How does your destination stay relevant year-round for your visitors? That question was at the centre of the online event on seasonal storytelling. Content expert Amanda shared her insights and tips on seasonal marketing and seasonal storytelling. Because if you want to remain relevant all year round as a destination, you have to move smartly with the rhythm of your visitors: with the seasons they live through.
Did you know that...
- 87% of DMOs present at the event are already working with seasonal marketing?
- 57% of DMOs present indicated that time and capacity are the main reasons why working with seasonal content is difficult?
Summary: these key points were taken away by the DMOs in attendance
- Visitors live in moments, not in brand campaigns
- Micro-seasons follow nature & feeling
- Less content, better timing
- Structure gives peace of mind
- Year-round relevance = smart thinking ahead
“Your visitors don’t live in campaigns, but in seasons. Those who move in step with that rhythm are always relevant. Without constantly having to come up with something new.”
This is how we interpret the seasons
When you think of seasons, you probably immediately think of the calendar seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Spring with blossom, summer with sunny days, autumn with orange-red-brown trees and winter with snow and ice. We also call these calendar seasons macro-seasons. But these are not the only seasons in which we move. We also live in seasons of experience: sentiment that lives in a certain time of year. Just as nature sleeps and wakes in certain seasons, so do we humans. In the dark, cold winter months, for example, we seek rest and recovery. Is it the middle of summer? Then we see more sunlight and get more energy. People don't look for a season, they look for a feeling that suits that time of year.
We also experience micro-seasons: mini-moments within the larger seasons, based on events in nature or culture. Think blossom season in spring or spooky season in autumn. And how about vegetable season in summer and cosy season in winter? The concept of micro-seasons originates from Japan. There, they experience no less than 72 micro-seasons: every five days a new cycle starts. With micro-seasons, we shift from summer/winter thinking to moment-thinking: short, recognisable periods with their own atmosphere, need and search question. These don't have to be 72 micro-seasons after the Japanese example. With a smart selection of meaningful micro-seasons, you can make your destination relevant all year round.
Micro-seasons: opportunities for seasonal storytelling
Micro-seasons give visitors reasons to travel. With that, a shift takes place: from experience to meaning. You will find a strong example (again) in Japan. You are undoubtedly familiar with the large, pale pink blossom trees that blossom there every year. The cherry blossom season is a micro-season in itself, and in Japan they respond well to this. Want to see the most beautiful pink blossom? Then you have to go to the land of the rising sun. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people flock to Japan to see the blossom trees in real life. The cherry blossom micro-season in Japan is an example that might work a little too well: the country is almost overrun with visitors during that period. You want to avoid that, of course. Still, the example shows how powerful a micro-season can be as a reason to travel.
We see an example close to home with our partner Ede Marketing. There, they created an entire campaign and page full of content on the theme of wildlife. Not only with offers (tips for spotting game, the best game restaurants), but also with seasonal photography, Ede is presented as the place to go in the game season. 'Wild' has thus become a unique USP for Ede. Also inspiring:Visit Friesland's'Refreshing' winter campaign. This campaign is all about focusing on reflection and recharging in the new year. 'Refreshing' is recharging as can only be done in Friesland. Smart: in Friesland, this is how they turn the off-season (winter) into a force. Just when visitors would rather stay at home, they get a good reason to come to Friesland after all.
What does this mean for DMOs?
Stop planning for four seasons a year; instead, plan for eight to ten ‘micro-seasonal moments’ that your target audience seeks out, experiences and shares.
Tips for making micro-seasonal content manageable
Micro-seasonal content is an enhancement to the seasonal content you already have. So it does not replace anything. But scheduling 8 to 10 exrta content moments, how do you do that in a structured and streamlined way?
- Set out the year in outline form. Work with a content calendar and decide with the team: what are we going to capitalise on this year (and even better: next year)?
- Mark natural moments. Determine which micro-seasons suit your destination and target group. With your target group, you can also respond to the lifestyles of the Lifestyle Finder. A young Style Finder from the Randstad region wants to look for pumpkin spice lattes in autumn, while the older Connection Finder prefers a long walk in the woods with the dog.
- Choose about 1 focus moment per month. Choose the micro-seasonal moment that gets the main focus.
- Plan publication in advance - those who only start producing and planning in the moment are actually already too late. People search for pumpkin farms, Halloween parties and blossom walks before then. Choose content formats smartly too: inspiration blogs, landing pages, short videos and reels and Instameets can easily be tailored to microseasons.
- Optimise in real time. Is there an interesting trend on social media at the moment of going live? Incorporate it into the micro-seasonal content.
What can you do now?
Fancy getting started with seasonal content now? You can take these steps now to get off to a strong start:
💡Align micro-seasons with your target audience and destination (brand).
💡Identify the sentiment associated with this season, which stories are appropriate, how to convey this to your target audience, and what content suits the purpose.
💡Decide which micro-seasons are worth running a campaign for. Which ones offer greater value in terms of brand equity?
💡Fill in your content calendar. So, plan ahead!
💡Campaign: get started with PESO, including PR and media buying.
Did you miss the event? No worries! Download the presentation and recording of the online event via the link below.
Macro-seasons often focus on the four calendar seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Micro-seasons go a step further and focus on shorter, recognisable moments within those seasons, such as blossom time, game season or cosy winter days. These moments better match visitors' feelings, needs and search behaviour. This allows you to communicate in a more targeted and relevant way.
Micro-seasons respond to specific moments when visitors are actively looking for inspiration or offerings. They provide focus in your content and help you spread out the year and link your destination to specific experiences. This keeps your destination relevant for visitors all year round.
Start by selecting 8 to 10 micro-seasonal moments that fit your destination and target audience. Work ahead with a content calendar and determine one clear focus for each moment. Optimise your content for the right moment and adjust it when necessary, for example if a trend emerges. By applying structure, micro-seasonal content becomes manageable and sustainable.
Schedule an orientation meeting
With micro-seasonal content, you make sure you stay relevant to your visitors all year round. Interested in discussing further how we can apply seasonal content and storytelling to your destination? We would love to dive in with you. Schedule an exploratory meeting and start working on micro-seasonal content for your destination.
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