DIGITAL DESTINATIONS

Dr Philip Alford Bournemouth University

www.digitalhub.co.uk

www.pinterest.com/digitaldest www.slideshare.net/DigitalHub

ddp@bournemouth.ac.uk

@schooloftourism | @philipalford

#DDBU

Digital Destinations project is an ESRC funded research project, delivered by Bournemouth University,

with an overarching aim to:

‘capture change in the adoption and use of digital technologies and to develop a strong, competitive local tourism economy.

Through increased understanding and use of emerging digital technologies, visitor economy businesses will be in a position to increase their marketing and management effectiveness, and

develop new products and services that will provide an enhanced experience for visitors to their destinations’

The businesses benefited from 4 workshops which covered: Background to on line marketing

Individual Business objectives

Developing the strategy

Measuring impact

Reporting outcomes via case studies

All course material can be found at http://www.slideshare.net/DigitalHub All business outcomes and blogs can be found at http://www.budigitalhub.co.uk/

The following presentation is the case study provided by KMC Kingston Mauward identified the need to improve data capture and to get to know who customers are; to engage through social media and to improve information on the website. The business used on-line and off-line techniques to increase customer engagement – from e-news updates to ‘feedback’ trees in the attraction – and made connections between each via social media. A clearer understanding of customers meant Kingston Mauward was better able to identify routes for communication.

Consultation with our student, Rebecca Black,

identified the following goals;

• To improve data capture and to get to know who

our customers really are

• To set up a Twitter account so that Kingston

Maurward can engage on a regular basis with its

loyal customer base.

• To improve information on the website

• Marketing department currently trying to provide a

service to too many

departments.

• No one is dedicated to marketing the gardens and

animal park

• Gardens and Animal park

staff not familiar with social media

• Twitter and Facebook

were not set up

• No knowledge of Google

analytics outside the

marketing department

• No time for marketing

staff to regularly make

improvements to the

website

• A mail chimp campaign was undertaken with a

Spring newsletter sent out to season ticket holders

• A feedback tree was set up to encourage visitors to

leave their comments

• Twitter was set up and training provided to staff

• Improvements were made to the web site

Lovely place to

come to with the

grandchildren

The rabbits are my

favourite

This place is

brilliant

Digital marketing has now been integrated into the Gardens and Animal park;

• This was proved when an amusing tale about a guinea pig

being given gas and air recently received the immediate

comment “I must do a blog about that!”

• Tweets are made on a regular basis providing information

about events, and news in the park.

• A blog is being set up on the website

• Staff now meet regularly with the marketing

department to discuss ideas for the Gardens and

Animal Park

• Mail chimp will be used regularly to send out a

newsletter

• Google analytics are now monitored on a regular

basis

• The website is constantly monitored and will be

improved more in the near future

• Facebook pages will be introduced soon

• The support provided by Bournemouth

University has been highly valued by

Kingston Maurward College

• The web space and support by Rachel

Black quickly helped shape the project with

relevant, achievable objectives

• Inclusion in a Digital Destination project

team was valuable; e.g. learning about

others’ social media experiences and how

we could incorporate them

• Due to other priorities time prevented using the group more fully - the Gardens and Animal Park is a smaller commercial element of the business – it is likely other businesses had the same challenge

• Some projects have already been actioned – a successful Twitter account is in place, with Facebook and a Blog to follow shortly; Invaluable advice from the Digital Destinations project was that good quality content is essential for successful social media. e.g: ‘Guinea Pigs; Gas and Air’ as a tweet or blog – brilliant!

• The project helped us have a clearer idea on who our customers are, and as such how to communicate with them. Kingston Maurward embraced the target to increase Twitter followers and regular communication with our current customers.

• Whilst this is the end of the project, for Kingston Maurward this is the beginning of an exciting new phase in marketing and we are very grateful to Bournemouth University for this opportunity.

For more information on DIGITAL DESTINATIONS contact:

Dr Philip Alford, Bournemouth University

ddp@bournemouth.ac.uk

@schooloftourism | @philipalford

#DDBU