Spring is nearly here! These resources offer tactical advice for influencer and social media marketing, explore a great environmental and tourism initiative for urban areas and learn how analytics can help DMOs and CVBs make informed decisions that convert their website users. There’s a lot to unpack this week, so start reading!

Pittsburgh, PA is the first city in the eastern U.S. to adopt a ‘dark sky’ policy in an effort to reduce light pollution and energy use. Switching to lower wattage LED bulbs and adding shades around public area lighting will allow more of the sky to be visible at night with the decrease in blue lighting. Now, visitors and residents will be able to see the stars, boosting their mental health while also benefiting local ecosystems. The city joins 34 other “dark sky” communities that are committed to mitigating light pollution.

This is a big step for Pittsburgh tourism, which now has the opportunity to lean into marketing to more value-based travelers. Light pollution from cities, among other concerns, has been a hot topic for environmentalists and scientists in the past several years. Now, Pittsburgh, and the other 34 “dark sky” communities, can benefit from increasing environmental awareness. As cities and urban areas continue to push towards more earth-friendly initiatives, they leave their negative environmental perceptions further behind. Consider how your community, whether urban or rural, can make efforts to mitigate its environmental footprint – not only to attract more value-based travelers but to also make their area better places to live and work.

With influencer marketing taking the tourism industry by storm, it’s important to stay updated on the latest trends. MarketingProfs explores the top trends predicted for 2022, and we’ve highlighted three that DMOs should pay attention to:

• With such high engagement rates, influencers are beginning to spend more and more time on the app – and growing audiences mean more opportunities for marketers. Establishing partnerships with local influencers can open up new audiences for your marketing efforts.
• Micro- and nano-influencers are becoming more influential. With audiences that trust them, their engagement rates are the highest across Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. Strong community followings make these influencers a powerful ally in spreading brand awareness for your destination.
• “Bite-sized” influencer video content will be more important than ever. Shorter attention spans mean that influencers, and DMOs, need to get creative with how they share their content. The right mixture of length and interesting content can spell brand-boosting success!

If your destination hasn’t considered integrating TikTok into your marketing strategy, now is the time. The short video-sharing platform’s massive audience makes it a huge opportunity for DMOs to share the beauty, vibe and community that their destination has to offer visitors. Implementing micro- and nano-influencers in social media strategies can also increase post engagement and build excitement around your destination’s amenities.

It’s no surprise that social media has a massive influence on users’ travel decisions. But, how can DMOs, especially rural ones, get their foot in the door on social media? The answer is through effective traveler influencer content. Here are the top takeaways DMOs need to know:

• Immersive video is the future of social media. Three in five travelers watch online videos to narrow down their ideal travel plans, watching videos about amenities, activities and other information about a destination before booking.
• The most popular video type for U.S. travelers is influencer-generated content. Many perceive influencer videos as trustworthy and authentic, making them a valuable partner in destination marketing.
• Travelers are seeking tips from influencers. Sixty-three percent of social media users engage with travel influencer content more post-pandemic than they have before. They’re looking for travel advice and tips before planning their own trips.
• People are getting inspired by digital content. The growing influence of social media and influencer marketing proves that travelers are getting excited about booking vacations and trips after watching these types of videos. According to Think with Google, that number is 65%.

DMOs don’t need to feel left out when it comes to working with influencers to promote their brand. You don’t need to find an A-list actor or major artist to promote your destination. Utilizing micro and nano influencers with dedicated followers is more feasible and cost-effective for DMOs. To learn more about influencer marketing for your DMO, check out this resource.

Get geared up for the website and branding webinar you’ve been waiting for! For destinations, an organized and informative website is vital in getting your website visitors to trust you. And people who trust you are more likely to book at your destination.

Before committing to a new website project, it’s important to take the time to evaluate your website and ask yourself these questions:

• Does my website convey accurate and updated information?
• Is my website easy to navigate for potential visitors?
• How do I earn my visitors’ trust through my website?
• What are some must-haves a destination website needs?

Join us on March 23 at 1 p.m. EST as our website and branding experts answer these questions and pave the way for a strategy that allows you to build trust with your visitors. This webinar will highlight the principles and functionality that makes destination websites perform well and stand out. You’ll also receive free materials with tactics that DMOs can implement into a savvy website strategy. This will be a tactical webinar you won’t want to miss.