Press trips and media coverage are a big part marketing. Traditional advertising is no longer trusted by consumers, so paying bloggers or journalists to write about your route and promote it via social media can be valuable.

It is always important to research a journalist or blogger to ensure they are a good fit for the type of exposure you’re looking for and that you can afford them. Partnering with local tourism offices or municipalities can also help to increase your budget if you’re strapped for cash.

Here are some tips for hosting a blogger or journalist along your route:

Pitch the trip to them
When you’re pitching a trip to a freelance journalist or blogger, make it sound as enticing and interesting as possible. Try to keep to a specific theme – such as culture, food or wine – that will interest them. Suggest an itinerary that will provide story-telling experiences as this will make their job easier and more enjoyable. Providing the social media handles (Handles are another name for social media names on Twitter and Instagram and are used to mention or ‘tag’ the business. E.g. @open_africa on Instagram or @OpenAfricaOrg on Twitter) for the businesses along the itinerary is also useful so that the journalist/blogger can begin promoting them on social media before they even get there.

Create a Hashtag
Creating a hashtag for the trip to use on social media is another great way to show you’ve thought this through. A hashtag makes it easy for posts (photos, tweets and others) to be indexed together so that if anyone is searching for more information on the trip, they can search using the hashtag Hashtags should be kept short but descriptive as possible. For example, Reunion Tourism has a hashtag they use which tells travellers how they can reference it: #GoToReunion

See how easy it is to search for photos of Reunion Island by searching for #GoToReunion

Provide free and fast WiFi
This is one of the most important things for any travel writer. You may be in some remote corner of the country, but if they’re on an assignment or job, they need WiFi in order to tweet, post photos on Instagram and stay connected to their audience. If it’s free, they’ll be even more likely to post regularly and share news of their trip with their followers. Also remember that if you’re hosting journalists on trips to countries where they don’t live, they may be relying on WiFi for all their communication to avoid hefty roaming charges. Verify ahead of time that there will be WiFi available at least at some of the restaurants and attractions they’ll be visiting, as well as at the guesthouses and B&Bs. If there’s a fee for WiFi – get it waived.

Give them free time
Travel writers need time to check their emails, write tweets and post photos and also to stop and breathe. If their days are filled with activities they won’t have any time to reflect on their experiences and will find it difficult to promote you. It also doesn’t hurt to give them time to explore and experience things on their own, unaided by biased tour guides with agendas. Find out beforehand what they would prefer.

Give them an itinerary
Providing travel writers with a detailed itinerary ahead of time is essential. Include web links, social media handles (Business social media names, e.g. @open_africa on Instagram or @OpenAfricaOrg on Twitter) and links, contact details, e-mails of people they’ll be meeting and information about places they’ll be visiting. This will give them the opportunity to research ahead of time so they know what they’re writing about during their trip.

Personalise the visit
Travel writers of any kind have different goals and interests in their work (See the difference between traditional journalists and bloggers) By creating an environmentally-friendly trip for a blogger who is an advocate for conservation makes them feel special. These trips aren’t a “one size fits all” experience, and giving the participating journalists or bloggers different options to choose from means you’ll get more value at the end. Make sure that whatever you do, their experience is as authentic as possible. For example, if your route isn’t known for its food and wine, don’t attempt to make a food-themed trip.

Provide a brief
While it may look like they’re permanently on holiday, travelling and telling stories is how these writers earn a living and so each trip should be treated professionally and as a job. If you are paying for the writer to visit your area, provide a brief to them upfront of what you expect in return from them. What are you trying to achieve by hosting them? Is it awareness about the route, or would you like to see an increase in travellers? Do you want to promote an annual festival, or are they coming to your route to experience and cover baby turtles hatching on the beach?

Be clear in terms of social media coverage as well. You can specify how many tweets, Instagram photos and blog posts you want to come out of the trip and this is a helpful guide for them. By detailing this information, the writers will be able to manage your expectations and deliver on a product you can be happy with.

Involve your route members
When planning to visit the journalist or blogger, invite other route members to participate. The costs can be significantly reduced if route members offer free accommodation, activities and meals. In this way you can get great exposure at a limited cost.

As the route Marketing Coordinator, you may work with travel writers and bloggers who come to visit the route in order to give it some media exposure. Setting up their trip can be a lot of fun, and creating a diverse and varied itinerary for them while they’re in the area will help the establishments on your route You may be wondering what the difference is between traditional travel journalists and bloggers.

Journalists
Traditional journalists are usually able to adhere to an itinerary and have specific properties or activities that they are looking to cover for an assignment. Also, traditional journalists frequently take notes and follow up for images and more information after their trip when compiling their article. If the journalist works for a specific publication such as Weg/Go or Getaway, be sure to find out ahead of their trip what the specific angle of their story is.

Freelance journalists
Freelance journalists usually enjoy everything that an area has to offer and will do as much as possible in order to provide as many different angles and stories as possible which they can sell to various publications. A freelance journalist can create up to 10 different stories for as many publications from one trip and will sometimes sell different versions of their story to various travel magazines as well as specialist publications, such as mountain biking, hiking or fishing as a few examples.

Travel bloggers involved in a November 2014 campaign for Open Africa.

Bloggers
Bloggers, on the other hand, usually enjoy more free time to explore and discover the quirks of an area. Bloggers are essentially freelance writers who have an impressively large social following. This means that they run their own blogs and have created a personal brand that is big enough for them to be able to make a decent living from it. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Bloggers are usually very active on social media channels, such as Instagram and Twitter, and promote trips or stories through images with a link back to their blog. They also usually tweet or post photos on Instagram throughout their trip to create engagement and interest from their followers (your customers) for a prolonged period, making them a rather valuable marketing tool.

All bloggers have a specific area of interest; some are young and enjoy adventure travel; some are older and focus on environmental issues when travelling; others focus more on the food and people of an area; some are photographers at heart; and some do a little bit of everything! Be sure to target the right kind of blogger to visit your route so that you know they will enjoy the itinerary you have planned.

It is important to bear in mind that while many of the trips bloggers take are sponsored, they still need to put food on the table and require payment in the form of more than a free holiday. Be sure to research them properly and check out the media kit on their website or contact them to find out what their rates are. With enough research, clear communication and a brief, bloggers are very pleasant to work with, so be sure to manage your expectations up front and let them know exactly what you require from them.

Take a look at these popular South African travel bloggers:

• Natalie Roos – Tails of a Mermaid
• Anton Crone – Bright Continent
• Dawn Jorgensen – The Incidental Tourist
• Meruschka Govender – Mzansi Girl
• Kate Els – IndiKate

The Marketing Coordinator is in charge of managing all the marketing activities associated with the route, from social media, print marketing and advertising to brand management and communications.

This Guide covers the Marketing Coordinator’s responsibilities. It is important for the route Marketing Coordinator to familiarise himself or herself with this Guide to understand what is required. The Guide will also help other route leaders and members, since it will give them a good understanding of what the Marketing Coordinator’s role should be and what support they could offer.

This Guide should be read together with other Guides covering the various leadership positions.

Why is the Marketing Coordinator’s Role Important?
As the route is a product in itself, it needs to be marketed across as many different types of platforms as possible. Online marketing is the easiest and cheapest method of marketing and, with the advent and rise of social media, the World Wide Web (the Internet) has merged with social media (Facebook, Twitter etc.) to create what is commonly known as ‘The Social Web.” It is almost impossible to engage in online activity these days without coming into contact with social media.

Websites now contain links to their relevant social media channels as well as share buttons, where customers can share content and help drive online traffic back to the website. The more online traffic or “hits” a website gets, the more attractive it becomes.

This means that anyone with a social media account has the power to share content (articles, photographs and video) on any social media channel. Some of these people have become incredibly influential with many people following what they are doing online. For this reason, social media and blogs have become essential for any business operating in the online space.

There are four main areas of responsibility for the Marketing Coordinator:
1. Brand management
2. Social media
3. Production and distribution of marketing materials
4. Traditional advertising
5. Communications

1. Brand Management
As the route’s brand and logo belong to the route, it is important that the Marketing Coordinator oversees the use of the logo in all aspects of marketing. Brand guidelines are provided by Open Africa during the branding process which need to be adhered to at all times in order to protect and maintain the parent Open Africa brand to which the route belongs and the hospitality experience that it represents.

Misuse of the logo (e.g. incorrect colour, distorted size, low resolution) can severely damage or dilute the brand and potentially have a negative effect on all other brands (routes) associated with the Open Africa route network. For this reason, the brand needs to remain consistent and professional so as not to hurt or cheapen it in any way.

2. Social Media
Social media has come a long way since the days of chat rooms and has increased collaboration, provided a platform for people to share ideas and connected people across the globe. It has become an important tool and it’s important for businesses to understand the impact social media can have on them.

Customers can now interact with brands, products and services directly and even become ambassadors for them and vice versa. Brands now have a direct link to their customers, making it possible to receive constructive feedback and deal with customer complaints in the moment. It can also, of course, have negative effects for brands which is why it is some important for someone to manage a business’s social media accounts.

Customer Reviews have become more important than advertising, especially for tourism-based businesses. Now, consumers can write reviews online about their experience at guesthouses, hotels, restaurants and even attractions for other consumers to read. A lot of good reviews can have an extremely good influence on the success of a business while a few bad ones could mean the end. This is why it’s so important to make sure your business is listed on review sites and complaints are dealt with in a timely fashion. TripAdvisor has become the world’s largest and most renowned review site and interestingly, has three times as many restaurants listed on it than hotels.

Many travellers plan their trips by researching online. This means that they read reviews for accommodation and restaurants online before they decide to make a booking. They listen to what their friends have to say about destinations on social media.

Recommended Social Media Channels:
• TripAdvisor
• Facebook
• Instagram

Please see the corresponding guides on how to market using these channels.

3. Production and Distribution of Marketing Materials
The route Marketing Coordinator will manage the production and distribution of all marketing materials and will give the final sign off once he or she is happy with the final product. As the route forms part of the larger Open Africa brand it is imperative that all marketing materials are sent to the Marketing Manager at Open Africa to ensure the parent brand is maintained and not damaged or diluted in any way.

Digital versions of materials such as banners, brochures and signage will be provided to the Marketing Coordinator for future printing needs. The files will be editable to allow for any changes or updates.

4. Traditional Advertising
While traditional print advertising can become costly, many local publications often provide discounted rates which can be a useful platform for routes to advertise. An advertorial is always the preferred type of advert as it looks like an article, can contain images and is generally more widely-read than small adverts placed in advertising sections of publications. Advertorials can vary in length from half a page to a page, to even 8 pages long, depending on the available budget. In the event of an advert being bought for the route, the Marketing Coordinator should manage the process and provide the publication with all the necessary artwork, hi-res images, text (copy) and hi-res logos.

5. Communications and media exposure
The Marketing Coordinator will be responsible for communicating with journalists and encouraging them to visit the route. This also entails coordinating the trips and ensuring that the rest of the route members play their respective parts. See the separate guide on how to invite and host journalists.

TripAdvisor is the world’s largest travel site, with more than 350-million travellers visiting the site each month to research and plan their trips. If your business is an accommodation, restaurant, or attraction, your property can be listed for free. Being on TripAdvisor will increase your business’ exposure to a large, qualified audience and give you access to many free marketing tools.

Here’s a handy video to help illustrate the guide below:

How to set up an account
There are two ways businesses can set up an account: a representative from your business can request a listing, or a TripAdvisor user can write a review of the property and initiate a listing.

Before you request a listing, go to https://www.tripadvisor.com/Owners to make certain that a traveller hasn’t already added your business to TripAdvisor. Look for the list of categories under the “Start here if you own or manage” header, select your business type and enter your business’ name.

If a match appears in the search box, click “Search” and on the next screen, check that the business name and region matches and then select “Register my business” to confirm that you are affiliated with the business. If your business is already listed, you should register for the existing listing instead of creating a new one. TripAdvisor only allows one listing per business.

Registering allows you to access the Management Centre, where you can manage your TripAdvisor listing and reviews. You can also correct any details that aren’t accurate. Plus, there are free tools to help you build your business. You can find out more information here.

Request a listing
If you enter your business’ name and a match is not found, it isn’t listed on TripAdvisor yet. You can request a listing by selecting the “Tell us more about it” link at the bottom of the search result page. You’ll need to provide a few different types of information about your business to get started. TripAdvisor editors will use this information to confirm that your business meets our listing criteria and determine the best category for it on the site. Complete the request form with as much detail as possible.

Your information
The “Your information” section helps TripAdvisor verify your relationship with the business. Provide your name, connection with the business, and email address. Make sure your email address is correct because they’ll send you a message when your listing is published on TripAdvisor. Then you can register your affiliation with the property to take advantage of free tools.

Listing information for your business
Next, you’ll provide information for your business including your company’s official name and address. Once you’ve typed your address, place the marker on the correct location on the map. Your property’s mapped location will be shown to travellers on the site as they plan their trips. You’ll need to add your company’s website and phone number as well.

Keep in mind that TripAdvisor’s editors use your website or a partner’s website (like a tourist board or reservations partner) to confirm the information you provide. So, it’s important that the data you submit in your listing request matches your website and other resources.

Business details
TripAdvisor will also need you to answer some detailed questions about your type of property. These help them to make sure they’re displaying your business in the right category and including as much relevant information as possible. For more specifics on your particular type of property, check out the categories below:

Accommodations:
As an accommodation owner, your property will be listed on the TripAdvisor hotels section for your destination. There are some specific items you’ll need to provide so they can put you in the correct category within that section:

• Total number of rooms
• Price range
• Minimum stay requirements
• If you have on-site staff and security
• If room cleaning is included
• Front desk staffing details
• If bathrooms are en suite

TripAdvisor uses these characteristics, as well as official, local classifications, to determine if your property should be listed in the Hotels, B&B/Inns, or Specialty Lodging category on TripAdvisor.

You’ll also be able to provide additional information on amenities including whether your property offers complimentary breakfast, suites, tennis/golf, beach/pool access, fitness centre, internet access, etc. These details will be added to the “Amenities” portion of your listing and will help travellers research what they can expect at your accommodation.

Restaurants:
Restaurant listings appear on the Restaurants section of TripAdvisor. Individual restaurants that are open to the public can be listed. You’ll be asked to provide information on your category of restaurant (sit down, café or fast food), type of cuisine, pricing, and any special features. These items will appear on your listing page and will help travellers decide whether or not they’d like to dine at your restaurant.

Attractions:
You’ll need to select a category that best describes your attraction. If your business isn’t a fit for any of the attraction types that are listed, select “Other.” You can also provide your recommended length of visit, pricing information and details on other amenities (bathroom facilities, lockers, etc.).

In order for a property to be listed on TripAdvisor in the Attractions section, it must be a permanent place of interest (not seasonal or short-term) with an official name, address and phone number. The attraction’s hours or regular departure times must be available in a website or brochure, along with scheduled departure locations (if they vary). Tour companies can qualify as an attraction if they offer day tours, are licensed/recognised by the local city or tourism officials and the word “Private” appears in the listing name.

Add a business description
A description of your business helps travellers learn more. It must be written in your local language and cannot include any HTML coding, phone numbers, web/email addresses or text in ALL CAPS. It’s best to keep this description short, so guests can scan the key highlights you’ve provided and make a decision.

Choose a photo
Providing a photo of your business helps you make a strong first impression with travellers. TripAdvisor will display this on your listing page. The photo needs to be a .jpg or .gif (common photo formats). TripAdvisor can’t accept images with borders, logos or files that are larger than 100kb.

Submit the listing
Once you’ve confirmed that all of the information you’ve added is correct, check the box at the bottom of the form to verify that you are a representative of the business, the information you’ve submitted is valid and that you have the rights to post the image you’ve provided. Then click the ‘Submit’ button to complete the process.

Next steps
Once you request your listing, TripAdvisor editors will verify your details and confirm that your property meets the guidelines for the business type you’ve selected. This typically takes about 5 business days.

This guide can be found online on TripAdvisor.