Okaloosa County BOCC — July 7, 2015 — FY16 SMP - compressed — reading text

FY 2015-16 STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN TDC - May 28, 2015 BCC – July 7, 2015 Table of Contents 2014 Snapshot 3 Objectives, Strategies & Tactics 6 Marketing Initiatives 15 Consumer Research 17 Website 19 Public Relations 21 Ongoing Social Media 27 Industry Trends 33 Media Strategy & Messaging 41 Leisure & Co-Op Media Plan 46 Groups Media Plan 66 Meetings/Conventions Media Plan 72 Leisure & Co-Op Media Rollup 77 Groups Media Rollup 83 Meetings/Conventions Media Rollup 87 Measuring Success 89 Marketing Plan Budget 91 Appendix 93 2 2014 Snapshot 3  Actual Bed Tax Collections $9,000,000 $8,000,000 $7,000,000 $6,000,000 $5,000,000 $4,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,000,000 $- Spring Summer Fall Winter 2013/2014 2014/2015 4  Market Share Share of Market % 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% Spring 1 ’14 Summer 2 ’14 Fall 3 ’14 Winter4’14/’15 Escambia Okaloosa Walton Bay 5 Objective, Strategies & Tactics 6 Objectives • Drive leisure, group and meeting visitation during the shoulder seasons • Maintain top-of-mind awareness during peak seasons • Leverage awareness of #EmeraldCoasting brand • Maximize impact of media spend 7 Strategies • Communicate year-round messaging while focusing on driving business during the shoulder seasons • Utilize research to motivate consumers to select Emerald Coast as their vacation destination • Utilize festivals and special events to drive trial and repeat visitation • Continue to embrace social media as an essential component of the communications plan 8  Tactics • Target consumers with a combination of TRADITIONAL and ONLINE marketing • Communicate the brand through NICHE MEDIA including weddings, groups, meetings, signature events, Gulf-to-Table and ecotourism • Offer bed-tax collectors COOPERATIVE media opportunities designed to broaden awareness and deliver qualified leads • Collaborate with VISIT FLORIDA to maximize impact of media spend 9  Tactics • Deploy quarterly CONSUMER E-NEWSLETTERS and monthly PARTNER E-NEWSLETTERS to maintain top-of-mind awareness • Position the consumer as ONE CLICK AWAY from our website and potential bookings • Promote and TRACK special events and initiatives via WEBSITE 10  Seasonality Booking Impact Primary Window Period Audience Couples and/or groups without January – Post-Spring Break – children; Spring Break Spring March pre-Memorial Day visitors Mid-January – Memorial Day – Summer Mid-June Mid-August Families Retired adults from Mid-August – December 2015 – northern climates Snowbirds January March 2016 (including Canada) Couples and/or groups without Mid-June – Mid-August – children; Fall Break Fall Mid-October Thanksgiving visitors Mid-August – Thanksgiving – Families and/or 2015 Christmas October New Year’s couples 11 Target Audience Profile Demographics • Adults • Ages 25 – 64 (skewing women) • Affluent active travelers Mindset/Lifestyle • Traveler – at least 3-night stay • Interested in the beach, fishing, shopping, restaurants and more • Looking for an accessible escape 12 Media Markets • Primary target audiences will include leisure travelers within a 13-hour-drive radius of the Emerald Coast as well as meeting/group business travelers 13 Emerging Markets • Secondary emerging markets will include: 14 Marketing Initiatives 15 Marketing Initiatives • Conduct annual consumer RESEARCH to measure ROI • Enhance CONVENTION CENTER section of WEBSITE • Generate EARNED MEDIA through public relations • Create SOCIAL MEDIA AWARENESS and engagement through community management and cross-channel campaigns • Develop MEDIA STRATEGY & MESSAGING that most effectively reaches the target audience, DRIVES VISITATION and delivers direct leads 16 Consumer Research 17 Consumer Research Conduct CONSUMER RESEARCH to increase efficacy of marketing efforts and determine the following: • BEST TARGET during different SEASONS • ATTITUDES, BEHAVIORS and IMPLICATIONS of messaging • WHERE and WHEN can we best communicate with our consumer 18 Website 19 Website Optimize performance of the website: • Examine the unique user experiences occurring on each site for possible integration • Enhance Convention Center section of site to incorporate #EmeraldCoasting campaign • Ongoing review of Google Analytics of the sites for user trends and patterns • Continue to update and provide new and relevant content, video, blogs and features to engage consumer interest 20 Public Relations 21 General Awareness Objectives • Raise AWARENESS of the Emerald Coast • Leverage the NATURAL ASSETS of the area to highlight the Emerald Coast during shoulder seasons Strategies • Support SHOULDER SEASON campaigns • Work in collaboration with SOCIAL MEDIA to utilize existing media channels • Utilize NEWS COVERAGE to establish the Emerald Coast as the top choice for a beach vacation destination • Position the destination’s unique offerings as a premier location for GROUP and MEETING BUSINESS • Leverage the CVB’s marketing activities to earn LOCAL MEDIA coverage 22 National/Regional Tactics • Host THEMED PRESS TRIPS for national travel journalists and bloggers • Recommended themes: • Affluent traveler • Gulf to Table (foodies) • Regional OUT OF MARKET TV APPEARENCES and DECKSIDE MEDIA MEETINGS to promote major events and seasonal tourism 23 National/Regional Tactics • Host INDIVIDUAL MEDIA VISITS for writers who reach consumers from target markets interested in unique aspects of the Emerald Coast • Develop MONTHLY topics to target and attract niche media: • OCTOBER: Fishing Rodeo • NOVEMBER: Shopping • DECEMBER: Snowbirds • JANUARY: Romance • FEBRUARY: Rejuvenate for Spring • MARCH: Arts appreciation • APRIL: Mother’s Day getaways • MAY: National Travel & Tourism Week; Military appreciation • JUNE: Adventure travel • JULY: Eat like a local • AUGUST: Fall break • SEPTEMBER: Craft beer 24  Local Tactics • Host NATIONAL TOURISM WEEK industry Heart of Tourism Awards in May to generate local media exposure and appreciation among Emerald Coast citizens for its local tourism marketing efforts and the industry’s economic impact • Unveil ANNUAL STRATEGIC MARKETNG PLAN/CAMPAIGNS 25 Local Communications Plan • CVB to lead local initiatives • Target Audience • Permanent RESIDENTS of Emerald Coast • Key media outlets • WEAR-TV • WALA-TV • WKRG-TV • The Destin Log • Northwest Florida Daily News • WFTW-AM • WNWF-AM 26 Ongoing Social Media 27  Overview Objectives • Utilize social channels to reach current Emerald Coast visitors, future visitors and the local community • Provide a unique, two-way communication channel to call fans to action Strategies • Generate awareness about the Emerald Coast as a tourist destination with unique or crowd-sourced content • Drive consideration by educating fans about the Emerald Coast • Encourage preference by engaging key online influencers in conversation 28  Channels Fans/ Average Followers Monthly URL Network (As of Engaged 5/8/15) Users Facebook facebook.com/FloridasEmeraldCoast 443K 58K Twitter twitter.com/EmeraldCoastFLA 6.3K 267 Pinterest pinterest.com/EmeraldCoastFLA 1,000 N/A Instagram instagram.com/EmeraldCoastFLA 1,500 N/A 29 Content Planned Content • Created in advance of publishing • Enables social media presence to engage a targeted audience • Written as a calendar to be reviewed before implementation Live Content • Created in real time as news, trends, conversations and comments arise • Timely and relevant • Responses to Facebook comments, retweeting Twitter content and creating new content in response to trends 30  Content Category % Justification Lifestyle, Life on Leveraging past creative, this content shows the vibrant lifestyle the Emerald that is a hallmark of the Emerald Coast. Text and rich media posts 40% Coast will allow communities to experience the beaches and lifestyle of the Emerald Coast from wherever they are. Attractions & Amenities, This category encompasses tourism sights and services in the Lodgings, 30% area. From lodgings and shops to activities and local eateries, this Shops and category educates fans about amenities on the Emerald Coast. Eateries Okaloosa County boasts year-round community events for the Events, Public 10% public to enjoy. This category syndicates local happenings and Happenings encourages the social media communities to share and take part. Emerald Coast’s social media pages will share the most compelling News, Travel news stories relevant to the area as a tourist destination. This can Articles & 20% include write-ups from travel bloggers, contests for top travel Accolades destinations and any other local coverage relevant to travel and leisure.