Tag Archive for: Marketing Trends

The Marketing Shift Away from Social Media: Why Brands Are Focusing on Owned Channels

Arial view of a heavy traffic area coming to a 4 way intersection at night.


Arial view of heavy traffic coming to a 4 way intersection at night.

 

The marketing shift away from social media is no longer a trend—it’s a strategic move. As brands struggle with declining reach, rising ad costs, and unreliable algorithms, more businesses are turning to owned marketing channels like email newsletters, websites, and loyalty programs. These platforms offer greater control, stronger customer relationships, and better long-term ROI. Here’s why the industry is rethinking its dependence on social and investing in marketing strategies they actually own.

 

The Welcome Email

Social media platforms have been incredibly effective in helping brands grow. But cracks in the foundation are showing, and marketers are paying attention.

  • Algo Dependency – The dreaded algorithm. The bane of social media, and also the reason we have 19-year-old content creators making more than surgeons and lawyers. Organic reach has declined across platforms, and a post might only reach a fraction of your followers unless you pay to promote it. Brands are tired of being at the mercy of ever-changing algorithms.
  • Platform Volatility – From sudden outages to complete shutdowns (RIP Vine), putting all your content eggs in one basket is risky. Plus, policy changes can impact what you say and how you say it.
  • Rising Costs & Declining Returns – Advertising on social media is getting more expensive, all while the results are becoming harder to track and count on. For small businesses, especially, this makes it hard to justify the spend.
  • Data Ownership Concerns – You don’t truly own your audience on social media. If a platform decides to ban your account, shadow ban your content, or change its rules, your entire customer base could vanish overnight.

 

 

The Rise of Owned Marketing Channels

The shift away from social platforms and toward owned channels gives brands access to their audience, more control, and better long-term value. Here’s why marketers are reinvesting in them.

  • You Own the Data – With email lists and loyalty programs, you collect first-party data that’s more reliable and actionable than the insights social platforms provide. This becomes critical as cookies are phased out and privacy regulations tighten.
  • Higher Engagement Rates – Email newsletters outperform social media in both open and click-through rates. Subscribers have opted in–they want to hear you.
  • Better Personalization – Owned channels allow for hyper-personalized messaging based on user behavior, purchase history, preferences, and location–something social media can’t do as effectively.
  • Long-Term Relationship Building – Loyalty programs and email nurture sequences help brands stay top-of-mind and reward repeat engagement. That kind of ongoing value is harder to achieve through fleeting social interactions.
  • Content Longevity – Content on websites and in newsletters lives longer than a 240-hour Instagram Story. It can be repurposed, re-indexed by search engines, and discovered by new customers over time.

 

Where to Invest Instead of Social

If you’re looking to shift away from social media, here are the best channels to build out:

  • Email Marketing – Still one of the highest ROI channels, especially when segmented and automated.
  • Newsletters – Great for consistent engagement and value-driven content.
  • Branded Website or Blog – Your central hub for SEO-rich content, lead generation, and e-commerce.
  • Loyalty Programs – Rewarding repeat customers fosters deeper brand affinity and increases lifetime value.
  • SMS Marketing – Permission-based and highly direct, SMS is gaining traction in retail, hospitality, and service industries.

 

Fostering the client relationship with a guided journey and these email automation examples is a great place to start or refresh your email efforts! Need some further assistance? We help brands turn their email lists into real revenue–without sounding robotic or salesy (or annoying). So whether you’re just starting or need help optimizing, we can build email automations that convert.

Let’s chat! Call us at 330-286-0487 or email us at info@mcconnellmarketing.com to get in touch!

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5 Email Automation Examples Every Business Can Steal (And Actually Benefit From)


 

If you’ve ever signed up for a promo, booked a service, or abandoned a cart online, chances are you’ve experienced email automation in action. The goal is to get you to come back and keep that brand at the forefront of your mind. And while it may seem advanced or time-consuming or even expensive, the good news is, it’s none of those things. Email automations are a game-changer for businesses of all sizes and help drive more direct sales, build stronger relationships, and stay on top of mind without lifting a finger.

Here are 5 email automation examples that you can steal, tweak, and start using today.

 

The Welcome Email

The Goal: Make a good first impression.

When to Send: Automatically sent when a person signs up for something, books a service, or downloads a freebie.

Why It Works: It sets expectations, introduces your brand voice, and gives new contacts a reason to stick around.

Try This:

  • Share your origin story or mission in a way that builds trust and humanizes your brand
  • Offer a first-time discount
  • Link to a helpful blog or FAQ

Example: Hey! We’re [BRAND] and we’re so happy to have you here! Whether you’re looking for new email marketing, social media support, or a whole rebrand, we’re here to help. Want to schedule a free consultation call?

 


The Abandoned Booking or Inquiry Follow-Up

The Goal: Don’t let almost-clients/customers slip away.

When to Send: When you have an initial inquiry or interest, but they don’t actually complete the full customer journey.

Why It Works: Acts as a nudge when someone may be feeling hesitant to complete a booking or purchase a good.

Try This:

  • Keep it friendly and low-pressure
  • Include a link to complete the process or re-engage
  • Add social proof like a customer testimonial

Example: Still thinking it over? We’d love to help you choose the right package. Spots fill fast, so now’s a great time to lock yours in!

 


The Post-Service Thank You & Review Request

The Goal: Turn happy customers into marketing.

When to Send: After a customer has completed their journey with you.

Why It Works: It shows appreciation for their input and gives them the perfect timing for a positive review.

Try This:

  • Include a personal thank you
  • Link directly to a place to review
  • Offer a referral bonus or discount for sharing/reviewing

Example: Thanks for choosing us, [NAME]! Your feedback helps us improve our services. Leave a quick review and get X% off your next purchase.

 


The Seasonal or Loyalty Promo

The Goal: Send timely offers without blasting your entire list.

When to Send: On certain dates such as birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays, or based on customer activity.

Why It Works: It feels more personal and relevant.

Try This:

  • Reward repeat clients with a special offer
  • Send seasonal packages that match your service (spring cleaning, holiday deals, birthday gifts, etc.)
  • Automated birthday greetings with a special code

Example: Happy Birthday, [NAME]! Here’s 20% off any service this month. You deserve it!

 


The Re-Engagement Campaign

The Goal: Wake up the cold side of your list.

When to Send: When/if some of your list hasn’t opened or clicked in a while.

Why It Works: It filters out cold contacts (which boosts your open rate and decreases your bounce rate) but not before giving you a second chance to win them over.

Try This:

  • Acknowledge the silence with a playful tone
  • Highlight what’s new or what they missed
  • Offer an incentive to come back

Example: It’s been a while, huh? We’ve missed you, so here’s 15% off if you’re ready to give us another chance!

 

Fostering the client relationship with a guided journey and these email automation examples is a great place to start or refresh your email efforts! Need some further assistance? We help brands turn their email lists into real revenue–without sounding robotic or salesy (or annoying). So whether you’re just starting or need help optimizing, we can build email automations that convert.

Let’s chat! Call us at 330-286-0487 or email us at info@mcconnellmarketing.com to get in touch!

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The Psychology of the Email Subject Line: Why We Click (or Don’t)

Rows of Steel apartment mailboxes, The Psychology of the Email Subject Line: Why We Click (or Don’t)

 

Rows of Steel apartment mailboxes, The Psychology of the Email Subject Line: Why We Click (or Don’t)

 

 

In the overcrowded space of your subscribers’ inboxes, strong email subject lines are key to standing out. It’s the first impression, the hook, and the main reason your email gets opened or ignored.

What makes an email subject line stand out? The answer lies in psychology. Understanding how people think and make decisions is the way you can start writing email subject lines that really stand out.

 

Curiously Clicking

People are naturally drawn to the unknown. Subject lines that pose a question but don’t provide the answer make recipients want to learn more!

  • “This is what most companies get wrong with social media.”
  • “Are you making these common 3 mistakes?”

The psychological pull is called the curiosity gap and it’s a pretty powerful tool. Just make sure your content actually delivers on the intrigue to avoid disappointing your audience.

 

FOMO and Urgency

Creating a fear of missing out (FOMO) or a sense of urgency pushes people to act fast. This works best when it’s actually true.

  • “48 hours left to get your free gift.”
  • “Last chance to buy until next Spring!”

Time-sensitive language kicks in our need to avoid loss and not miss out on what our peers have.

 

Personalized and Tailored

Email subject lines that include your recipient’s name or address them directly are a great way to get them to open. Most email marketing platforms offer a feature to pull names from their contact form, so it’s very simple to do!

  • “[NAME], we missed you at our event last week!”
  • “5 buys with [NAME] written all over them”

These personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened than those with generic greetings.

 

When in Doubt, Test it Out

There are a few ways you can test out email subject lines for the same campaign so that you can see what is really working for you.

  • Split your email list in half and send each a different subject line; note which performs better and stick with a similar one for your next email.
  • Resend the same email to people who haven’t opened it yet, but with a different subject line the second time around. (Again, most email marketing platforms have features that allow you to segment your list by opens.)

 

As with everything, finding the perfect subject line can be trial and error, so it doesn’t hurt to combine both of these practices for a single campaign.

 

Don’t forget, the perfect subject line blends creativity with a good dose of psychology. It’s all about the balance! If you’re still looking for tips, here are some great tools for testing and improving your email subject lines: SubjectLine.com Testing Tool and CoSchedule’s Email Subject Line Tester are both free to try and offer great insight.

 

Need help improving your email campaigns? We’re here to help! Call us at 330-286-0487 or email us at info@mcconnellmarketing.com to get in touch!

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Digital Accessibility Matters: How Tourism Bureaus Can Be More Inclusive

Why Digital Accessibility Matters

 

Why Digital Accessibility Matters: Wheelchair ramp image of entrance to building

 


Ensuring your website is accessible to everyone is no longer optional—it’s essential. Digital accessibility means designing your site so that people with disabilities can use it effectively, offering equal access to all users. Key benefits of digital accessibility for travel agencies and businesses across all industries range from expanding your audience to improving user experience, ensuring legal compliance, boosting SEO, and demonstrating corporate social responsibility. Making your site accessible is a smart move that can help you grow your business and reputation.

 

Increasing Audience: Expanding Your Reach with Digital Accessibility

With the tourism industry becoming more and more competitive, reaching a broad and diverse audience is essential. By embracing digital accessibility on your website, you can ensure that your area caters to all potential customers, including those with disabilities. With more than 1 billion people worldwide living with some form of disability, making your website accessible means tapping into a significant and often overlooked market. Whether it’s people with visual, hearing, or mobility impairments, offering an accessible experience can help you attract a larger, more diverse clientele. Accessibility can be a unique selling point that distinguishes your agency from competitors.

 

Improving Experience for People with Disabilities: A More Inclusive Journey

Digital accessibility is all about ensuring that your website is usable by as many people as possible, regardless of their abilities. For travelers with disabilities, an accessible site means they can easily plan their trips without facing barriers. This could include features such as text-to-speech, alternative text for images, keyboard navigation, and captioning for videos. For example, individuals with visual impairments can rely on screen readers to navigate your website, while those with hearing impairments can benefit from video captions. By enhancing your site’s digital accessibility, you create a more inclusive and welcoming environment, ensuring that all users, regardless of physical abilities, have a smooth and enjoyable experience.

 

Accessibility Is Coming into Law: Ensuring Legal Compliance

As digital accessibility becomes a global priority, many countries are introducing stricter regulations to ensure websites and digital content are accessible. For tourism bureaus, staying ahead of these legal requirements is crucial. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the U.S. and the European Accessibility Act (EAA) in the EU are just a few examples of laws aimed at promoting digital accessibility. Non-compliance can lead to legal risks, including lawsuits or fines. By proactively improving your website’s accessibility, you not only provide a better experience for users, but also protect your business from potential legal challenges. Ensuring compliance with these laws is a key part of building trust with your audience and showing that your agency is committed to inclusivity.

 

Better SEO: Boosting Search Engine Visibility Through Accessibility

One of the often-overlooked benefits of digital accessibility is its positive impact on SEO. Many accessibility improvements, such as optimizing images with alt text or ensuring proper heading structures, also make your website more search-engine friendly. Search engines like Google prioritize websites that are easy to navigate and well-structured, which happens to align with accessibility best practices. For example, providing descriptive alt tags for images helps users with visual impairments and gives search engines more information to index, improving your visibility in search results. By improving digital accessibility, you enhance both user experience and SEO performance, leading to higher rankings and greater online visibility.

 

Corporate Social Responsibility: Demonstrating Your Commitment to Inclusivity

As consumers become more values-driven, they are choosing to support businesses that prioritize inclusivity and social responsibility. Incorporating digital accessibility into your travel agency’s website shows that you care about creating an inclusive environment for everyone, regardless of their abilities. This commitment to accessibility can significantly enhance your reputation, foster customer loyalty, and demonstrate corporate social responsibility (CSR). Moreover, prioritizing accessibility reflects your agency’s values of equality, diversity, and inclusivity, making it more appealing to socially aware travelers. By focusing on digital accessibility, you can help potential visitors and position your travel agency as a responsible and forward-thinking business at the same time.

 

The importance of digital accessibility extends to all industries, not just tourism. Whether in retail, healthcare, or education, accessible websites reach a wider audience, improve user experience, and enhance brand reputation, fostering greater customer loyalty.

Need help making your website more accessible? We can help you design an engaging user-friendly website, develop inclusive digital campaigns, and optimize your online presence to reach a broader audience. Give us a call at 330-286-0487 or email us at info@mcconnellmarketing.com.

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Pop Culture Pilgrimage: How Famous Movie Hotels Boost Tourism

 

 


When pop culture meets travel, magic happens. Iconic hotels and resorts from the big screen don’t just serve as backdrops—they take on a life of their own, becoming legendary destinations. Fans eager to step into their favorite scenes and live the life their favorite characters live flock to these properties. These famous movie hotels have cemented their place in cinematic history, drawing in travelers from around the world. Here’s a list of the hotels, motels, and resorts that played a role in some of our favorite movies.

 

Famous Movie Hotels that Stole the Show

  • The Plaza Hotel
    Despite serving as a setting for countless films, the most common associated movie with The Plaza is Home Alone 2. And although this served as the second time the McCallisters left their youngest behind, Kevin didn’t seem to mind staying in a $1,100-per-night room with all his room service covered. You can book the same experience at The Plaza with their Home Alone Package which includes a limo ride around New York, a large cheese pizza, and a 16-scoop sundae with all the toppings your 10-year old self would love.

    The Plaza Hotel, NYC

  • Chateau Marmont
    Few hotels are as steeped in rock-and-roll lore as the Chateau Marmont. Immortalized in songs by Lana Del Rey, Father John Misty, and many more, this Hollywood hideaway has hosted everyone from Led Zeppelin to Sofia Coppola’s film Somewhere. Its reputation for discretion only adds to the allure, making it a bucket-list stay for music lovers and film buffs alike.
    Chateau Marmont

    Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles

  • The Shining
    Can we have a list of iconic hotels without mentioning the haunted and chilling setting provided by the Timberline Lodge in Oregon? While it only served as the exterior shots for Stanley Kubrick’s fictional Overlook Hotel, the lodge serves as a horror fanatic destination and is reported to draw in 2 million people annually. While you won’t find creepy twins or a lunatic with writer’s block here, you will be awarded some incredible backdrops for your own inspiration.

    Timberline Lodge, Mt. Hood

  • The Grand Budapest Hotel
    No, it’s not real, and yes, we are sorry to be the ones to break it to you. However, several resorts that can tickle you pink in the same way as the extravagance of Wes Anderson’s imagination can. Hotel Sacher Salzburg in Austria best matches the exterior with similar symmetry and architectural style. You can also step into the movie with a visit to Dresden Molkerei Gebrüder Pfund, which was a shooting location for the pastry shop in the film.
    The Grand Budapest Hotel Exterior

    The Grand Budapest Hotel Exterior

  • Forgetting Sarah Marshall
    Sometimes the only thing you can do after a devastating breakup is to book a trip to Oahu. If you want exactly what Jason Segal’s character did in the film, check out The Ritz-Carlton O’ahu, Turtle Bay resort. While you’re there, you can cliff dive, surf with locals, embrace your career dreams, and hopefully not run into your ex and her creepy rockstar boyfriend. But if you do, they have several on-location restaurants to grab a cocktail, so don’t fret.
    The Ritz-Carlton O'ahu, Turtle Bay and still from Forgetting Sarah Marshall

    The Ritz-Carlton O’ahu, Turtle Bay

  • Bellagio Hotel & Casino
    Few hotels are as instantly recognizable as the Bellagio in Las Vegas, thanks to Ocean’s Eleven. The film’s grand heist, set against the backdrop of the Bellagio’s dazzling fountains and high-roller atmosphere, cemented the hotel as a symbol of Vegas luxury. Today, visitors reenact their favorite scenes by watching the fountain shows, playing in the world-famous casino, and soaking in the cinematic grandeur of this iconic resort.

    Bellagio Hotel & Casino Ocean's Eleven

  • Motel 6 & Budget Motels
    On the grittier side of pop culture, budget motels have played starring roles in crime dramas. Locations like Albuquerque’s Crossroads Motel from Breaking Bad and The Regal Motel in Vegas from No Country for Old Men have become unlikely landmarks, drawing visitors looking to immerse themselves in cinematic storytelling.
    Regal Inn from No Country for Old Men

    Regal Inn, Las Vegas

 

How Pop Culture Drives Tourism

Hotels featured in pop culture gain free, organic marketing through the power of nostalgia and fandom. TV shows, movies, and music create an emotional connection that inspires travel. The rise of social media has further amplified this effect, with fans sharing their experiences and influencing new travelers.

For hoteliers and destination marketers, leveraging pop culture connections can be a game-changer. Here’s how:

  • Create themed experiences – Offer packages inspired by famous on-screen moments or songs.
  • Encourage user-generated content – Invite guests to share their pop culture-inspired visits with dedicated hashtags.
  • Partner with influencers & fandoms – Work with pop culture influencers to attract niche audiences.
  • Host events & screenings – Movie nights, concerts, or guided tours can turn a stay into an experience.


Pop culture shapes tourism, and you can tap into that magic. Whether your hotel or city has a silver-screen history or you want to create a must-visit experience, leveraging film, TV, and music as inspiration can boost bookings and brand recognition.

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