February 15, 2009
Optimizing for Ohio’s Spring and Summer Tourist Season
This year promises to be a difficult one in Ohio, for us as SEMs, as well as for our clients. Northeast Ohio’s economy has been trying to pull out of a recession for a while, and Stark County, at least seems to have hit rock bottom and is rebounding. We want to make that happen for the rest of Ohio.
I know it’s February, and it’s been freezing cold for weeks, but it is time for our thoughts, and SEO / SEM strategies to turn to spring and summer, when many people begin making tourist trips into Ohio. I think this year may actually be especially good for tourism, as people still want to get away, but just can’t quite manage that Disney or Myrtle Beach vacation this year. We need to show Ohio’s citizens, as well as out-of-staters, just how much fun they can have right here in the OH! Just as we strategize to help our clients gear up for holiday sales, it is now time to think about how we can bring people, and their money into Ohio.
Hopefully many of you have clients in the tourism industry, and you may have clients that can benefit from the tourism in Ohio. Ohio is blessed with amusement parks like no other state in the Union. The indoor water parks have also become very popular in recent years. We also have a wealth of Amish goods available alongside the many antique shops and Amish and Country restaurants. Ohio also boasts of amazing museums and zoos. Ohio’s wineries have begun to garner attention nationwide and are now often a popular stop for any tourist looking for a little food and fun on their trip.
TKG is thrilled to provide SEO services to one such Ohio winery, right here in Hartville. Maize Valley has been in operation in one form or another since the 1960s. What began as a farm has evolved over time into the enterprising operation it is now, encompassing not only the original farm, but a bakery, deli with Amish meats and cheeses, a market with Maize Valley grown produce, and most recently, a winery.
Maize Valley is still evolving, this summer they will be hosting their first annual Civil War reenactment. Civil war reenactments have become very popular of late, and tend to draw families, tourists, students and history buffs. Maize Valley’s Bill Bakan is aware that his business has evolved over the years and that the way they have traditionally marketed their business has needed to evolve as well. He has chosen to “focus a lot on web based marketing because it is uniquely adaptive to the changing market place”. SEO/ SEM allows TKG and Maize Valley to focus on specific aspects of the business that Maize Valley would like to grow. Because the winery can be such a draw most especially during tourist season, it would be beneficial to concentrate our efforts in that area, as well as the many family friendly events that go on at Maize Valley, capitalizing on the natural growth in tourism in the spring and summer months.
Ohio has so much to offer as far as restaurants, family activities, camping , many outdoor activities. As an SEO, one suggestion you may want to present to your clients in the tourism sector is a page on their site with ideas and links to things to do in their particular area. This can be very helpful for users that are trying to plan a vacation, or a special trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, or even the Pro-Football Hall of Fame. If you let people know what else is available in your area, you may be bringing some much needed cash into our state. Some really great resources for marketing your client’s sites include the following Ohio tourism sites:
Hopefully, we can use this opportunity to generate some real interest in Ohio. We live in a remarkable state, with much to offer visitors, and more economically than trips to far away places.
