Discover the Fediverse // Meta and The Apple Tax on Boosts // How a Museum is Winning at Tik Tok // Reddit: The Next Era of Influence

In this episode of Digital Tourism Insights, host Pat Strader discusses industry trends and emerging marketing technologies. 

Topics include the benefits of the Fediverse, a decentralized network of social media platforms linked by ActivityPub, for targeted marketing campaigns and the appeal of its platforms such as Mastodon, PeerTube and PixelFed. 

Strader also highlights Meta's response to in-app purchase rules, increasing advertising costs, and the role of content-boosting via web platforms. 

Engaging audiences through platforms like TikTok, as demonstrated by the Black Country Living Museum in the UK, is spotlighted as an effective approach in modern tourism marketing. 

Lastly, Reddit's potential as a trusted platform for personalized marketing recommendations and an authentic way to connect with potential customers is explored.

00:12 Introduction to Digital Tourism Insights

00:44 Exploring the Fediverse: A New Frontier for Marketers

03:20 Getting Started with the Fediverse

https://jointhefediverse.net/learn/?lang=en-us

https://www.theverge.com/24063290/fediverse-explained-activitypub-social-media-open-protocol

https://github.com/emilebosch/awesome-fediverse

https://opensource.com/article/23/3/tour-the-fediverse

https://fediverse.party

https://thehustle.co/the-fediverse-explained/amp/

https://fedi.tips/what-is-mastodon-what-is-the-fediverse/

https://usa.kaspersky.com/blog/what-is-fediverse/28938/

https://gist.github.com/joepie91/f924e846c24ec7ed82d6d554a7e7c9a8

https://mashable.com/article/what-is-the-fediverse

06:03 Meta's Response to Apple Tax: Implications for Advertisers

https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/15/24073228/meta-apple-tax-facebook-instagram-boosted-posts

https://www.wsj.com/tech/meta-steers-users-away-from-new-apple-fees-in-latest-spat-between-tech-giants-63c96090

https://searchengineland.com/meta-advertisers-avoid-apple-service-charge-437569

08:43 TikTok's Role in Reviving Travel Interests: Lessons from the Black Country Living Museum

https://www.museumnext.com/article/how-black-country-living-museum-became-a-tiktok-sensation/

https://bclm.com/visit/

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/jul/05/black-country-living-museum-tiktok-viral-john-homer

Transcript

Pat: 0:12

hello and welcome to Digital Tourism Insights, a podcast by Digital Relativity. I'm your host, Pat Strader, founder and CEO 20 years of experience in travel and tourism marketing. And I invite you to join me for a quick look at industry trends, research, emerging technologies, and real talk on what works, what doesn't, and why. So grab a coffee, a beer, or a cocktail, there is no judgment here, and let's have some fun with an honest and irreverent look into the nitty gritty of travel and tourism marketing. And first off today, we're going to be looking at industry trends, exploring the Fediverse, a new digital frontier for marketers. You may be asking, what is the Fediverse? Well, something else that you've got to learn, right? To simply put, the Fediverse is a decentralized network of interconnected social media platforms, each offering unique opportunities for engagement. Unlike the traditional social media landscape that's dominated by a few major players, the Fediverse is a, quote unquote, a constellation of platforms. And it's linked by what is referred to as ActivityPub. This is a protocol that enables different platforms to interact with each other. And this decentralized approach is ideal for travel, destinations, operators, Marketers that are aiming to connect with highly engaged and very niche audiences. So, ActivityPub access the Fediverse back. It allows the content shared on one platform to be accessible across to others. It enhances your content's reach without that much additional effort. So, for instance, posts promoting a scenic tour can be shared and interacted with across various platforms. Tapping into the diverse communities with a genuine interest in travel, and this technical foundation makes the Fediverse a powerful tool for content distribution, community engagement, and direct communication with audiences interested in travel and tourism. The Fediverse encompasses platforms like Mastodon, which is a very popular, um, Fediverse platform, if you will, for microblogging. There's PeerTube for video sharing, PixelFed for images. These are all three from the algorithmic and the ad driven content that is prioritized and found in mainstream social channels. So for travel and tourism marketers, this represents an opportunity to connect with audiences. In a more authentic and personalized manner, fostering, that's right, fostering, genuine relationships rather than vying for attention in an unsaturated space, the segmented and engaged audiences allow for tailored campaigns, potentially leading to higher engagement rates and conversions. So engagement with the Fediverse, the passionate communities there offers a path to deeper interactions, stronger connections, and isn't that. A goal and our travel and tourism marketing. So how do you get started? Do a little research. I know that's probably groaning because you've got to go learn something else, but just select a platform that aligns with your content strategies, such as mastodon for updates or pixel fed for visuals, create an account, engage with the global community. Identify the most relevant platforms for your target audiences within these networks by creating platform specific content, engaging with communities. You can leverage the Fedverse's decentralized nature for targeted campaigns. Enhancing market efforts and travel and tourism site. And in addition to Mastodon and peer to pixel fed, um, there's other things, Friendica for a Facebook like experience, Pleroma for microblogging and each supports different content forms and community engagement and offering. You know, this landscape for brand storytelling and audience interaction. This is a key point here. Okay. We're looking at interacting, not just blasting people with news. But navigating the Fediverse requires a hands on management approach and an understanding of the nuance of each platform. Again, this takes time. This investment in time and content creation tailored to each unique community can yield significant rewards. Uh, direct engagement with travel enthusiasts and, and it's just a really great opportunity for brands to engage directly with their target audiences. So in conclusion, the Fediverse represents a shift towards a more equitable and user centric online experience with relates to. Social platforms for travel and tourism professionals. It offers an untapped potential for storytelling and community engagement. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the Fediverse stands as a promising avenue for innovative marketing strategies and travel and tourism, encouraging various explore and engage with this diverse communities. I think that we're going to continue to see more brands. Sticking their toe in the water, uh, with some of these platforms. And I think that it's, again, it's a really great opportunity for us to engage with our potential travelers, uh, you know, whether it be an inspiration or whatever the case may be, I just, I really feel that this is a huge opportunity that we all need to be paying attention to and making sure that we're prepared so that we can be ready to leverage the Fediverse for marketing. Today's tech spotlight. We're going to be taking a look quickly, taking a look at Meta's response to the app attacks and what it means for advertisers. So what is this all? Meta has announced that it will pass on Apple's 30 percent service charge for in app purchases, including boosted posts on Facebook and Instagram directly to the advertiser. Uh, this decision comes as a response to Apple's in app purchase rules. Which, you know, I think Meta has been circumventing these for quite some time, but the move is, you know, it's going to impact small businesses by making advertising more expensive. Pay attention here though, because this is very specific, and this is frankly a pretty easy fix, but particularly for those relying on in app purchases for boosting posts. So for small businesses, this means a direct increase in the cost of reaching potential travelers through posts boosted via your, oh, I'm going to say. So if you're using your phone, you're going to get whacked with this 30 percent charge. So by shifting our boosting to web platforms, simple, we can sidestep this additional expense and keep our marketing budgets in check, if you will. So, you know, in the travel and tourism space, this can be problematic simply because of the nature of what we do in travel and tourism, we're out and about, we're sharing experiences So you just have to be mindful of that. And again, this 30 percent service charge is going to be applied to any boosts that you do through. So the decision is significant. Here's why it matters to travel and tourism marketing professionals. First of all, increase costs. Small businesses will now have higher costs for boosting posts again through your iOS device. Payment changes. This one, this one's crazy here too, but if, if you are going to continue to post or excuse me, boost through your OS, you are going to have to pay up front for the boosts. Good times, but as travel and tourism marketers, here's how we can navigate these changes and just make some shifts to how you're posting. Um, if you do need to post, excuse me, I keep saying post. If you do need boost through your phone, just be mindful of this. But educate your teams and ensure that all of your marketing teams are aware of these changes and implications for the campaigns. And again, that additional 30 percent charge. So good times, Apple, uh, always an adventure. In today's destination spotlight, we're going to be taking a look at TikTok's role in reviving travel interests, learning some lessons from the Black Country Living Museum. So did you know that there's a museum located just outside of Birmingham in the UK that has become a TikTok sensation? That's right, the Black Country Living Museum has captured the hearts of 1. 3 million followers. with its unique and engaging historical content. So at the core of their success is storytelling. The museum's actors, like the beloved 1920s Granddad for example, bring history to life in a way that resonates with the younger TikTok audience and it's a brilliant example of how traditional narratives can be adapted for modern platforms. What the museum has done so effectively is to make their content a digital extension of their physical experience. They've shown that history isn't just about the past, that it's alive, it's entertaining, and it's still relevant. So what can we learn from the museum's success? Well, first of all, authenticity is key. Create content that's true to the brand and tells your story. Second, engage with your audience. Using challenges, hashtags, trends to your advantage and finally be consistent. Regular posting keeps your audience engaged and looking forward to more. The Black Country Living Museum's TikTok success underscores the platform's power in storytelling. Blending historical insights and modern trends, the museum reached a global audience. Providing gauging content. That can transcend the traditional marketing boundaries that we often see. So for travel marketers, their lesson here is pretty clear. Leverage TikTok's dynamic platform to showcase your destinations, unique stories and experiences. So if you're, if, again, if you're not familiar with this, go. Go look them up. Go check out their TikTok channel. It's just really, just some really fun and engaging content. So, some key highlights here. The Black Country Living Museum boasts 1. 3 million followers on TikTok. Man, that's crazy. And the unique and engaging content. Uh, the museum content strategy blends historical insights with modern culture trends, offering a mix of educational and entertaining videos. Includes everything from fashion videos inspired by K pop street fashion, educational pieces on women's roles in World War II, Victorian era recipes, mashups of all different types of memes, and hip hop music, and it's just, again, really, really creative approach. But all of this was produced in house. So all that content produced by team members, they're showcasing the museum staff's creativity and dedication. And the primary investment in this digital venture, if you will, is simply the time and effort of the museum's team highlighting an efficient use of resources. And I shouldn't oversimplify that. It does obviously take dedication and it is an investment, but. There's a very low barrier to entry here for you. The strategic success of the museums use of TikTok has significantly enhanced its brand awareness. As we wrap up, remember the platforms like TikTok offer a unique opportunity to reach new audiences and showcase your brand in a fresh and exciting way. The Black Country Living Museum has harnessed the power of TikTok to create a significant online presence with entertaining and educational content. And just sharing stories about the rich history of the region. The innovative approach not only placed Black Country Living Museum on the official UK TikTok 100 chart, but it's also crowned as the most followed museum globally on the TikTok platform. So just a really fascinating, interesting look at how to leverage TikTok, uh, in some unexpected ways.

12:59

In today's research roundup, we're going to be looking at Reddit, the next era of influence and travel marketing. This was a piece of research that, uh, they just recently posted. Again, the link will be in the show notes. Some really fascinating information here. And as trust in traditional advertising wanes, Platforms like Reddit emerge as these little sanctuaries of authenticity. Billions turning to Reddit for genuine advice. Travel marketers have an unprecedented opportunity to engage. With potential customers on a very personal level, the strategy, uh, dive into relevant communities, share insights, and become a trusted source of information. Why is this important? Trust in traditional advertising, again, is waning with over half of us shoppers that have concerns about the legitimacy of their main product discovery channels. Reddit, however, has become a trusted resource. With users adding quote unquote Reddit to their Google searches 32 billion times in search of more authentic advice. Here's where it gets interesting for us as marketers. Reddit's unique ecosystem fosters genuine bidirectional conversations offering personalized purchasing advice. This means it's an incredible opportunity for brands to connect. Authentically with potential customers. So how do we leverage this? First, spend some time learning about Reddit, identify relevant Reddit communities for your travel destination or service, and get in there and engage genuinely, share your insights and answer questions with the goal being to become a valued community member, not just a broadcaster of your message and spamming people with your special offers and things like that. Um, answer questions, be helpful. But diving into the discussions with authenticity and Reddit's format of request and response ensures that recommendations are tailored, making them trust magnets. For marketers, this translates into a chance to showcase real value in real conversations. So the impact. Recommendations on Reddit drive confident purchases across the board, from consumer electronics to beauty and yes, travel. Reddit is the number one destination For trustworthy advice. Crazy. This means tailoring your marketing efforts to be informative, helpful, and above all, genuine. Recommendations on Reddit are different than reviews. Again, they're bi directional, personalized, making them more valuable to users and brands. And keep in mind that recommendations play a critical role in the travel purchase journey, from discovery to decision. For example, in consumer electronics, 17 percent of recommendations come at the discovery stage, and 53 percent at the consideration stage. Well, we can analyze travel related subreddits to understand travelers needs and pain points. Well, there are some common themes that we see that we can address. And you can tailor your marketing strategies to address these very specific concerns. And again, helping to answer questions. To make this content actionable, you need to create a Reddit marketing strategy for your Identify relevant subreddits. Create content that adds value to the community and track engagements to optimize your campaigns. Remember the next era of influence is about trust and personalized recommendations. So by understanding the power of platforms like Reddit, you can create marketing strategies that resonate with travelers and drive conversions.

Pat: 16:53

that's all for today's episode. I hope that you found one small piece of information to help you along your marketing journey. If you have any questions over a topic that you'd like to hear covered or a great example of travel and tourism marketing in the wild, I'd love to hear from you. Just drop me an email, tti at digital relativity. com. That's tti at digital relativity. com. You can text 209 300 5017. That's 209 300 5017. Or message me on X at Pat Strader. I'm your host, Pat Strader, signing off, and I invite you to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and join us next time as we continue to explore the future of travel and tourism marketing.