How Smart Destinations Create Content Marketing Campaigns

Earlier this week we launched our report Content Marketing Trends for Innovative Tourism Boards, which looks at how top brands are making engaging, high-quality articles and videos, where they’re placing the content for maximum views, and how they’re measuring the impact of their efforts.

Below is an extract. Get the full report here to understand this trend.

Destination marketing organizations differ in the degree to which they develop content, from working in-house to turning matters over to contractors that range in size from one-off freelancers to large teams specializing in content production for DMOs and other brands.

Some opt for an in-house team of writers and photographers that produce on a consistent schedule in a consistent voice. These in-house writers are more and more often seasoned journalists like Visit Florida’s top editors.

Others rely on a stable of freelance artists, each with a special skill or topic focus, and others rely on locals and visitors that are increasingly sharing photos and stories about their experiences.

Travel Oregon; for instance, produces 70 percent of its content in-house and relies on bloggers and brand ambassadors for the other 30 percent. Travel Michigan has a reverse strategy with 20 percent of content produced in-house and 80 percent coming from fans across social networks.

“People don’t trust brands; they don’t trust companies; they don’t trust governments. Who do they trust? People like themselves,” muses Wiebesick.

Agencies’ Role

Agencies have become an integral part of destinations’ content marketing strategies. Agencies not only provide expertise necessary for first-time content marketers to succeed, but often keep close track of others’ campaigns that help give a destination a competitive edge.

New York agency 360i helped New Orleans craft its popular ‘Follow Your NOLA’ campaign, Draft FCB NY assists the Jamaica Tourist Board resulting in its own ‘Bobsled Song,’ and Minneapolis agency Olson built Belize Tourist Board’s new brand.

Soubriet Byrne & Associates worked with the Swiss Tourism Board to create a series of light-hearted videos called “Swiss Myths” and JWT worked with Enjoy Illinois to create a series of animated ‘Mini Abe’ shorts.

Even if agencies are not actually creating the content themselves, they can craft an overall strategy or voice that is then carried throughout the organization’s content marketing campaign.

“At the outset of our partnership, we were able to bring new perspective to the table, helping New Orleans Tourism see the benefit of focusing on more digital- and content-driven marketing. This set the stage for ‘Follow Your NOLA,’ and an ongoing collaboration that has had a profound impact on motivating travelers to visit New Orleans,” explains 360i CEO Saraf Hofstetter.

“A large part of our successful content marketing strategy with New Orleans Tourism has been the ability to partner closely together to concept themes, source photography, and create relevant, stunning and sharable content that captures the unique essence of the city of New Orleans as a cultural destination.”

Buy the Report