Newsletter : October 2011
Written by Steph Kendall
Welcome to the New Zealand Tourism Guide www.tourism.net.nz October 2011 issue. If you have news or comments, please email us news@tourism.net.nz.
In this October newsletter:
Foodies Love New Zealand
This month Tourism New Zealand reported that a MasterChef Australia episode featuring New Zealand chefs and food stories was seen by approximately 1.2 million Australian viewers. It drove a 60 per cent increase in Australian traffic to newzealand.com, compared to the same time the previous week, peaking during the first hour of screening. The 71 minutes of television coverage from this episode of Australia's most successful television show in history represented an equivalent advertising value of NZ$5.6 million.
Tourism New Zealand General Manager Brand and International PR Catherine Bates says the organisation used the existing 100% Pure You campaign with a well targeted fully integrated marketing and PR campaign. "Now over a million more Australians know what fantastic food stories we have in New Zealand. Our research has showed that many of those who viewed the episode have a higher preference to visit New Zealand on their next holiday."
Other food stories happening recently included a number of food and wine festivals:
If there is a festival or food event happening near you,why not find out how you can promote your business there. If there isn't a festival or food event happening, get together with like-minded businesses and work out if and how you can establish one and grab a share of the 'Foodies' market.
Using Videos to Promote Your Business
Written by Steph Kendall
YouTube is a video-sharing website owned by Google. It allows people and businesses to create and share videos. These videos can cover almost any subject and can be promoted via websites, blogs, newsletters, emails, Facebook pages and so on. Promoting your business through video promotion is an extremely powerful marketing tool if done well. Videos show people/potential customers what your business is all about in a quick and (hopefully) entertaining way.
Most small businesses can create their own video (and have some fun doing it) with a relatively low-cost investment. However, if you choose to use the services of a professional videographer, I suggest using one who has produced work you have seen and liked, or one who has a recommendation from a trusted source.
It's well worth getting everyone in your business involved in your video promotions, especially as the stars of your video are likely to be your staff. The more passion and more fun you can film, the more engaging the end result is likely to be for viewers/potential customers.
How about..
- Asking the staff for their ideas on what to include
- Running a video-making competition (for staff and maybe your Facebook 'fans')
- Having a night dedicated to screening video premieres
Tips for Making Great Video Promotions
- Be passionate about your business and what you are showing
- Use the best quality photography or videography you can afford
- Choose an engaging and lively music (backing) track with broad appeal
- Ensure your voice-over scripts (and voice talents) are clear, engaging and appealing
- Keep it short and sweet. Make sure your essential information is included at the beginning of the video before your viewer clicks away
- Make sure you include captions, sub-titles and your website address during the video
- Optimise your video for YouTube: include Meta title and description, use a link to your website as the first thing in your description and post links in the 'more info' section
- Promote your videos through your website, emails, newsletter, blog and social media marketing.
Video Content Ideas
If you are wondering what to include in your videos, the answer is almost anything to do with your business. But as a general guideline, think about content that is both informative and entertaining. Here are some ideas to get your started:
- Show people what they'll experience through your business
- Meet the crew/staff who'll look after you
- Watch 'one day in the life of...' in one minute
- Post a short interview with a staff member talking about their job (and what they love about it)
- Create video testimonials from your guests interspersed with shots of their experience
- Create a video tourism guide for your local area
- Interview local personalities
- See also YouTube Advice on Content
Examples of Video Promotions by New Zealand Tourism Operators
- Incredible New Zealand Road Trip (Jucy Car Rentals)
- Overview of Business (Bec Spa Resort)
Getting Bookings Right Now
Generally speaking, visitors to the New Zealand Tourism Guide either use the website to plan holidays or want to book rooms/tours/activities as they see them. To help our Gold Listing members secure bookings from those visitors who want to book 'right now', we partnered with Bookit to provide a fast and efficient online booking system. It is free to set up, a commission only applies for confirmed bookings, it can be used alongside other booking systems and it can be up and running within days.
We can load accommodation, tours, attractions and transport operators and offer inclusions such as:
- Adding a "Make a Booking" button on your listing
- Including your business as part of the "Rates and Bookings" function within your region and category
- Listing your business in our Book Direct section at no extra cost
- Cross marketing your business (for example, someone who is interested in a rental car can also be offered accommodation options and visa versa)
- Including your business in "holiday packages" (for example, you could be part of a "3 Day Escape to Nelson" package)
Benefits to Your Business of Bookit
- Reduces the risk of losing a booking from customers ready to book now
- Generates confirmed sales from international and domestic travellers
- Additional exposure and details for your product offering
- Be a profiled operator on our site with booking capability
- Saves you time and effort-by not having to deal with enquiries regarding availability
- Provides immediate information to customers, anytime of the day or night
- Excellent BookIt reporting including the ability to gather feedback from travellers who have used your services
- The system takes care of processing credit cards (inc Amex and Diners), cancel refunds etc and the net amount for any bookings are transferred to your nominated bank account, usually within 48 hours of the traveller's arrival
For more information, call on 0800 14 65 49, email bookit@tourism.net.nz or view:
Top Tourism Site of the Month
This month's Top Tourism Site Award goes to Tasman Sky Adventures
This website felt like a winner as soon as I opened it – the music grabbed my attention straightaway, whilst the website content included everything I needed to know about their product: clear service pages, locations, photos and videos, testimonials and the all important booking number. This is a really inspiring use of sound and images to promote microlight flying and hang-gliding – it just makes me want to head up to Motueka and soar into the skies...now. Great job.
Tasman Sky Adventures offers scenic microlight flying and hang-gliding over the Abel Tasman National Park. No experience is necessary and flights start from just $85...
Nominate a Site
If you think a New Zealand travel or tourism website deserves a 'Top Tourism Site Award', let us know about it. (View further information about the award criteria.)
About the Top Tourism Site Award
The New Zealand Tourism Guide confers a Top Tourism Site Award to websites that:
- Enhance New Zealand as a travel destination
- Publish useful and informative content
- Are laid out in a professional and aesthetically-pleasing manner
- Are designed effectively for the World Wide Web
- May demonstrate easy functionality, interactivity, originality, outstanding graphic quality and marketing reach.
We welcome any feedback — send your comments to: news@tourism.net.nz
Kind regards,
The Team
Ph 0800 14 65 49
www.tourism.net.nz
New Zealand Tourism Guide
Head Office: Level One, 534 Colombo Street, Christchurch