If you’re not already familiar with #tourismchat, it’s a biweekly twitter chat (Thursdays at 2pm CST) that focuses on how social media is used in the tourism industry.
Our last chat, June 9, was about Social PR. You can read through the entire chat transcript [pdf] but here are some of my favorite tweets/replies from the chat:
Do you have a separate Twitter/Facebook account for your PR efforts?
- @theresaoverby: No separate accounts. Just one voice and central location. So far it’s been successful.
Do you use particular sites to send press releases?
- @maddenmedia: We post them to our website and SoMe accounts. As far as press goes, we send it the old fashioned way – pigeon carrier.
- @AshleyTravels: Increased interaction, IMO. RT @lizpurcell What is the response to having SoMe links on your releases?
Do you have an online newsroom?
- @lizpurcell: ABSOLUTELY! With social sharing capabilities
- Examples of online newsrooms: Madden Media, Delaware Tourism, St. Joseph CVB and Indiana Dunes
Do you include video in your press releases?
- @theresaoverby: Include video when appropriate. Very effective for festival promo when you have fun “personalities.”
- @theresaoverby: What if your video is the story — Like Hideaway in Rockford? Nice example of earned media on video.
What tools are successful for targeting PR contacts and how do you identify them?
- @theresaoverby: Alltop is a good resource for travel blogs
What gets the most return when you send it out to PR folks? Video, photos, straight text?
- @oregonkat: definitely photos, include a flickr link made especially for them if you can
- @maddenmedia: Straight text.
- @generaltours: Photos and plain text tend to get the most return, esp compared to investment time for us (video editing is consuming!)
- @beaumartian: Email text gets re purposed and so do photos.
- @DonnieClapp: Pics and such are good for support, but if the text isn’t tight and compelling, they won’t save you.
What are going to take back to your organization from today’s chat?
- @cupoflocalsugar: Make sure version 2 of website has newsroom, add share links to just about everything and type faster during #tourismchat
Our next #tourismchat is Thursday, June 23, and will focus on video. If you have suggestions for future #tourismchat topics, send them to @WhosYourAnnie (anne@annehornyak.com) or @decillis.