Comments on: A data epiphany for Destination DC http://blog.highlandbusinessresearch.com/2008/10/29/a-data-epiphany-for-destination-dc/ Travel industry thinking from Stephen Budd and Vicky Brock at Highland Business Research Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:06:34 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.1 hourly 1 By: Vicky http://blog.highlandbusinessresearch.com/2008/10/29/a-data-epiphany-for-destination-dc/comment-page-1/#comment-1932 Vicky Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:13:14 +0000 http://blog.highlandbusinessresearch.com/?p=160#comment-1932 Hi Scott - many thanks indeed for your input here Scott, its great to get an inside perspective. And also thanks for your clarification on the generalist/specialist point. It is indeed narrow, focussed - and thereby highly relevant - and this is the territory that search engines love. That can be a challenge for DMOs who have to be generalist and can't always offer the depth of content necessary to deliver on every aspect of the product. I agree that strategic relationships are critical - I often here people refer to sites as competition, that could really be harnessed as part of the sales channel. It is a question of understanding that effectively buying bigger reach through partner sites is as much as part of online marketing as paid search - and should be judged in similar ways. Does the enhanced business/conversions justify the price paid? Thanks again for the input. Vicky Hi Scott – many thanks indeed for your input here Scott, its great to get an inside perspective.

And also thanks for your clarification on the generalist/specialist point. It is indeed narrow, focussed – and thereby highly relevant – and this is the territory that search engines love.

That can be a challenge for DMOs who have to be generalist and can’t always offer the depth of content necessary to deliver on every aspect of the product.

I agree that strategic relationships are critical – I often here people refer to sites as competition, that could really be harnessed as part of the sales channel. It is a question of understanding that effectively buying bigger reach through partner sites is as much as part of online marketing as paid search – and should be judged in similar ways. Does the enhanced business/conversions justify the price paid?

Thanks again for the input.

Vicky

]]> By: Scott McNeely http://blog.highlandbusinessresearch.com/2008/10/29/a-data-epiphany-for-destination-dc/comment-page-1/#comment-1931 Scott McNeely Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:08:22 +0000 http://blog.highlandbusinessresearch.com/?p=160#comment-1931 Hi Vicki, Andy. I'm the online director for Viator.com, and I wanted to add a few perspectives to this excellent conversation. One of the reasons that Viator's Washington DC page (http://www.viator.com/Washington-DC/d657-ttd) ranks so well for terms like "things to do in Washington DC" is that - well, our page is highly optimized for those terms. It's a similar story for terms like "tours" and "day trips". Our site is entirely about these very narrow terms, which helps us to rank well. So I would argue that, rather than seeing travel sites such as Viator as a "generalist" we're actually highly specialized. More so than the DMO and other CVB sites funded by local governments. We also have a very active UGC component, and because we sell thousands of tours to destinations such as Washington DC each year, we have lots of great, relevant, authoritative content about things to do in Washington DC. So my point? That yes, an official DMO site should rank reasonably well for these terms; but given the narrow and targeted focus of travel sites such as Viator, it's not surprising that we rank well for certain types of terms. Our business in 100% about tours and things to do. So I'd personally be a little surprised - and disheartened - if Google ranked a DMO site in the top 10 if that site didn't have a lot of great content about the specific category. It also argues that DMOs should consider strategic relationships with companies such as Viator. Scott Hi Vicki, Andy. I’m the online director for Viator.com, and I wanted to add a few perspectives to this excellent conversation. One of the reasons that Viator’s Washington DC page (http://www.viator.com/Washington-DC/d657-ttd) ranks so well for terms like “things to do in Washington DC” is that – well, our page is highly optimized for those terms. It’s a similar story for terms like “tours” and “day trips”. Our site is entirely about these very narrow terms, which helps us to rank well. So I would argue that, rather than seeing travel sites such as Viator as a “generalist” we’re actually highly specialized. More so than the DMO and other CVB sites funded by local governments. We also have a very active UGC component, and because we sell thousands of tours to destinations such as Washington DC each year, we have lots of great, relevant, authoritative content about things to do in Washington DC.

So my point? That yes, an official DMO site should rank reasonably well for these terms; but given the narrow and targeted focus of travel sites such as Viator, it’s not surprising that we rank well for certain types of terms. Our business in 100% about tours and things to do. So I’d personally be a little surprised – and disheartened – if Google ranked a DMO site in the top 10 if that site didn’t have a lot of great content about the specific category.

It also argues that DMOs should consider strategic relationships with companies such as Viator.

Scott

]]> By: Vicky http://blog.highlandbusinessresearch.com/2008/10/29/a-data-epiphany-for-destination-dc/comment-page-1/#comment-1929 Vicky Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:02:32 +0000 http://blog.highlandbusinessresearch.com/?p=160#comment-1929 I would have to agree the site does have a challenge when it comes to SEO. It is not ranking organically on some of the terms it should - no doubt SEO and traffic driving strategies generally will be on their radar in the months ahead. It is one of the things that hellobc have managed to achieve very well, by bring in its network of public reporters/bloggers - the site, due it its vast amount of text rich content - has become very search friendly. I would have to agree the site does have a challenge when it comes to SEO. It is not ranking organically on some of the terms it should – no doubt SEO and traffic driving strategies generally will be on their radar in the months ahead.

It is one of the things that hellobc have managed to achieve very well, by bring in its network of public reporters/bloggers – the site, due it its vast amount of text rich content – has become very search friendly.

]]> By: Michigan family vacation ideas http://blog.highlandbusinessresearch.com/2008/10/29/a-data-epiphany-for-destination-dc/comment-page-1/#comment-1928 Michigan family vacation ideas Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:49:53 +0000 http://blog.highlandbusinessresearch.com/?p=160#comment-1928 I am surprised that with the million $ + budgets these guys are losing the SEO battle to less funded operations. For example, a google search for "things to do in Washington, DC" does not put washington.org in the top 10. Andy and team should be concerned that 9 of the top 10 are general travel sites. With his focus on DC only, Andy should be able to blow viator out of the water. I am surprised that with the million $ + budgets these guys are losing the SEO battle to less funded operations. For example, a google search for “things to do in Washington, DC” does not put washington.org in the top 10.

Andy and team should be concerned that 9 of the top 10 are general travel sites. With his focus on DC only, Andy should be able to blow viator out of the water.

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