Investing in owned media empowers destinations to take full control of their narrative. This approach allows destinations to shape their identity, create direct and meaningful connections with audiences while building trust and loyalty. Owned media offers several key benefits:

• Authenticity: Destinations can showcase their unique personality, culture, and experiences without intermediaries.
• Cost Efficiency: Unlike paid media, owned assets provide long-term value with minimal ongoing investment.
• Engagement: Creating tailored, relevant content ensures audiences return and interact with your platform.
• Data-Driven Insights: Owned media provides access to first-party data, allowing destinations to adapt strategies and meet audience needs.

Displaying owned media on your website effectively requires careful planning to ensure it informs, inspires, and engages visitors. Here’s how destinations can maximise the impact of their owned media:

• Create a Content Hub or Blog:
  Designate a central space for storytelling, guides, and updates. Structure content with categories like “A Locals Guide to...” or “Our Guide to the Best of....” to help visitors feel like they are getting advice from genuine local experts.

Best practice: Pair engaging headlines with striking visuals, optimise articles for SEO, and include links to related attractions or itineraries.

• Incorporate User-Generated Content (UGC):
  Showcasing visitor photos, testimonials, or social media posts adds authenticity and helps audiences imagine themselves in your destination.

Best practice: Use live feeds or curated galleries, ensuring proper permissions and consistent updates.

• Enhance the Visitor Journey with Interactive Tools:
  Provide tools like trip planners or itineraries that allow users to explore and save content.

Best practice: Ensure these tools are mobile-friendly so visitors can use them during their visit, making trip planning seamless.

• Feature Seasonal and Thematic Content:
  Organise content around seasons or themes, such as “Winter Adventures” or “Romantic Getaways,” to inspire timely visits.

Best practice: Structure content into themed campaign pages which showcase related blog posts, events, and recommendations.

• Leverage Video Content:
  Videos can bring destinations to life. Include immersive footage to help highlight experiences.

Best practice: Use both long-form videos for storytelling and short-form clips optimised for social media, linking back to your website.

• Ensure Mobile Optimisation:
  With more users planning trips on their phones, your owned media must deliver a seamless mobile experience.

Best practice: Prioritise fast-loading pages, responsive design, and simplified navigation.

As Adam Stoker aptly puts it, “Owned media is the foundation for sustainable destination marketing. By investing in your content, you’re not just building content - you’re creating a lasting connection with your audience.”