The eTourism Summit has been a great success these past 10 years. Jake and I started discussing the format that would fill in the gaps between all other seminars and conferences 10 years ago. Seems in some ways like 10 years was just yesterday.

This year I was the lunch speaker, and was interviewed by Jake via Skype. I had a prior committment and could not attend the conference, but wanted to address the audience with questions and insights about the changes that are underway for DMOs and others in the industry. I caused a stir with my comment about Advertising as we know it being dead.

To read the interview go to http://thetouroperator.wordpress.com/ and get the whole story... would love to add your emails to others that I am getting. it is quite a dialog!

till next time, Leah

As we have always preached to our clients and in our numerous speaking engagements around the world, Search Marketing (SEOM) is a critical component of your online marketing. Today it has become the foundation of tourism online marketing. Case in point is that around 80% of consumers use search engines to find a web site. With that said, consider that Google is now testing a new wiki that customizes search for consumers so that they can delete key word ads or rearrange organic listings according to their preference. Google debuted SearchWiki, which enables users to actually move search results either up or down... a great feature for consumers, but marketers who have not been focused on search must pay attention.

Google searchwiki might be used to audit a users modifications or reordering of search results, resulting in a community sharing of this informatin with other users of the same interest. Already Twitter users share news about new apps, new links to view, etc. It makes sense that consumers with like interests would want to share.

As I talk to hundreds of travel and tourism marketing executives I stress the importance of the SEOM tactics and the ongoing Strategy for their Search program. Search is very likely the best way to generate qualified web traffic to your site and your eCommerce during this uncertain economy. Organic and paid; a balance of both. If you are tracking which key words (organic or paid) are actually responsable for booking conversions you know if your budget spend is on target. Or you need to continue to fine tune your approach to gain better and better results with conversions. 

This new accouncement/wiki from Google will be interesting to watch. They get it right.

till next time...

Leah

Next week I have a speaking contract in Northwest Florida, one of the most beautiful beach destinations in this country. My two hour session focuses on the absolute ways that hotels, vacation rental companies and others in the travel industry can really move the needle and harness new business in this economy. Yes, that's right, HARNESS NEW BUSINESS. I am not going to talk about saving your budget for better times, or cutting staff or decreasing your advertising. I am going to explain why, at this very time in the economy, there is MORE opportunity than ever to grow your company and your market share.

It works like this. Companies who have not been managed responsably or whose balance sheet is shaky will have to cut back on marketing and advertising. They will be forced to lay off good people and start to cut back their efforts to grow their organization. That will create a cleaner playing field for all of us who have run our organizations responsably and have a healthy bottom line. We are the stronger companies who have the capabilities to continue to grow and to market and to build the company in this economic time of crisis.

I know our economic crisis will subside. I know that what D.C. is doing to straighten out the problem will work. If you were in business in the early eighties as I was you remember what I am talking about. It was hard, but the economy came back stronger than ever and really boomed afterward. This too shall pass.

So what are your plans to leverage the situation? What is your marketing strategy? Have you made a shift in your online strategy or are you hunkering down and hoping for the best? Hope is not a strategy.

If you are in the area next week, the Walton County Chamber of Commerce is hosting a very good conference that will be enlightening to all. If you can, register to attend. I will be there and would love to have you in my audience.

Go to http://www.waltonareachamber.com/ind_travel_event.php to register.

Until next time...

Leah Woolford

Founder and CEO, USDM.net

Walton County Chamber hosts guest speaker, Leah Woolford, Founder and CEO of USDM.net to talk about 10 Tactics to Move the Needle on Travel eCommerce

As we near the end of summer travel the final word is that some smart online advertisers did much better than others at generating destination and hospitality business this summer. Hoteliers' comments coupled with the incoming calls we have been receiving since June about how we can help companies put more heads in beds, makes me beleive that many people did not take the recession scare seriously and did not prepare a strategy, specifically an online strategy, to help offset the recessionary climate.

For those of you who did, congratulations. For those of you who did not, I really believe that you must address your online strategy and start to look at what you will be doing in the coming months. The majority of people will still travel but how and where and for how long they will stay is rapidly changing.  Importan to note is that 53% of all travel in the U.S. is weekend travel.  It's time to rethink and redirect your online strategy if you have not done so since Q2.

Keep the emails coming in... I love to hear from you.

Leah