of stunning beauty…You need a week here at least!

Rachelle Lucas (The Travel Bite)

Case Study – BlogVille Italy 4 Editions of #BlogVille

Over 180 bloggers from key markets

Over 15 months project

Over 1.200 published blog posts

Over 15.000 shared pics & videos

Over 1,5 M posts views

Over 15 M reach on Social Media

Project Management and Strategy development between

bloggers & DMO

Long term results #BlogVille after 3,5 years! Article published on 23 December 2011

after 1,5 years! Article published on 19 June 2013

Requests via email

to the partners

Long term results #BlogVille

Requests with

printed articles!

Prolonged production and share

of the content

-> Visited in 2013

-> Articles being still published in

2015

-> feedback from the local Tourist Bureaus

Think Tank Report 2015 By

World Travel Market London | 5th November 2015

Nicholas Montemaggi

Director, iambassador

Mariette du Toit-Helmbold

CEO, Destinate

1. Structures & People Five key points: •  Strategy & plan = buy in & driven

from the top

•  Reorganisation = expertise

•  Collaboration = less budget waste

•  move from AVE to KPI

•  Find the champions

2. Money & Budgets "My hope would be, maybe in 10 years, for companies to have a mutual

department with PR, social media and marketing - and a mutual

budget.” [A. Schwaff @reisefreunde]

Crucial steps: •  Align strategy & budget

•  Education

•  Long-Term Approach

•  Trust

•  Value

•  Insight

3. Knowledge & Understanding How can we most efficiently develop, formalise, promote, and teach best working practices? Do we need to?

•  Education Gap

•  Case Studies

•  Speakers/Meetings

•  Social Media Events

•  Bloggers Skills

Credits: customerthink.com

Story-telling video: Réunion Island

See: https://vimeo.com/108775263

THANK YOU! Questions?

Find us at: http://www.iambassador.net/ http://www.traveldudes.org/ http://www.destinate.co.za/

Follow us on Twitter:

@i_ambassador @traveldudes @destinate_co

Professional Travel Bloggers How to Become One

and How to Work With Them By

World Travel Market London | 5th November 2015

Keith Jenkins | CEO, iambassador | Publisher, Velvet Escape Melvin Boecher | COO, iambassador | Founder, Traveldudes

Nicholas Montemaggi | Director Marketing, iambassador Mariette du Toit-Helmbold | CEO, Destinate

What is a professional travel blogger?

Being a Professional Is

A Frame of Mind

Jargon Blog, photos, videos = Products & Services

Contacts = (Potential) Clients & Colleagues

Events = Places to Network, Market & Sell

Lay the Foundations •  Strategy planning & Execution •  Understanding & Knowledge

•  Business Plan

•  Services & Products

•  Communications •  Areas of Growth & Opportunities

Behave Like a Professional

What this means •  Agreement •  Conduct

•  Delivery

•  Follow-up

It takes two to…

Research •  Read the blog!

•  Social

•  Voice/Niche

•  Media Kit

Discuss •  Objectives

•  Deliverables

•  Compensation

•  Agree

Feedback •  Evaluate

•  Follow up

THANK YOU! Questions?

Find us at: http://www.iambassador.net/ http://www.traveldudes.org/ http://www.destinate.co.za/

Follow us on Twitter:

@i_ambassador @traveldudes @destinate_co