If you want online coverage of your destination, attraction or hotel, here's how to tell who might be the best fit for you. Presented at eTourism Summit 2013 in San Francisco, CA. Bonus slides at the end with suggestions for where to find (mostly travel) bloggers online and off. My Tourism Currents team and I do online and in-person training in social media for tourism and hospitality - http://www.tourismcurrents.com

1. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
How to Identify the Bloggers
Who Matter the Most
Sheila Scarborough
Tourism Currents

2. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
The bloggers who
"matter most" are
the ones who fit
YOUR market

3. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

4. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
No Magic
Beans
#DoTheWork

5. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Review your
marketing plan
How does online
coverage support
your plan?

6. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

7. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
What are your goals?
What will you
measure to see if
you're meeting your
goals?

8. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Your perfect blogger
connects with your perfect visitor

9. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Niche is
your
friend

10. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Equestrian destination?
Nancy D. Brown / Writing Horseback

11. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
North Texas Small Town?
Tui Snider / Mental Mosaic

12. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Los Angeles area?
LACOT (Los Angeles Consortium
of Online Travel)

13. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Middle of the U.S.?
Adam Sommer / Visit Flyover Country

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@TourismCurrents
Ukulele Scene?
Pam Mandel / Nerd's Eye View

15. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

16. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
But wait....
The "blogger who
matters most" may
not have a blog

17. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Want
visual
impact?

18. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

19. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
and....
Flickr
Video

20. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Want immediate or
short-term impact?
Twitter
Facebook

21. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents

22. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Want medium & long-
term plus SEO impact?
Blog posts
Podcasts
Google+
Photos & video

23. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
134,750 downloads of 30 min podcast
in Sept 2013

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@TourismCurrents
What does all
this mean for
your SEO?

25. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Social Media Matters for SEO
● Links count & bloggers know how to link
● Social signals affect search ranking
● Photos & video do well in search results
● Google-obsessed? There is another
Skywalker....
● Ex: Instagram & Twitter hashtags
● Social networking as word of mouth

26. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Photo Credits
My own photos throughout, except....
● Butterfly & bugs collection
- Christian Guthier on
Flickr CC
● Magic beans - rich13 on
Flickr CC
● Gumby storm trooper - JD
Hancock on Flickr CC
● Nancy D. Brown courtesy
Writing Horseback
Facebook Page
● Tui Snider courtesy her
Facebook profile
● Jennifer Miner & Melanie
Waldman courtesy
LACOT
● Cape Girardeau photo
courtesy Visit Flyover
Country on Facebook

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@TourismCurrents
These slides & more
on my SlideShare channel
www.slideshare.net/Sheila
S

28. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Thanks very much
Sheila Scarborough
@SheilaS
Tourism Currents
@TourismCurrents
www.tourismcurrents.com

29. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Bonus round:
Finding bloggers

30. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Go Where They Are Online
● #TBEX
● #TTOT
● Other Twitter chats relevant to your market
● Passports with Purpose bloggers
● Facebook Groups
● LinkedIn (esp for B2B)
● Instagram hashtags

31. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Go Where They Are Offline
● TBEX conferences
● ITB Berlin, IPW, World Travel Market
● New Media Expo (formerly BlogWorld)
● Travel Media Showcase
● Travel Massives
● Social Media Clubs, Social Media Breakfasts
● Niche conferences: Beer, Pets, Food, Crafts

32. @SheilaS
@TourismCurrents
Pay to Play
● PTBA (Prof. Travel Bloggers Association)
● Paid database info includes blogger stats
● Navigate Media
● iAmbassador
● Observe these brand bloggers:
● G Adventures "Wanderers in Residence"
● Expedia Viewfinder bloggers
● Housetrip Diplomats