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www.parkworld-online.comProduct News
Social Mediawww.parkworld-online.comThe Social RollercoasterHarnessing the power of the ‘outernet’Do you remember when the internet wassomething you used simply for marketing a newride or selling tickets? And do you rememberwhen the only way your guests could access theweb was from computers in their homes oroffices? Now that it’s possible to be online all ofthe time, Klaus Sommer Paulsen asks howattraction operators can harness the power ofsocial media within their facilitiesThings have changed, and will keep on changing.The internet has gone outdoors – becoming the“outernet” – and our mobile phones have beentransformed into computer terminals providing infiniteinternet access. Using such platforms, visitors arealready documenting their day out at your park, ratingthe experience and sharing it with their friends – andthe entire online world – as it happens. So keep yourear to the ground!“You have to think mobile first,” comments LanceHanish in the digital newsletter Media Notes Canonical(sophis1234.tumblr.com). “We live in a digital age,and an age of transition. There is nothing superficialabout it; it changes marketing, communication andbrand experiences to the core.”First you mustaccept that that thecommunicationoverload – or“communi-chaos” asGrey New York’s PerPedersen once calledit – has reached alevel too high for itsown good. Every dayin the Western WorldA search for “theme parks” onPinterest produced thiswe are exposed tomore than 5,000brand signals. Sowhen you can’t get the interest and the time fromcustomers by shouting at them liked you used to withtraditional marketing, what can you do? You becomepart of the discussion online.This doesn’t just mean Facebook or Twitter. Newsocial networks are emerging all the time. For examplethe virtual “pin board” Pinterest is becoming apowerful force as users share the things they love withpotentially millions. Its popularity is increasing so fastthat from writing to publishing this article, the numberof users lept from 10 to 12 million. Take a look athttp://pinterest.com.Tracking the conversationIf you’re worried that you can’t keep track of whatpeople are saying about you across social media andthe web in general, fear not, you certainly aren’t thefirst with such concerns. That’s why there now areseveral tools for tracking what is being said onlineabout you or your company. Spiral16’s monitoringsoftware, for instance, will let you know if you aregetting the good or bad wrap, and even helps yourecognise who influences most with their opinion. Yetas with any other tool, it its most effective whenwielded by those who understand it so, as with all yoursocial media activity, you should assign the rightpeople to the job, even if that means working withsomeone from outside your organisation.To engage audiences online consider offeringunique digital experiences related to your park orattraction, such as games or other entertainment. Thispresents a challenge to the attractions industry. Youmay find yourself competing with sponsored productsfrom established brands, but equally you have a greatopportunity to extend your own brand in the digitalarena, building loyalty and stimulating interest amongthe paying guests of tomorrow.As we design the next generation of theme parkattractions, we should be thinking not only about howthe public relations or marketing department canfollow social media, but how such features can bebuilt into the experience from the very beginning.Create something of value for your visitors, and theywill simply have to tell others about it!Enriching the experienceOne way of doing this is by providing enrichingexperiences that can only be enjoyed at your venue.Offered by the Dutch company of the same name,TapeMyDay (TapeMyDay.com) combines facerecognition technology with a network of cameras totrack visitors as they make their through a park orattraction. Those that opt in will be able to relive theirentire day on video – and share it online. This bespokeservice is also a wonderful viral marketing opportunityfor attraction operators. Several other video and photosystems are available, providing images that can beuploaded instantly to your guests’ chosen social mediaplatform.Whenever there is an extra dimension to the guestexperience, people will spend more “dwell time” inyour facility. This of course is the holy grail forattractions operators: a state where people find areason to stay beyond a specific purpose The longerthey stick around, the more money they spend.Correctly integrated into a ride or attraction, socialmedia is one way of achieving this.The term “information technology” (IT) may evokememories of nerdy types tinkering away on computersin darkened rooms, yet thanks in large part to theinternet we are all engaging with IT every day. Acrossthe world, millions of people of all ages are collecting,processing and distributing data – and enjoying it – asthey share their experiences, good and bad, with othersonline. Parks and attractions need to wake up to thisreality and develop a cohesive digital strategy ratherthan simply offering a website or a Facebook page.Two-waytrafficWhere onceparks andattractionspumped outthe marketingmaterial andhoped it wouldreach potential guests, now theycan reach then them directly viasocial media – and they canreach you.If you used to keep your fansat arms length, consider thatyou could foster a newgeneration of brandambassadors by respondingdirectly to their Tweets,Facebook posts etc.It helps to have someone onyour staff who is a proficientuser of social media themselves.Stay “on message” of course,but in the spirit of the honest,open social internet, be naturaltoo. No one likes a PR robot.“To be frank, we used to keepthe fans at a bit of a distance,”Efteling CEO Bart de Boer toldPark World a couple of yearsago before his social mediaconversion. Now he’s anenthusiastic Twitter user(@drsbartdeboer), and regularlyhosts events to keep fansabreast of new developments.They of course then tell all theirfriends online.This time of year is of coursea great time for postingconstruction updates, photos etcahead of the new season. Armedwith such information, fans willfeel up to speed with all that ishappening at your park andhopefully they – and all theironline friends – will show uponce the gates are open.Based in Denmark, Klaus SommerPaulsen is an award-winning directorof digital media, and member ofThemed Entertainment Association’sEurope and Middle East Divisionboard. As founder of CNA CreativeNetwork Agency (www.cnagency.dk)he aims to bring new media,marketing and experiencedesign together tocreate enriching visitorexperiences. Klaus canbe reached atksp@cnagency.dkor on Twitter:@klauspaulsen36MARCH 2012
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