We are looking forward to participating in the Virginia Association of Destination Marketing Organization’s 2018 Tourism Symposium next week in Charlottesville. As a corporate supporter of the organization we will be sponsoring a breakout speaker and both breakfasts.
The session we are sponsoring is a natural fit for us. It is about getting the most out of Google Analytics. As a firm that provides strategic guidance and creative services, generating results for our clients is our highest priority. The goals can vary widely from one campaign to another, so any tool that helps measure and quantify the results is helpful. Our team is creative and analytical at the same time. An unusual combination, I know.
Marketing tourism is quite different from marketing other products. For example, consumers don’t choose a destination the same way they would select a piece of equipment — based on statistics, horsepower, hard drive space, available warranty or even solely on price. People choose where to travel based on the destination’s uniqueness, its story and how powerfully it is presented.
As awesome as Google Analytics is — and we use it every day — here are some things it can’t measure:
- Enthusiasm – Analytics measures a users time on site, but it can’t see if that person has a big smile on her face or calls out to family and friends “Hey, take a look at this.”
- Awareness – How many times did a consumer see a print ad, online ad, video, billboard, social media post or bus wrap before finally taking action?
- Inspiration – Potential visitors need more than to be informed. They need to be inspired. All marketing material, not just websites, need to feature concepts, words and imagery that make people say, “I want to experience that.”
We believe in the importance of all these things in conjunction with having the knowledge and ability to measure that which is measurable. That’s why we’re sponsoring this informative session.
We’re sponsoring breakfast because who doesn’t love bacon?
