Why Content Should Be at the Core of Your DMO’s Strategy
Content is the key to turning potential visitors into actual visitors.
By Eric Corpus
Destination marketing organizations have the unique challenge of not only getting users to buy something but convincing them to leave home to visit a new place that’s possibly far away. Where do you start when taking on the worthwhile challenge of destination marketing? We think the answer is easy: content. Here’s why content should be a core component of your DMO’s efforts.
It Gives Your Destination a Storytelling Destination
Having a content hub — one place where all of your itineraries, articles and blog posts live — gives users one location to turn to for in-depth information on your destination. And it gives you one place to direct your content efforts. This content can then fuel your various social media channels and email marketing with storytelling.
It Encourages Users to Engage, No Matter Where They Are in the Funnel
Content gives users the power to connect with your DMO on their terms. A user can dip their toe in the water reading a weekend itinerary or a rundown of a marquee event. They might be compelled to subscribe to your email newsletter, download the destination guide or even book a hotel stay. With content, you have the flexibility to employ a variety of CTAs to convert users no matter where they are in the planning stages.
It Brings Your Destination to Life
Content can combine rich storytelling with vibrant images and video to give potential visitors a clear picture of your destination’s sense of place. Think: Photo galleries, themed itineraries, profiles of local characters. Plan out your content with an editorial lens just as a travel site would and curate and package content about your destination’s defining features.
It Can Lead Travelers Deeper Into Your Site
Categories and tags help users discover the content they’re interested in as they browse your site. By employing a strategic tagging system, you can dynamically distribute the newest related articles throughout your website to keep it feeling fresh and updated. So, if a user is on a static page about rock climbing, for example, they would be served up links to related articles on your content hub on the topic.
It Gives You Feedback
Your website analytics platform of choice will show how much users interacted with your content. Which family-focused posts were the most popular? Which links did users click the most? This performance data reveals what your target audience is interested in and will help guide your content plan so you can produce more of what your audience wants.
It Helps Travelers Find You
There’s nothing quite like a high ranking on Google to help get in front of users. When writing your post, think about the keywords your audience would use in their search and incorporate them in the copy to give your page the best shot at a high ranking.
Analytics will show you the keywords users typed in before getting to your site. You can use this data to help craft future articles since you’ll know what your users are looking for. As you give them what they like, they’ll keep coming back.
We Know Travel Content
We can help you build a strategic content marketing program that will encourage travelers to visit your destination.
Eric has worked in a variety of areas within the wide world of marketing, including web development, video production, photography, digital marketing and, of course, content. At Casual Astronaut, he helps lead content programs for clients such as Farm Bureau Financial Services, The University of Kansas Cancer Center and Cabarrus County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
A relentless creative, Eric enjoys writing, making videos and playing music in his free time, as well as teaching his three boys to do all the aforementioned. He lives in Florida where he loves to connect with people and host dinners (during which he’ll likely mention his 13 years living in New York City at least once).