Presented by Tourism Currents at the National Main Street Conference in Seattle in 2019.

1. Social Media Content Planning
Leslie McLellan & Sheila Scarborough
Tourism Currents

2. This is Not a Content Plan

4. #NOW19
@TourismCurrents

5. Get More
Visitors,
Help Them
Have
Amazing
Experiences
#NOW19
@TourismCurrents

6. Have a Plan, So You Don’t
Lose Your Mind

7. A social media content plan
supports your goals
Know what you are going to post,
and when
Know why you are
posting it
#NOW19
@TourismCurrents

8. How to
Plan? #NOW19
@TourismCurrents

9. The process is this:
• Know exactly what you are all about
• Know your visitors & where they are
• Develop content topics tied to what you’re all
about, & your marketing goals
• Create different types of content for different goals
(awareness, engagement, lead generation, sales,
nurturing)
• Ensure content format variety (text, photo, video,
audio)
• ….All put together in a coherent plan!
#NOW19
@TourismCurrents

10. Start at
the top,
every
time.
#NOW19
@TourismCurrents

11. The Handout –
Simple Digital
Marketing
Strategy

12. ** Fill in the blanks on this:
“[Our organization/business]
is the place where
[our audience]
gets
[what information/product/service]
that offers
[what benefit].“
(hat tip Orbit Media & Joe Pulizzi)
#NOW19
@TourismCurrents

13. Stay at the
top, ask 3
questions
about
social
#NOW19
@TourismCurrents

14. Who is your
visitor/guest/customer?
Where are they on social media?
What sort of social content from
you will appeal to them, & fits your
goals?
#NOW19
@TourismCurrents

15. Who Is Your Visitor?

16. Where Is Your Visitor Online?

17. Where Are They on Social?
Do Research!
• Do a survey (ask your email list)
• Poll your Facebook Page & Twitter
followers
• At your live events, have attendees
answer social preferences on a form
(award a prize for the info?) #NOW19
@TourismCurrents

18. TL;DR – Where Should You
and Your Content Be?
• Facebook – The ONE place you must be
• Instagram – Your next move after Facebook
• Twitter – Customer service, connect with the media here,
consider Twitter chats
• Pinterest – Consider if you regularly create great images. It’s
a search engine & traffic driver, so do SEO.
• YouTube – Post videos here for SEO, add description link to
a relevant web page/blog post.
• LinkedIn – Ensure up-to-date personal profiles & Page #NOW19
@TourismCurrents

19. Who is your visitor?
Where are they on social media?
What sort of social content from
you will appeal to them, & fits
your goals?
#NOW19
@TourismCurrents

20. What Sort of Content to Plan?
Awareness, general
engagement
Lead generation
Sales
Nurturing current fans
#NOW19
@TourismCurrents

21. Connect content to goals, & mix
up post types.
If they all push a sale, or ask for
emails or signups, you fail.
#NOW19
@TourismCurrents

22. The Handout
– Content
Planning
Matrix

24. What Types of Content to Plan?
• Text
• Photo
• Video
• Live video
• Audio incl. podcast
• eBook
• Tip sheet, checklist
• Infographic
• How-to guides
• Contest/giveaway
• Round-ups/”best
of” resource links
• Info webinar
• Share
visitor/customer
content
• Coupon/discount #NOW19
@TourismCurrents

25. Let’s build 3-5
content ideas
based on ONE of
your 2019 goals
#NOW19
@TourismCurrents

27. THEN you
drill down to
next week #NOW19
@TourismCurrents

28. The Handout
– Weekly
Content
Template

30. Let’s Plan
Next Week!
#NOW19
@TourismCurrents

33. The process is this:
• Know exactly what you are all about
• Know your visitors & where they are
• Develop content topics tied to what you’re all
about, & your marketing goals
• Create different types of content for different goals
(awareness, engagement, lead generation, sales,
nurturing)
• Ensure content format variety (text, photo, video,
audio)
• ….All put together in a coherent plan! #NOW19
@TourismCurrents

34. Finally, Measure What Matters!
Of all the things you post next
week, track what works &
where, & what doesn’t do well
#NOW19
@TourismCurrents

35. Photo Credits
All photos ours except….
• Group with donkey - 1902, courtesy SMU
Central University Library on Flickr Commons
• Screaming bust - Marsyas by Balthasar
Permoser circa 1680–85 (courtesy Metropolitan
Museum of Art)
• Gauntlet for the left hand - attributed to Jörg
Sigman ca. 1557 (courtesy Metropolitan
Museum of Art)
#NOW19
@TourismCurrents

36. Thank you!
Leslie McLellan
Sheila Scarborough
Tourism Currents
@TourismCurrents

37. Please take a moment to review this session on the Mobile
Event Guide
1. Download the “MSN 2019” app OR access online at:
eventmobi.com/mainstreetnow19
2. Locate this session and scroll down to “Session Feedback”
3. Complete your review
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assistance.
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We value your feedback!
#NOW19
@TourismCurrents