MARKETING

December Website Stats:

• Users & Page Views: 
  • Month over month, acquisitions experienced considerable increases with Sessions increasing by 180.9%, Users increased by 178.9% and Page views increased by 125.7%. Users who visited the site in December were mostly females, ages 55-64 and New Visitors (80.7%). While New Visitors and Returning Visitors both exhibited increases, New Visitors had the larger increase at 184.8%.
• Geography:
  • Texas delivered the most Sessions in December, followed by Georgia and Illinois, respectively. Out of the top 10 states, Ohio had the largest increase in session of 430.7% making Ohio the 4th state for sessions this month due to large increases in several major Ohio cities.
    Sessions continued to be highest in Atlanta, GA out of all other Metro areas, followed by Chicago, IL and Dallas-Ft Worth, TX.
  • Major increases were observed across all major cities with the exception of New Orleans, LA which only increased 7.3%, however, this was to be expected after such a large increase in sessions in November from the Bourbon, Boudin and Beer festival.
• Top Areas viewing our site: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston and Nashville
• The most viewed pages:
  • The most viewed pages in December were the Home page followed by the WaterSound Beach neighborhood page and the ResortQuest page. In general, partner pages showed increased interest this month with the most viewed partner pages being: Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, Dune Allen Realty Vacation Rentals and The Pearl Hotel. This is likely a result of the ongoing Co-Op campaign (Fall campaign wrapped in December).
• BookDirect had 144.5% more overall clicks than the previous month, with the most clicks (and the biggest increase in clicks) coming from the Home page widget (+165.8%). BookDirect clicks were lower in the beginning of the month and picked up considerably around December 18th, when there was an increase in media spend, and continued to increase throughout the month, with the highest amount of clicks happening on December 31st. The majority of BookDirect clicks came from users who entered the site via Google Paid Search Ads and Facebook Paid Social Ads.

Event Marketing Support Program:

As mentioned in last month's Connection newsletter, applications for the South Walton Event Marketing Support Program are now open and being accepted through Feb. 14, 2020. The Visit South Walton Event Marketing Support Program is intended to support, grow and promote local special events that have the ability to generate overnight stays, strengthen the Visit South Walton brand and enhance the South Walton vacation experience. Applicants whose events are accepted into the program will receive a combination of marketing support and reimbursement funds that are intended to achieve the above-listed objectives. To submit an application, click here.

Print Publications:
Visit South Walton has officially launched three new publications, VISIT, STAY and Perfect. For those who are familiar with our annual Visitor Guide, we are changing things up a bit. VISIT will be a revamped version of our Visitor Guide, complete with features on the South Walton culinary scene, lifestyle, events and outdoor exploration. STAY is going to showcase our diverse collection of accommodations, in addition to annual events and the different ways you can "stay" in South Walton. Perfect celebrates the businesses and events that were honored as our 2020 Perfect in South Walton Award winners. 

These publications will complete our exciting new lineup of print products which are available for our partners to share with their guests and patrons. In addition to VISIT and STAY, we have these supplemental pieces. 

• SCENE: Beyond the beach, South Walton is known for a diverse collection of art galleries and lively musicians. Scene is a showcase of all things arts and culture. 
• FOREVER: Say "I Do" in South Walton. Forever is your guide to weddings in South Walton. Learn about the variety of venues available and all of the ways you can create lasting memories on your big day. 
• EXPLORE: With more than 200 miles of hiking and biking trails, and 40 percent of the land in South Walton preserved, Explore is exactly what you need to get out and explore nature, from hiking and biking to stand-up paddleboards and kayaking. 
• SAVOR: Foodies, rejoice. Savor is our spotlight on all things culinary in South Walton, from waterfront and fine dining to coastal casual eats and full restaurant listings. 

Interested in our free guides? We'd love for you to share these with your guests. We've lifted the limit on the number of guides we can now distribute. Contact Industry Relations Specialist Lisa Foster at Lisa@visitsouthwalton.com for more information. 

Book Direct Accommodations Search Engine: 
Visit South Walton has partnered with Book > Direct to provide accommodation partners with the ability to display real-time rates and availability on visitsouthwalton.com. Our Partner Extranet does not sync with the Book > Direct platform at this time. Please email Haley@visitsouthwalton.com to add or update a rental property listing.

To view the Book > Direct user interface and its functionality, please visit the stay page of our website. If you need more information about Book>Direct or signing up as a a South Walton partner, please contact Lisa Foster, industry relations specialist, at Lisa@visitsouthwalton.com. 

Highlight your Special Events on the Visit South Walton Website:
There’s always something going on in South Walton. Beyond the sugar-white sand beach and turquoise water, endless events await. From wine tastings to art walks, farmers markets to half marathons, there’s never a dull moment. Check out our events page to browse the latest happenings or submit your own event to our calendar.