KINGSTON – Moving into the warmer weather and increasingly less restrictive COVID mandates, Ulster County Tourism has announced their strategy for 2021, which will rely heavily on social and digital media marketing with an aggressive approach to web surfers planning trips.
Tourism Director of Tourism Lisa Berger said the county will be analyzing analytics such as viewer retention on video ads, clicks, impressions and usage of their book direct feature from the county’s website. The county has also focused on investment in travel data analytics, all in an effort to target users with search data pointing towards their intention to visit the county.
“We’re using digital marketing almost entirely. That is really our focus,” said Berger. “We’ve moved to an advertising plan that advertises the digital era. We will be placing banner ads, programmatic video, static digital ads and native content and it’s going to be served to people on websites where they’re planning trips,” she said.
Additionally, the county is utilizing data from those who interact with the tourism page, but do not interact with their lodging recommendations, or book-direct and tracking those users so they continually have Ulster Tourism ads appear to them as they browse the web.
According to Berger, video advertising is showing the most promise. The county is employing techniques like A/B testing, or split testing, where multiple versions of the same ad are distributed with certain details changed in order to see which versions generate the most engagement, a strategy used by many successful political campaigns and mobile gaming companies. They are also using social media influencers and bespoke, think-pieces on Ulster-centered subject matter to garner attention.
The ultimate goal is to increase overnight visitation, which Berger said generates the most sales tax revenue. This year’s plan will work in tandem with the county’s promotion of local trail usage as the county continues to have increased outdoor activity resulting from pandemic restrictions.
NEWS STORY PROVIDED BY: Mid Hudson News -www.midhudsonnews.com