the state of online marketing & how to dominate the universe

The State of Online Marketing & How to Dominate the Universe

Liz Day

• About Me• The State of Online Marketing • Online Channels & Roles– Direct – Organic – Paid – Referral – Social Media – Email Marketing

• Final Thoughts

Overview

About Me

• Liz Day • Digital Marketing Account Manager at

RezStream• California Born, Illinois Raised and

Colorado Transplant • Dog Enthusiast, Not Yet Owner

About Me

• RezStream has been providing solutions to the B&B market since the company was founded in 2005.

• Majority of our clients are independently owned properties with 50 rooms or less.

• We have been supporters of PAII since 2005! • RezStream’s hospitality solutions include: • Reservation Software • Online Booking Engine • Website Design Services • Digital Marketing Services • Other Services Include GDS, Photography & Videography

The State of Online Marketing

• The online customer journey has become more complex over the years.

• Customers may interact with your brand multiple times utilizing various online channels before reaching their purchasing decision.

• Understanding your online channels and roles will allow you to measure the performance which will empower you to work smarter.


• When it comes to website tracking, an online reservation is credited to the last channel that referred the visitor when he/she converted.

• The problem with this is that it does not paint an accurate picture of what’s effective if visitors are utilizing more than one source to reach that “buying decision.”


• Google Analytics offers Multi-Channel Funnels reporting to show you how your marketing channels (including sources) that work to generate online reservations.

• Multi-Channel Funnels reports include assisted conversions, associated to channels/sources, top conversion paths, time lag and path length of customers journeys.



• Do you know if majority of your online reservations come from customers making a booking with only one brand interaction or multiple?

Online Channels & Roles

• Online marketing channels influence the customer at different points in the path to purchase.

• Direct • Organic• Paid• Referral • Social Media • Email Marketing

Direct

• Direct traffic includes visitors who are accessing your website directly. This can be done by either bookmarking or typing your property’s URL into their browser.

• The Direct channel is used 62% of time as the last interaction in the buyer’s customer journey.

• Nurture returning guests by engaging with them on other marketing channels, i.e. Social Media, Email Marketing.

Organic

• Organic traffic is referrals from search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo! These listings are referred to as “natural.”

• The Organic channel is used 59% of time as an “assist” interaction in the buyer’s customer journey.

• A significant percentage of converting branded phrases that show up in your analytics may in fact be downstream from the online research phase.

• Industry research shows that 86% of buyers begin their buyer experience cycle process with a non-branded search.

Organic

Last Interaction Conversions

11%

Assist Interaction Conversions

89%

Organic Non-Branded Conversions Breakdown

Organic

• In addition to executing Search Engine Optimization to attract last interaction conversions, engage the buyer early in the buying cycle, i.e. Awareness Consideration Intent • Create content that will help educate and inform the buyer so he/she can feel

confident in making a purchasing decision.

Paid Search

• Paid Search or Pay-Per-Click (PPC) allows a property to receive immediate exposure in the search results for specific keyword phrases. The advertiser only pays when someone clicks on an ad.

• The Paid Search channel is used 61% of time as an “assist” interaction in the buyer’s customer journey.

Paid Search

• Paid Search Referred 53 “Direct” Online Bookings

• Paid Search “Assisted” in 60 Online Bookings

• Combining “Direct” and “Assisted”, Paid Search’s Online Bookings Totaled to 113.

Paid Search

Referral

• Referral traffic includes any visitors landing on your website from other websites. *This excludes Search Engine referrals.

• The Referral channel is used 50% of time as an “assist” interaction in the buyer’s customer journey.

• A healthy Referral channel should comprise of both Paid and Non-Paid sources.

Last Interaction Conversion

Assist Interaction Conversion

Referral

Social Media

• Social traffic includes any referral from a Social Media Network. • The Social channel is used 84% of time as an “assist” interaction in the buyer’s

customer journey.• Social Media is the hybrid of customer service and marketing! • Social Media can target new audiences, stimulate website visitors, interactions

and bookings. In addition, it serves as a hub to resolve customer service issues.

“93% of Marketers Utilize Social Media in Overall Marketing

Strategy!”

“Facebook Has More Than Over

725 Million Active Daily Users!”

• More and more, Social and Search are continuing to converge! • Businesses leveraging Social Media are being rewarded by receiving

exposure!

Social Media

Email Marketing

• Email Marketing traffic includes any referral from an Email Marketing campaign.

• The Email Marketing channel is used 78% of time as an “assist” interaction in the buyer’s customer journey.

• Developing a robust and effective Email Marketing strategy can assist in the following: • Recruiting & Retaining Customers • Selling Directly to Customer Base • Receiving Further Data about Customer Base

Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts

• Invest in Multiple Marketing Channels to Dominate • Utilize Google Analytics to Track Channel Success, i.e. Multi-

Channel Funnel Reports • Review Assist Interaction and Last Interaction Conversions• Invest in Both “Assist” and “Last Interaction” Marketing Channels • Nurture Direct Traffic Utilizing Other Marketing Channels • Invest in Branded and Non-Branded Term Exposure via Paid

Search and Organic to Acquire New Customers & Retain Returning• Utilize Both Email Marketing and Social Media to Nurture

Existing Customer Relationships & Potential Customers

FREE ONLINE PROGRAM ANALYSIS!

• Website: www.RezStream.com • Email: [email protected] • Toll Free: 866.360.8210 ext. 1

• Social Media:• www.Facebook.com/RezStream• www.Twitter.com/RezStream• www.Plus.Google.com/+Rezstream• www.RezStream.com/Blog

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