White paper. Marketing Challenges International (MCIntl) has just released their latest white paper that outlines the social media marketing landscape for global destinations in the meetings and conventions industry. Digital and social media are now complementing and, in some cases, replacing traditional marketing strategies due to its cost effectiveness, expansive reach, and its ability to target specific audiences based on preference.

Using social media as a marketing tool for global destination promotion has long been popular in the leisure market. However, convention bureaus have been slower in adopting these new tools. Yet, social media marketing can play a key role in enhancing and elevating the brand of a business event destination.

Based on the findings, MCIntl’s white paper recommends to international destinations the implementation of three key strategies:
– First, using social media as a simple and cost-effective way to promote the destination’s brand;
– Second, building professional networks to meeting planners and other decision makers by making connections on platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter;
– And lastly, using social media to provide value-added services for meeting planners to help with delegate boosting, including building special content guides or offering “social concierge” services for meeting attendees.

“The market is evolving so rapidly that we have to keep monitoring it”, said M. Couturier, President, MCIntl. “We took an in-depth look at the social media landscape and extracted strategies for our global clients. We know that research and face-to face meetings are key to success for a destination, but applying effective social media tactics can also enhance the marketability of a destination.”

For the white paper click here.
www.mcintl.com