Social media strategies conference in San Francisco – six key takehomes
After two days of listening to the world’s best tourism companies in presenting their current strategies, below are topics that struck me as good issues to consider.
1)Is social media the new email?
Junk email is the new junk snail mail and as more and more people are switching off to the marketing messages that reach them via email, is social media the way to now communicate with your audience?
2)Facebook rules OK! But are we wise to avoid the rest?
Facebook’s market penetration is undeniable. But we need to be careful about putting far too much stock and effort into this single resource. Is it wise to concentrate almost exclusively on FB when every major brand is trying to engage with this 400m community? Wouldn’t it be better to focus on some of the other communities and become the best represented brand on there?
3)Look to the future…please?
While many people are running Facebook campaigns, building FB communities and Tweeting regularly, where will this be in 5-10 years? What will be the next golden child? Are there other sites that tomorrow’s travellers will be using instead? It’s my belief that in a few years time, FB will still be massive, but there will be other equally big players. By investing in each major social network that comes along we are responding to the current trend, but that’s all it is – the current trend. What about the future?
4)Invest in your own social solution.
In my opinion the best brands are engaging on the current social network and social media communities OFFSITE but they also have a strategy to build their own online community and social media archives ONSITE. While your own social site may not grow as fast as your group on Facebook, the benefit of slowly but surely growing a lifelong base of users in your own community and under your own branding is the most logical and sound strategy to adopt for the longer term.
5)Social media is still a baby – what will it grow up to be?
Social media is still a baby and none of us knows exactly what’s going to happen with it. What we do know is that there’s a huge amount of sizzle about this area of marketing, and many projections about its significance and its place in marketing budgets over the next few years have been made.
6)Social Media should be judged by the same ROI as other marketing activities and campaigns – but it isn’t! Yet…
Today’s organisations are quick to get involved with Facebook and Twitter but very few are able to show a demonstrative ROI. This will be the key factor over the next 12 months. Having a high number of Facebook fans isn’t the same as an ROI – unless they buy your products or services as a result. It’s time we began judging social media for the direct results it brings to our businesses.
For further information on world leading social media solutions, please visit www.digitalvisitor.co.uk
Reader Contribution
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Skyscanner reveals major travel trends 2026 at ITB Asia
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements