Your free DiscoverOhio.com/BUCKEYE Database listing is a very important part of your marketing strategy. The information you provide appears on www.DiscoverOhio.com and is available for inclusion in our printed travel publications, the Ohio Travel Planner and the Ohio Calendar of Events. The information will be seen by hundreds of thousands of people. With your listing playing such as important role in your marketing efforts, it’s extremely important to make sure the listing is the absolute best it can be. Following are some tips to help you achieve that goal.
Know Your Audience. First and foremost, keep in mind that visitors to DiscoverOhio.com and readers of our publications are travelers. They may not be familiar with your area, so you want to be sure your description reflects that. Consider using phrases such as “When making your travel plans…” or “When visiting the [your city] area, be sure to stop by…”
Interesting, but Brief. Web visitor studies show that users tend to skip over large blocks of text. So, even though you can include up to 2,000 characters in your description, that doesn’t mean you should. Let visitors know what your destination has to offer, but keep in mind that your listing includes a link to your own website for more information. Also, information such as hours of operation and admission cost appears elsewhere on the submission form and shouldn’t appear in your description.
Include a Photo. We’ve all heard the phrase “A picture is worth a thousand words.” That is especially true with tourism marketing websites. While your description may paint a wonderful picture of what your destination offers, a photo can often help seal the deal. And while traditional print ads charge for including photos, including them in your DiscoverOhio.com/BUCKEYE Database listing is FREE!
Hours of Operation. Remember that visitors are looking for things to do while on a trip. They probably are looking at/considering several different options. Be helpful and make sure you clearly list your hours of operations so they can make sure a stop at your place of business fits in their plans. We’ve included a simple drop-down feature for each day of the week for entering your hours that makes it very simple for users to find the information.
Pricing. Many travelers are looking for ways to travel on a tighter budget. With that in mind, cost is a big issue in all travel plans. Letting visitors know how much it costs to visit your destination or take advantage of your services is really important. Note that on your submission form you can add as many different Pricing Categories as you’d like. This means you can include a separate category for adults, one for children, one for seniors and so on, rather than listing them all in one category. You can also use the categories for things such as “All Day Fishing Charter” or “Hot Air Balloon Rides”.
If you have any questions about how to make your DiscoverOhio.com/BUCKEYE Database listing the best it can be, or recommendations on how to make listings better, please contact Roger Barker at Roger.Barker@development.ohio.gov or (614) 466-5158 or Eric Herzog at Eric.Herzog@development.ohio.gov or (614) 466-0338.
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