Shoestring budgets: Social Media Marketing and target marketing
Social Media, New Media, Digital Media vs Traditional Media: which should you choose? Case study – the gay & lesbian travel market

Social media was the hot topic of the IGLTA Convention 2011;CVBs, Tourist Boards, Tour Operators, Hotels, Car rental companies, Airlines are all trying to find ways to not just contact the gay market but engage them. However, budgets smashed, some to dust, today more executives are trying to fit ‘gay’ in as a legitimate market with the leanest of resources.

With the LGBT market being worth in excess of US$700billion it is a huge opportunity for business, especially with over 14 million active LGBT users online. Google’s statistics claim that gay and lesbian travellers are reading travel blogs at twice the rate of heterosexual users – so how does this market differ? How do you target your marketing and budgets?

At last year’s conference IGLTA was tipping to a social media break point; the secret was out and discussion was consumed by social media talk. Facebook was in full speed; Twitter was preening its wings while a whole raft of new gay media emerged.

Budget
The quandary wasn’t budget; it was how to do things without cost. Social media offers direct access to those who identify as LGBT, it provides statistics on eyeballs, data on web hits and provides customer information. As marketers moved towards social media channels many big and known brands achieved acclaim for one-off online campaigns, including SAS with its uniquely successful “Love is in the air” campaign, the first commericial gay marriage mile-high. http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/best-job-in-the-world-case-study/Other companies looked for consistency of resource concentration on LGBT marketing campaigns who stuck to tried and tested campaigns like LAN Airlines sponsoring a gay pride event. http://www.passportmagazine.com/businessclass/FlyingTheGayFriendlySkies1178.php

IGTLA Convention 2011 identified social media as a necessity but to what extent. During the Media Showcase I spoke to a number of publications from across the globe to find out what the impact of social media was on their press and to what extent this was damaging or developing the market (see video IGLTA Media & Trade Showcase 2011).

The Press
The press were quick to point out that social media is a ‘touch point’, one of many to reach the consumer. Publications are too using social media to market their products, create discussion and get readers involved in the magazines and media. However while social media can create viral affects these can be few among many; for the press it is the ‘influencer’ that can draw bigger and better returns from the consumer. Writers and presenters argued that New Media from tastemakers who have a substantial following, profile and authenticity are the new driver, from bloggers to enthused Tweeters.

Further – the press argued that social media is a high-turnaround; the constant and instant flow of information is being diluted by a flood of messages to a consumer. Print still offered that luxury connection to the reader that sits on coffee tables or beside bathroom basins for months.

Marketers have the challenge of a fragmented market; consumers who may have similar interests are accessing information in different formats – therefore publications have had to meet the demands of digital media, social media, online media and traditional print. Rising markets including Brazil and China are experiencing a boom in printed publications; while American and European press are diversifying their product mix to provide the magazine across multiple platforms for Smartphone’s, tablets and computers.

The Marketing
While at the Unique Destination Showcase I asked how destinations were targeting the gay market and to what extent social media is a key aspect. Travel businesses were putting social media at the forefront of their strategy working on online campaigns that could go viral. Articles little different to this identify the traffic available online and the trusted rating given especially to personal recommendations. http://hotelexecutive.com/subscribe/2561/ When 35% of travelers change their choice of hotel after browsing social media it emphasises the affect online has; however to what extent is this traditional public relations? This spread of marketing is reminiscent of the old ‘word of mouth’ effect. See the video IGLTA Convention 2011.

Japanese tour operator Magnet explained that the traditional press and digital press were giving them the exposure they needed to present their destinations to educate the market to inspire travel. Visit Helsinki are still developing their gay and lesbian travel product by working with local travel organisations to create a business network to support the marketing campaigns. These destinations said they needed to reach out to people who didn’t know them, recognising that traditional media had a longer shelf life than social media; Magnet Tours invited Passport magazine (the largest gay magazine in the USA) and Bump TV (that broadcasts across the internet, iphone applications, MTV’s Logo, Canada and other international channels) giving Magnet Tours the chance to optimise its investment by presenting its product across multiple media formats.

Many marketers considered that direct contact with their customers and potential customers through social media allowed them to make their campaigns more effective to ensure they reached the right people, in other words Facebook offered direct access to their intended audience.

A presentation by Google showed all the consumer touch-points available to market their products. http://www.igltaconvention.org/?page_id=51 However, for many, tight or non-existing budgets were forcing them into social media while tailoring products to specific markets was draining their time resources.

The Factor
The IGLTA Convention identified one important factor to be considered when deciding on a campaign focusing on social media vs traditional media – the reach and its quality. This relies on maturity of your markets and the type of consumer you are targeting.

Social media is a unique marketing tool for both the press and travel products to get the consumer in an instant. Traditional media and new media add to your PR strategy providing depth and inspiration to travelers to capture their interest before the social media takes affect.

Social media offers that touch point, viral campaigns can bring interested consumers in direct communication with you. KLM recently ran a viral quiz campaign targeting the gay market. This allowed the airline to connect with interested consumers it had not connected with before and therefore grow its marketing database.

Social media is a public relations meets marketing exercise; you can’t force people to join your fan page or Tweeter profile you can just remind them you’re there in a way that extenuates their interest.

The Conundrum marketers face is – invest time in social media and hope it is a success, or invest money on more traditional ROIs.

Australia’s Best Job In The World viral campaign that earned 100’s millions still cost $1million to launch and manage – so even social media campaigns need an injection of budget somewhere.

However - if one statement is clear when targeting the gay market or any niche market; the sound of one considered and intelligent mark of respect can earn brownie points for years; and if you’re prepared for the long haul this could bring them over forever. Make your products relevant and be consistent in your approach.

REFERENCES:
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