Target Audience and Target Market
The report is focused on identifying the digital marketing activities that are being utilized by various organizations in the market spaces of tourism and hospitality. The chosen website for this report is melbprivatetours.com.au. The website is the official business website of Melbourne based private day Tour Company, Melbourne private tours. The company operates a luxury private touring services in Melbourne and Victoria. The company engages significantly in online interactive marketing activities. The report is focused on specifically auditing and analysing the business model that is used by the organization concerning its digital marketing functions. A thorough analysis of the various factors that guide the performances of the organization in the digital marketing areas. Digital marketing has become the predominant mode of marketing for hospitality organization operating across the world. It helps to reach a larger number of target audiences in a much shorter span of time. Various digital marketing analysis tools are used to analyse the effectiveness of the digital marketing functions of the organization. The present customer environment of the organization is analysed in consideration of the micro and macro and macro environments. It is important to note that digital marketing functions are affected by various factors which need to be analysed in the context of the business.
The purpose of the website of the Melbourne Private Tours is to reach out to the customers in various ways. It is designed as a single site dedicated towards serving multiple needs of the customers. Primarily it provides information about the various services that are offered by the Melbourne Private Tours company. It also provides the customers with the contact information of the company in order to book the services (Private tours, 2020). The purpose is to first inform the customers of the wide ranges of services that are provided to them by the company. The customers can then choose the services they like and get in touch with the company either online or through direct calls. The web business model that suits the website most is ecommerce. According to this model a digital retail shop is presented to the customers. The customers can check the services available thoroughly, this includes the day tour packages, the gourmet food packages, art and culture tours and the various sightseeing packages that are offered by the organization and opt for them by directly interacting through the website. The target customers can also enquire further about the services provided by calling the company. Ecommerce web model is based on creating an online portal for people around the world to access and utilize.
Digital Marketing Analysis Tools
It is important to identify the target market of the website as the largest part of their business functions depend on the same. The most important target audiences for the website are families. The typical customers targeted by the websites are families of four members. Ideally, the parents are of the age group 35-45 years. The children are ideally aged 10-15 years. Normally, both the parents are working men and women. They either are employed in the service sector, finance, IT or manufacturing sector. This is a specific target group that seems to be very important for the website. The target market is important that the typical family with members of these age groups go on frequent trips. They behaviour need to be studied in order to get a proper understanding of the services that would suit them. Normally, this target group enjoys family outings during vacations or during the weekends. They want to spend quality time together and get a wholesome tour experience (Kotler et al., 2017). They are now more digitally literate and compare the services provided by various organizations before selecting the best possible tour services. The target customers want to spend quality time in all their tours. They are active on social media where they share their travel photos and post their experiences.
The analysis of the website can be made more effective through some important digital marketing analysis tools.
WebQual-
Webqual measures the effectiveness of digital marketing functions and measures the quality of communications that are being established. There are 12 important dimensions that become very important in measuring the quality of customer (Hristoforova et al., 2019). These following dimensions can be used to measure the effectiveness.
Fit-to-task- This refers to the informational fit to task factors. The website is effective in terms of information that is provided as it highlights the services that are offered in terms of
Trust- This is a factor that is slightly low as the organization has not yet been able to become a large brand. However, there are major trust issues that arise due to the website for the target audiences.
Appeal- The website appeal is good. Some of the most important aspects related to the hospitality industry are highlighted through the website of the company.
Tailored information- The information is tailored for the audiences. The various places in Melbourne and Victoria as presented effectively as per the requirement of the target audiences.
Web Qual Analysis
Response time- The response time is good and fair concerning the people that enquire about the services. Prompt responses are given for all booking related queries.
Intuitive operations- This is an aspect that is somewhat lacking in the website. However, the website has still tried to use this to enhance their present ability.
Visual appeal- The website has fair visual quality. The fonts are very well used. Moreover, there are clear and engaging pictures of the places that are covered.
Understanding ease- The website is easy to manoeuvre. One of the most important factor is the understanding ease that is created with the simple use of language and symbols.
Image consistency- Image consistency factor is good in the website. The images go well with one another and creates a good effect.
Relative advantage- The relative advantage is aggravated by the fact that the website is quite effective in terms of the other websites of similar travel businesses.
Online completeness- Online completeness is not addressed greatly as more functional areas need to be incorporated within the website in order to attain online completeness.
Innovativeness- The website is quite innovative in terms of the integration of the various website links that are included for the audiences to explore the company and its services even from the hotel booking portals.
The 7Ps comparison-
Product- The product is much importantly focused in the website. The website makes clear all the aspects that are connected with the services that are being provided. This includes the luxury services, the city tours or the gourmet food tours. Various services are provided to attract the buyers.
Prices- The services provided are luxury tour services. Hence, the price ranges are kept from medium to high in range. It ranges from 416 AUD to 721 AUD concerning the various private tour packages.
Placement- The placement is between medium to high end. There is need to understand that the company offers luxury services at reasonable prices. Hence, the placement is urban centred.
Promotions- Promotions include directing the value of the tour services to the customers. Moreover, it also encompasses the development of better relationship values with the customers. The company provides regular offers to the tourists.
Packaging- Packaging is done in ways that can ensure the attention of the customers. The digital services are focused while packaging. It is important to note that a host of different services are added to enhance packaging value.
Capability Analysis
Positioning- The services are positioned for people who want to enjoy in seclusion or lesser number of fellow tourists. Hence, the services are positioned is a personal manner for families and other guests.
People- The people include boatmen, bartenders, cooks and tour guides and coordinators, predominantly. The people are well aligned with the services that are provided.
Capability analysis is the ability of a website to meet certain statistical requirements. This is an important factor concerning the website of melbprivatetours.com.au. The organization is focused toward achieving targets of sales that are pre-set in accordance of the seasonal targets. The website has been successful in increasing the process of the organization in gaining more customer value.
ECRM Analysis-
ECRM refers to electronic customer relationship management. The website is effective in this regard as there are various ways in which customer interactions are made possible. There is a special panel for enquiry that helps to customers to personalize the enquiry messages that would be sent to the company. The travel blogs that are incorporated within the website make it easier to connect with the services for the customers.
The existing internet marketing strategy that is utilized by the organization is investing in web design. This means that the webpages of the website is created to keep the customers actively engaged with the content that is provide in the website (Fahad & Tran, 2019). This could ensure that the visitors have a higher chance for opting for the services of the organization. Search Engine Optimization is also an effective tactics that is used by the organization to get closer to their customers. The web design is done to keep the audiences engaged. This strategy enables the organization to know more about the potential customers. The enquiry panel for example, is effective in helping the organization more about the wants and needs of the customers from the services that are provided by the organization. The business strategy is to gain more customers by understanding the changing needs of the customers. The website helps the organization to understand about the needs of the present customer base as well as the potential customer bases that can be present in the future. The internet marketing strategy can hence be said to be well aligned with the business strategy of the organization. It is important to note that the combination of strategies helps to reach more people.
Electronic Customer Relationship Management (ECRM)
Environment Analysis
Travel agency and tour services is an important market in Australia. This is more due to the fact that Australia is one of the most significant tourism destinations in the world. Melbourne is one of the most important cities in the country concerning its tourism value. However, the sector is projected to get a negative growth rate in the next few years. The present environment for luxury tour services in Melbourne is highly competitive. There are various large and small tour services operating in the city as it is one of the prime destinations of the country. It is important to note that people like outdoors in the city. Moreover, the city gets its fair share of international immigrants each other. The political climate is currently effective in terms of helping the tour oriented businesses.
SWOT
Strength- The organization has significant market exposure. Melbourne Private tours has significant experience in the business as they have a long standing operations. Presently, the company is financially stable to take investment decisions.
Weakness- the Company does not have a high market share in the business. The future revenue growth potential of the company is not high enough. The company has slightly lower manpower.
Opportunity- There is an important opportunity to realise the market of foreign tourists who would be visiting the city in the next few years.
Threats- Due to recent pandemics and other restrictions, the industry is set to become smaller in the country. The company may face potential survival situations in the future.
Macro Environment
The tourism sector of Australia is presently worth 7 billion AUD. There are more than 6600 businesses in the tourism industry in the country that employs around 36,705 people (IBISWorld, 2020). However, the tourism sector of the country has been predicted to witness negative growth over the next few years. The growth rate is -2.9% when calculated for the period 2015-2020. Hence, this can have significant impact on the business prospects of the company in the future. The macro environment is presently uncertain as foreign travel is expected to witness a slow growth over the course of the next one year. The macro environmental trends point towards the requirement for shortening the scope for business.
Micro Environment
The environment in Melbourne, reflects that of the county as it is one of the prime tourism destinations of the country. It is important to note that presently, the industry in the city has not witnessed in any great fall in the growth rate of the industry. However, the growth and tourism and travel sector is low. The customers are greatly affected by the income disparities that have emerged. The customers want lower priced tour packages at this stage. The company does provide the lower priced packages to the customers. Hence, it is important to note that product pricing and placement factors need to be changed according to the changing micro environment.
Marketing Strategies
There are various forms of marketing mixes that are utilized by the company. The website itself utilizes various forms of communication mixes to enhance the communication value for the customers. The most important mixes are contact us, forums, blogs, enquiry forms, galleries and informatics. Contact us is an important method to help the customers connect with the staffs of the company. It helps to bridge the gap between the digital and direct modes of communication. Forums are important as it helps the customers to connect with each other as well as the services provided by the MPT. Enquiry forms are very important for the organization as it helps the customers get further details about the services that they want to avail (Hristoforova et al., 2019). Galleries provide beautiful and engaging pictures of the travel destinations that are covered by the company. Blogs are important as they are travel blogs that help the potential and the existing customers know about the various facts and experiences about the travel destinations. Enquiry forms are one of the most important aspects connected with the communication mix. They help the customers to ask specific questions to the company in relation to their service needs. These are the various communications aspects that need to be optimized in accordance of the communication requirements of the organization. The digital communication of the organization need to be optimized with the brochures and infographic that are sent out to the customers. The various posters and other marketing devices should actually integrate the same messages that are being projected through the other forms of communications.
The internet is very important in regard to the influences that it has on the marketing mixes. It is important to note that the marketing mixes are important in consideration of the influence of the internet.
Product- The internet has a very important influence on the product. The product development happens through the feedback this is received from the internet. It is important to understand that the internet also serves as a platform for introducing newer products and services for the organization. At the same time the audiences get more information through the internet about the various products and services.
Price- The internet has an important influence on the price. This is mainly because the prices of the similar or related services being provided by the other organizations can be compared and optimized. The online demand can also affect the pricing strategies that are implemented by the organization.
Placement- Internet is important for the placement functions. This is mainly because the placement can be made in accordance of the internet searches of the customers. It is important to consider that the placement can be done in accordance of the target markets that can be identified from the various online travel communities or other forums.
Promotions- Promotions would be greatly enhanced through the internet. More effective online based promotions can be created. Code based offers and discounts would be able to gain faster audience reactions. Promotions can be done at the same time on various webforums, social sites or mobile apps.
Recommendations and Conclusions
It is recommended that the online portal is highly optimized for the Melbourne Private Tour company. The company would need to optimize the e-commerce mechanism of the website. More easy access to tour booking portals need to be created. E-payment options also need to be provided more effectively to the internet consumers. It is very important for the company to pay more emphasis towards the creation of a community where the customers can share their opinions, experiences and travel needs. The website should be linked with social media. Subsequently, it is also recommended that the Melbourne Private Tour company increases its social media activities. It is highly recommended that the services are optimized as per the changing trends of online travel booking and exploring functions.
The implications of the study has pointed towards the fact that the company has been able to create an effective online presence. It is very important to note that the organization would need to further optimize the value of the services in accordance of the market developments. The study further revealed that the business environment of the organization is presently facing some important challenges. This is both in regards to the developmental prospects and market factors. The growth factors are not effective enough to guide organizations towards huge success. It is rather a time for more contemplating about future strategies. These strategies are mostly based on the development of the digital marketing platforms.
References
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De Pelsmacker, P., Van Tilburg, S., & Holthof, C. (2018). Digital marketing strategies, online reviews and hotel performance. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 72, 47-55.
Fahad, Z., & Tran, H. (2019). Development of a digital marketing plan by using a combination of digital marketing tools.
Hristoforova, I. V., Silcheva, L. V., Arkhipova, T. N., Demenkova, A. B., & Nikolskaya, E. Y. (2019). Improvement of Digital Technologies in Marketing Communications of Tourism and Hospitality Enterprises. Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism, 10(4), 829-834.
IBISWorld – Industry Market Research, Reports, and Statistics. (2020). Retrieved 19 May 2020, from https://www.ibisworld.com/au/industry/travel-agency-tour-arrangement-services/490/
Kadar, J. A., Napitupulu, D., & Jati, R. K. (2017, October). Analysis of factors influencing the quality of intranet website based on WebQual approach case study in agency X. In 2017 3rd International Conference on Science in Information Technology (ICSITech) (pp. 526-532). IEEE.
Kotler, P., Bowen, J. T., Makens, J., & Baloglu, S. (2017). Marketing for hospitality and tourism.
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Private tours, M., 2020. [online] Available at: <https://www.melbprivatetours.com.au/> [Accessed 19 May 2020].
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