Smart phones provide marketing opportunities

Do you remember that archaic rectangular box that you needed to access the Internet a few years ago? It’s called a laptop computer. Today, smart phones such as the Blackberry, iPhone and Android are providing mobile access to the Internet in growing numbers.

Because of the boom in smart phone usage, marketing efforts are changing as well — not just to visitors, but among all business sectors. Consumers are looking for information in real time, and smart phones give them the opportunity to make purchasing decisions immediately.

The Mat-Su CVB is capitalizing on this trend of instant information for visitors by launching a mobile-optimized version of our Web site, www.alaskavisit.com. When visitors go to the regular site on a handheld device, they will be automatically redirected to the mobile version, which essentially is a listing of member businesses, including phone numbers, addresses and Web sites. Visitors have the opportunity to call a member business simply by touching their listing on the mobile site, providing instant access.

According to research from TIG Global, an international marketing company focused on the travel industry, mobile marketing is a very important tool for destinations.

“Web sites that are mobile-ready have become every inch as important as a traditional Web site, serving as the primary outlet utilized by consumers on the go,” TIG reported in a recent research paper. “It is important to implement a mobile-specific site, or a mobile-friendly Web site that is compatible with a variety of mobile devices, to convey the look and feel of your Web site.”

As a destination marketing organization, the Mat-Su CVB provides information to visitors and residents about experiences in the Mat-Su Valley, from where to stay to what to do. We provide that information a number of different ways — through a printed Visitor Guide and online at our Web site — but they require some advanced planning on a consumer’s part. They must take the time to pick up the guide, or they must sit down at their desk to access the Web site, for example.

With a mobile-optimized site, however, we take away the onus of planning ahead. When the mobile site launches, it will give power to the visitor to make decisions on the go, which helps benefit our member businesses because they will be accessible to visitors no matter where their travels may take them.

As an organization, we’re excited to continually evolve our marketing efforts to meet the needs of today’s visitors. By giving them more information on what to see, what to do and where to stay — at a second’s notice — we increase the likelihood they’ll stay in our area longer, providing a greater economic impact to the Mat-Su Borough.

Casey Ressler (casey@alaskavisit.com) is the marketing and communications manager at the Mat-Su CVB.