How to Market Your Fall Colors
Fall, a beloved season full of crisp temperatures, hot cider, donuts, and vivid colors decorating treescapes. For some Destination Marketing Organizations, this is a prime promotional period. With the changing of a season, it’s a great time to develop a new digital strategy that promotes all your fall amenities. Here is how to market your fall colors to highlight your destination as the ultimate fall color getaway.
Scenic Outlooks
Fall is the perfect time to soak in natural panoramas, as the various hues can only enhance the experience. Take Gaylord’s Top 5 Scenic Fall Vistas, for example. In contrast to merely stating that the general area is beautiful in Fall, it details the best places to take in autumn sights. They focus on higher elevation points for visitors to experience a vast, colorful forest. You can see the same tactic in action in Sault Ste. Marie’s On a Mission for Great Fall Color in the Upper Peninsula!
Nature Trails
The fall season is not just about the colors it brings. Still, more importantly, it’s about how visitors can experience them. It’s no surprise that outdoor recreational activities have become more popular with the pandemic. In Fall, you can promote these activities – plus the views visitors can see along the way. Utilizing specific trails to showcase fall colors in their primes should be the focal point of this strategy.
Driving Routes
Driving routes are an excellent way for visitors to explore your destination’s views. Visit Ogden utilized their roadways to emphasize the many colors visitors can spot on the roads by creating a video. It traces points on the map while showcasing the beautiful views with location tags to tell you what activities you can do once you reach each stop. There are other ways to promote your destination’s driving fall color routes besides a fancy video. Take a look at how St. Ignace highlights their fall tours by particular colors. Each tour centers around every particular color of fall. Another way to promote driving routes is to feature partners that offer all-terrain vehicles’ rentals to explore the trails or roadways of your destination and the fall colors.
Fall-Related Attractions
Every destination offers year-round attractions and activities that cater to visitor interests. However, the fall season typically opens up secondary seasonal attractions like apple orchards, corn mazes, and pumpkin picking, that cater to families this fall season. Or encourage consumers to choose from a range of adult-friendly attractions such as wineries or beer tasting. Traverse City highlights tastings during the fall season through wine and beer tours. While we’re being encouraged to social distance, be sure to include any local or state guidelines surrounding these attractions. Showcasing these seasonal activities before the fall season can ensure the messaging reach potential visitors.
Fall Specific Deals
Consumers are more inclined to travel to fall destinations that feature deals and discounts. Designated fall-related promotions could seal the deal for potential visitors! These promotions can be the focal point of your fall campaign and as a landing page on your website. Specific fall deal landing pages are the perfect place to promote your partners – like Ludington’s Fall Specials. These fall deals could also enhance travel in your shoulder season when visitation typically declines.
Digital Fall Colors Map + Live Cams
As a destination, you want to ensure that the information you’re giving potential visitors is as accurate as possible. Fall colors change as quickly as they appear. Creating a fall color map may be the easiest way to ensure that visitors plan a visit and stay informed. Pure Michigan utilizes an interactive map of Michigan that shows the treescapes’ current and future colors throughout both peninsulas.
Another way to give a live look into your destination’s current fall colors is to use a live webcam. Live cams can be placed on a specific location or viewpoint. Crystal Mountain Resort has two live cams that offer different views of the resort to give you a great perspective of current activity.
As a destination located in a region where seasons are easily differentiated, you’re in luck. Fall is one of the best times to promote your destination. Why? Because Fall offers components that other seasons cannot compare. The season not only brings cooler temperatures but those glorious fall colors of yellows, reds, and oranges as well.
Be sure to check back here weekly to stay in the know about what we’re talking about regarding digital marketing trends, digital strategies, and more! Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter, where we highlight the months most popular blogs and where we’re going to be speaking!
