MSilver

Greater Fort Lauderdale Gets Social with iVisitLauderdale

    
 

Keeping its social media-savvy travelers top-of-mind, Greater Fort Lauderdale introduces the free iVisitLauderdale iPhone application where visitors can now plan their Greater Fort Lauderdale vacation on-the-go. The application leads the way to an enhanced visitor experience with up-to-date information and the latest GPS mapping technology, video, images, searchable listing and many other user-friendly features. Viewers can even personalize their application by adding interest to their favorites, and sharing with family and friends.

 

Download the app and jump-start your Fort Lauderdale escape on iTunes or from Greater Fort Lauderdale’s website, www.sunny.org/iphone

MSA Talks Social Media Trends with Industry Pioneers

Traditional media has changed. Anyone who has ever heard the words “tweet” and “poke” can attest to the fact that the media industry has transformed into a digital social universe, with outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and online blogs at the forefront of it all.

MSA employees joined some of the industry’s top bloggers as they met around our conference table as a group for the first time. As they swapped ideas on website design and business practices, MSA stepped in for an informal lunch to learn their tips on pitching online media.

Here are a few do’s and don’ts we learned to aid in pitching the “blogosphere”:

• Do establish relationships with bloggers – According to JohnnyJet, bloggers can receive up to 350 press releases per day and are more likely to open and respond to information from PR professionals who they know and trust.

 

• Don’t over distribute client announcements – Travel bloggers are interested in first hand-experiences and revolutionary travel ideas. Corporate appointment releases are not the grab-your-attention type of stories that send bloggers jumping from their seats.

 

• Do read the blogs you are pitching – When you are familiar with the coverage on a blog, you are able to cater your pitches to pique the interest of the writers.

 

• Don’t follow up press releases with phone calls – According to Go Nomad blogger Max Hartshorne, there is nothing worse than a phone call with the question, “Did you receive my press release?” If a writer is interested in your story, he or she will contact you. Writers who work online are always online, and e-mail is the best form of communication.

 

• Do invite bloggers on press trips – Not only are most unconstrained when it comes to accepting trips, first-hand experiences translate to immediate and extended coverage – two things that will make clients very happy.

 

• Don’t send overwhelming amounts of information – Keep your pitches to the point. Enough said.

 

• And finally, Do follow JohnnyJet, GoNomad, PerceptiveTravel, BootsnAll, TransitionsAbroad, and Vagabondish for the latest travel stories and trends.

The MUST-KNOW List of Travel Bloggers

 

Tim Leffel, Editor of  www.PerceptiveTravel.com  &  www.LuxuryLatinAmerica.com
Twitter:  @timleffel   @LuxLatinAmerica
 
John E. DiScala (AKA Johnny Jet), Founder, www.johnnyjet.com 
Twitter: @johnnyjet

Max Hartshorne, Editor, www.gonomad.com 

Twitter: @gonomad

 
Michael Richard, Editor, www.vagabondish.com
Twitter: @vagabondish
 
Gregory  Hubbs, Editor, www.TransitionsAbroad.com
Twitter - @gregoryhubbs
 
Sean E Keener, CEO and Publisher of BootsnAll Travel Network, www.bootsnall.com
Twitter: @SEKeener   and @BootsNAll
 
Andy Graham, Editor/Founder, www.HoboTraveler.com
@hobotraveler
 
Beth Whitman, Founder, www.WanderlustAndLipstick.com
Twitter: @wanderluster
 
Charlie Leocha and Christopher Elliott, www.ConsumerTraveler.com
Twitter - @elliotdotorg