Content marketing allows you to go beyond traditional advertising and banner ads and truly connect with your audience through great stories. And when done effectively, it can have real business results, increasing brand awareness, engagement, and leads.
In this SlideShare, you'll learn content marketing best practices, steps to build a content strategy, how to utilize content across the traveler's buyer journey, and case studies of best-in-class luxury travel brands.
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Best Practices in Content Marketing for the Travel Industry
1. Best Practices in Content Marketing
for the Travel Industry
How to Create Content Travelers Love
Caitlin  Domke
@NewsCred  â  Brand  Strategist
@caitlindomke
2. Itâs clear that
traditional advertising
methodologies are no
longer working.
70% of consumers prefer
getting to know a company
through content vs. ads
72% of marketers think
branded content is more
eďŹective than advertising
Source: Content Marketing Institute
Â
#ULTRA15
Source: Custom Content Council
Â
@CaitlinDomke
3. of millennials said that a
compelling advertisement
would make them
trust a brand more.
1%
*Forbes/Elite Daily study, Jan. 2015.
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
5. âRather than talk at consumers, weâre shifting to
speaking with them using attention-grabbing
content that adds value to consumersâ lives by
providing them with information and
entertainment at the right time
and in the right context.â
â David Beebe, head of Marriott International Content Studio
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
6. Why build your house on rented land?
Publish on your own Content Hub.
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
7. NewsCred is dedicated to helping
brands connect with their audiences
through great content.
Software ServicesContent
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
8.
9. Today
â˘âŻ What is content marketing
â˘âŻ How to build a successful content marketing strategy
â˘âŻ Utilizing content across the travelerâs buyer journey
â˘âŻ Content distribution + ampliďŹcation
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
10. What is Content Marketing?
How to Build a Successful
Content Strategy
Content Distribution +
AmpliďŹcation
Utilizing Content Across
the Traveler Journey
11. âContent marketing is the marketing and business process for creating and distributing
relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and
understood target audience â with the objective of driving profitable customer action.â
-Content Marketing Institute
â˘âŻ Not advertising or PR
â˘âŻ It is continuous
â˘âŻ Customer, not brand-focused
â˘âŻ Seeks to answer customer questions across the buyer journey
â˘âŻ Owned media = An Asset for your business with ROI
Content Marketing DeďŹned
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
12. The Promise of Content Marketing:
To earn your audience . . .
. . . versus buying it!
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
13. Unique Point of View Trap
Too easy to become
consumed with your story,
not your customers.
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
14. âContent marketing is like
a ďŹrst date. If all you do is talk
about yourself, there wonât be a
second date.â
â David Beebe
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
15. Ann Handley: âTake your brand out of the story. . .
. . .Make your customers the hero.â
Our Natural Instinct
Content
Marketing
Brand
Purpose
What
Customers
Want
Charity
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
16. Content Marketing
Success
How to Build a Successful
Content Strategy
Content Distribution +
AmpliďŹcation
Utilizing Content Across
the Traveler Journey
17. Steps to achieve content marketing success:
1.⯠Start with a strategy.
2.⯠Create great content aligned with the buyerâs
journey.
3.⯠Share strategically.
4.⯠Track ROI
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
19. Why is it important to have a documented content
marketing strategy?
Source: CMI
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
20. â˘âŻ Thinking and acting like a publisher
â˘âŻ Delivering content your audience wants
â˘âŻ Managing content as an asset (with an ROI)
What is a Content Marketing Strategy?
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
21. Content Marketing Roadmap
Discovery Destination Team Topic Models
Customer
Journey
KPIs /
Reporting
Optimization
â˘âŻ Audience insights
â˘âŻ Business Case
â˘âŻ Current State
â˘âŻ Budget
â˘âŻ Branding/Design
â˘âŻ Platform
â˘âŻ Firm Integration
â˘âŻ Who does what?
â˘âŻ Agency
â˘âŻ NewsCred
â˘âŻ Distribution
â˘âŻ Structure
â˘âŻ Topics
â˘âŻ Types
â˘âŻ Content by Stage
â˘âŻ Conversions
â˘âŻ Subscriptions
â˘âŻ DeďŹne report
â˘âŻ Who / when?
â˘âŻ Content
â˘âŻ Platform
â˘âŻ Distribution
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
23. Follow this template:
Become a destination for [target audience] interested in [topics].
To help them [customer value].
This will help us [content marketing goals]
â˘âŻ Earn your audienceâs attention vs. just buying it
â˘âŻ Reach, engage and convert NEW buyers
NewsCred Example:
Become a destination for marketers interested in content marketing. To help them be
better at their jobs and achieve marketing success. This will help us reach, engage, and
convert new buyers and engage with existing customers.
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
24. Key responsibilities
Content
Marketer /
Editor
Strategizes, writes,
and oversees
content projects to
ensure brand
consistency and
alignment with
business
objectives.
Community
Manager
Distributes content
across social
channels, engages
online communities,
and contributes to
content projects.
Designer
Brings content to life
through the user
experience and rich
visuals.
Contributors
Any content creator-
blogger,
photographer,
designer â who
contributes to your
project.
SEO / Paid
Specialist
Manages the paid
distribution of
content online.
Analytics
DeďŹnes best/ worst
performers,
conversion
optimization and
measurement
communications.
Curation
Fines and re-
purposes the best
content from your
business and from
around the web.
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
25. Key factors to content marketing success:
1.⯠Documented content strategy and mission statement
2.⯠Have someone accountable for content
3.⯠Consistently publish quality content
4.⯠Map content to consumer journey
5.⯠Balance Paid, Owned, and Earned Media
6.⯠Track Content Marketing ROI
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
26. Give yourself a grade!
Best Practice R Y G
Have a documented content strategy?
Have someone managing content
Content maps to the buyer journey
Publishing quality, volume and variety
Social activation of content
Measurement template / ROI deďŹned
Overall:
?
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
27. Content Marketing
Success
Building a Successful
Content Strategy
Content Distribution +
AmpliďŹcation
Utilizing Content Across
the Traveler Journey
28. Utilize the Right Mix of Content
Custom Content
Share on-brand stories which are created speciďŹcally
for your brand.
Community Content
Leverage content from customers, employees,
inďŹuencers that grows and engages your community.
Licensed Content
Boost credibility, publishing cadence, and direct traďŹc
with a high-volume of fully-licensed, compliant content.
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
29. Utilize the Right Mix of Content
Custom Content
Share on-brand stories which are created speciďŹcally
for your brand.
Community Content
Leverage content from customers, employees,
inďŹuencers that grows and engages your community.
Licensed Content
Boost credibility, publishing cadence, and direct traďŹc
with a high-volume of fully-licensed, compliant content.
+28%
brand
engagement
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
30. According to Google,
travelers visit 22
diďŹerent sites over an
average of 9.5 sessions
before booking.
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
31. Content across the travelerâs buyer journey
â˘âŻ Broader, shareable content that inspires travel
â˘âŻ Aim to start long relationships, donât over-emphasize your brand or push
for conversions yet (but make sure to have CTA)
â˘âŻ Channels: social/video/photo sites; search engines; email
â˘âŻ Help your customers plan with destination-speciďŹc content
â˘âŻ Donât pressure towards bookings (but make sure to have CTA)
â˘âŻ What makes your brand/company unique? Tell those stories.
â˘âŻ Consider UGC (user reviews, testimonials and brand advocates) to
speak for you.
â˘âŻ Keep the conversation going with a consistent cadence of TOFU/MOFU
content
â˘âŻ Email and social are great channels for this
Inspiration
Retain
Research &
Discovery
Booking &
Preference
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
32. Reach, Engage and Convert
the Right People.
Early-Ââstage
 Searches
Â
Middle-Ââstage
Â
Brand
 Searches
Â
Search
 /
 Social
 Volume
Â
âWhat  are  the  worldâs  best Â
beaches?â
(10-Ââ3000 Â X)
âWhat  should  I  do  in  Bali?â
(2-Ââ10 Â X)
âFour  Seasons  in  Baliâ
Â
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
39. Content directly inďŹuences
purchase decisions.
85% of consumers regularly seek out trusted content
when considering a purchase.
Source: Nielsen
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
40. Information sources used by U.S. travelers while
planning/booking their most recent trip
40%
38%
38%
25%
19%
18%
16%
13%
Hotel sites
Online travel agencies
Airline sites
Search engines
Travel publications/sites
Family/Friend
Rental car sites
Search engine travel sites
Source:
eMarketer/
Expedia Media
Solutions
conducted by
comScore Nov
2014
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
41. User-Generated Content during Booking Stage
of travel planning study
respondents report
reading travel reviews
prior to booking
95%
Source: New York University and TrustYou; 2015
of millennials post on
social networks and
share experiences with
friends while traveling
97%
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
Source: Chase Card Services Study, 2014
42. To what extent do
you trust the
following forms
of advertising?
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
43. Some tips:
â˘âŻ Make sure to obtain legally!
â˘âŻ Ask for testimonials from notable
or loyal clients
â˘âŻ Show oďŹ UGC photos via rights-
cleared photo companies
â˘âŻ Compile the best UGC, like Warby
Parker
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
45. Four Seasons Magazine
â˘âŻ Mission statement: âproviding
interesting and evocative content about
some of the worldâs most fascinating
travel destinationsâ
â˘âŻ Reads like a high-quality travel
magazine
â˘âŻ Beautiful imagery
â˘âŻ Frequently publish
â˘âŻ Clear site architecture
â˘âŻ Content pillars: Travel, Food, Style,
Weddings
.
#ULTRA15@CaitlinDomke
58. Content Marketing
Success
Content Distribution +
AmpliďŹcation
Utilizing Content Across
the Traveler Journey
Content Distribution +
AmpliďŹcation
Building a Successful
Content Strategy
60. Average Hollywood movie splits 40-50%
production with 50-60% distribution
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61. Maximizing the Reach of Your Content
We believe in a âconverged mediaâ approach utilizing paid, owned, and earned media
to deliver content the audience wants and maximizing the reach of that content.
Paid Social InďŹuencer/
movable media
Leverage your owned
content and channels
Maximize organic buzz,
social engagement,
and PR
Organic TraďŹc & SEO
Quickly grow your
audience & jumpstart
engagement
Converged
Native Ads (Nativo)
Paid Content Distribution
(Outbrain, Sharethrough)
Earned Paid
Owned
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