Three Lies you tell yourself about your web marketing.

We all do it in some form or another, rationalize our way into the mediocre.  This type of self-deception and ostrich mindset is not only costly in the long run, it's a problem you need to take care of righthisminute.  The way of the web slows down for no man,and here's three whoppers too many destinations cling to as rationalizations.

1. "Our traffic is steadily rising, so what we are doing seems to work."  How much of that traffic is a natural national trend of increased web activity?  Getting traffic is not the end of the game, and really not even the point.  If I ask you, honestly, how your website is performing for you and you can't access a quantifiable impact to the destination from your website, you're missing key factors and that fancy, expensive website is just  a brochure again.  You might remember in 2009 at eTourism summit when I predicted the fall of the website, and honestly .. we are just about there.  So pocket that 6 figures and put it to a more productive business strategy.
2. My destination's website is unique and distinctive in the marketplace.  Please don't take offense when I challenge the "perception" of your destination's site.  But do me a favor. Go to 5 websites of destinations in the same state, cover the logo and guess where.  This is because you have evolved online, and what *could* be done, has been.  New website territory exists in those small voices that say to you, "what if?"  
3. We don't have enough budget to compete with the larger destinations.  True, you may not be able to buy your way into invading customers browsing sessions.  Here's what no one has told you.  You are enough.  If you have a smart phone, internet connection, creativity and not afraid to look silly; you can compete with Facebook.  Really, Scout's honor.  If you really want to stir up online attention for your destination, it's within your grasp.  Focus on owned and earned media.  Remember the "earn" part and invest in building relationships directly with your visitors.  At the end of the day, if you're worth visiting again, your visitors will cover that advertising gap in spades.

Challenge yourself often, and if you just need to offload, I'm a pretty good listener.

Peace, love and bed tax,

Jenn