Google’s hotel search has to balance the needs of hotels, online travel agents, travelers and advertisers. By updating their hotel search, Google has certainly won more fans from the hotel community, but has not alienated advertisers – especially the OTAs. Their trick was to unify hotel search with other forms of local search and to smartly focus on the needs of the consumer.
A Hotelier’s Take on IATA’s New Distribution Capability
June 4, 2013 By 3 Comments
The International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) controversial decision to adopt the Airline Tariff Publishing Company (ATPCO) XML standard based on the Farelogix Air Commerce Gateway that was supported by the now defunct Open AXIS group is misguided. Its focus is airline-centric, ensuring the airlines full control over search and booking transactions occurring within their ecosystem. Like so many other things in the world of airlines, it really should be customer focused.
How Big Data, Deep Web & Semantic Technologies Change Travel Marketing
April 17, 2013 By 1 Comment
Big Data, The Deep Web and the Semantic Web are all buzzwords that are bandied about, but they represent very real technologies that will dramatically alter the foundations of travel marketing. Robert Cole’s Keynote presentation to the 2013 Association of Travel Marketing Executives addresses the main benefits of deploying the technologies. Incredible opportunities exist for those who smartly plan to adopt the technologies to effectively engage with travelers.
Transforming Supplier-driven Travel Booking Experience
February 14, 2013 By 3 Comments
The personalization and customization of the customer experience will mark the greatest transformation for travel booking. To sustain relevance and foster loyalty, travel sellers and suppliers will need to focus on understanding the context of traveler behaviors to create sustainable value in an effort to extend lifelong customer relationships. A Tnooz-Monetate webinar titled “Transforming the Supplier-driven Travel Booking Experience” included presentations by RockCheetah founder Robert Cole and Monetate CMO, Kurt Heinemann.
ATME Presentation – Collision of SEO and Social, Who Draws the Creepy Line?
October 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Robert Cole presented “The Collision of SEO & Social – Who Draws the Creepy Line?” for the Association of Travel Marketing Executives (ATME) Annual Conference held on June 27, 2012 at the W City Center in Chicago, Illinois. Travel industry marketing leaders were challenged to think about the ethical and privacy implications of their strategies.
How to Get Found – Search, Social, Local and Mobile | SkiTops
August 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment
SkiTops, the Ski Tour Operator Association, invited Robert Cole to give the keynote presentation at its annual SkiTops University event on July 31, 2012 at Grans sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada. The subject was how Search, Social, Local and Mobile was impacting travel marketing and technology, as well as the ski industry. The conference also featured a presentation by Roy Tuscany of the High Fives Foundation, a non-profit that supports athletes that have sustained life altering injuries while participating in winter action sports.
SkiTops University – Search, Social, Local and Mobile, How to Get Found
July 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment
SkiTops, the Ski Tour Operator Association, invited Robert Cole to give the keynote presentation at its annual SkiTops University event on July 31, 2012 at Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada. The subject was how Search, Social, Local and Mobile was impacting travel marketing and technology, as well as the ski industry.
Collision of SEO and Social – Where’s the Creepy Line?
June 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Changing rules, or a complete lack of rules governing the use of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) methods to increase Social Media ranking results in many groups using new technology to approach and cross the Creepy Line. The presentation is a discussion of the issues in play and what travel companies can do to engage customers and avoid crossing the creepy line – even when competitors are behaving badly.
Measuring and Monetizing Social Networking & Mobile Media
March 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Golf courses and private golf clubs in particular may be the premier example of offline social networking. In a presentation at the National Golf Course Owners Association annual Conference, RockCheetah’s Robert Cole and ChrisStrauss of OB Sports Golf Management explain how to creatively apply social media and mobile technologies to help players and members interact with each other, drive more rounds and improve the end-to-end experience of the game itself.
NGCOA Presentation – Measuring and Monetizing Social Networking & Mobile Media
February 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Robert Cole of RockCheetah and Kris Strauss of OB Sports Golf Management presented “Measuring and Monetizing Social Networking & Mobile Media” for the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) Annual Conference held on Februart 29, 2012 at the Renaissance Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The golfing industry represents the perfect opportunity for social media and mobile marketing to enhance player engagement the number of rounds played and the golfer’s enjoyment of the game.
