Electric Scotland Blog

I've noticed quite a few company/business websites that once they are designed very little is done to update them or utilise them fully to reach their target market/service. To many they just seem to be an electronic form of the old business card,but if they are updated on a regular basis they can become an income earner for the business/service provider.

"I think this would make an interesting research project. What do you think?" YES

It would probably be a project for a University or Government department I would guess. It is certainly in any Governments interest to get these facts. Given the results of such a research project they could then direct their economic department to take action.

Originally Posted by Alastair

It would probably be a project for a University or Government department I would guess. It is certainly in any Governments interest to get these facts. Given the results of such a research project they could then direct their economic department to take action.

Maybe a friendly MSP could raise the question to get the ball rolling.......it may even gain them a few 'Brownie Points"

Downunder has embraced the internet. Read somewhere that NZ has a high number per capita that use the internet. Electric Scotland does figure in Geneaology organisations here for accessing to learn about clan and history.
Downunder New Zealanders travel and it seems with talking amongst the community here that people access the web to find out more about the country they are visiting. This seems to be very much a part of the pre travel arrangements by those from downunder now.

I think the problem is not with the people themselves but the business people that run companies large and small. Their employees likely use the web more than they do. They'll just say I'm far to busy to spend my time on the web. However that is where they should be to better understand what the web has to offer their company.

Yes the problem is with the business people. Promoting your product or service by media including internet can have tremendous benefits. It is a world wide market now, including downunder people as potential customers. Internet is one good way of reaching them.

I was just talking to someone today about Scotland's lack of vizability on the web. As he put it Scots can look overseas but they don't see. When you leave Scotland you find all kinds of opportunities all over the world and you just can't understand why the local Scots aren't out there.

Like there are some 300 Highland Games in North America but it is very rare that you'll find Scottish Tourism or Scottish Businesses represented at these games. Even today there is not one place you can visit on the web where you can browse through a list of Scottish companies to find out what products and services they have to offer.

When it comes to tourism all of the Scottish tourism sites show you lovely wee pictures of the country when they should be showing you very large pictures. Some of the scenery in Scotland is fantastic so if you can't convey that what is the point in publishing wee tiny pictures.

I just find it amazing that local Scots can't seem to promote themselves when there are so many opportunities which is why I started this topic.

Allie, this is a very good topic. I wonder this myself when researching or even looking for places to stay when I visit precious Scotland to do research. They do not promote themselves. Would you like me to check into this? It will give me a break from the MacDonald story. I am not getting very far with it.

Let me know...

Alistair
More on your intial comments. Yesterday ( Sunday afternoon) on the History Channel Sky TV NZ ) a series of 3 brief marketing promotions - Scotland Revealed - covering the River Dee, malt whiskey at Deeside, trout and salmon fishing in the River Dee, Aberdeen, Braemar ,Bell Lighthouse and Forth Bridge.

Looked spectacular and taste buds were wetted to visit. Had to make a choice though on whether to continue watching TV ( and only because we had really cold and wet weather here - if it had been fine and sunny would probably have missed the programme as would have been out in the garden.) And of course while watching TV could not work on the computer ( think your comment re radio and computer is very relevant).

Anyway then decided needed to find out more about this spectacular spot in Scotland and perhaps include in a future visit. Were an awful lot of figures on mountain heights in the TV programme and have now forgotten these - probably because we live in an area of NZ where most of our hills are higher than 1000m. so the raft of figures had little significance for me downunder.

However the spectacular scenery did. Now came the problem on the web - finding my way around and possible places to stay. As usual Electric Scotland seems to have provided what looking for - more about the area, history ( and I was quite confused with the constant references to Queen Victoria in" Scotland revealed" for it seemed to be a different slant to the stories I had grown up with and Scottish History read).

Now being a tourist who likes to plan ones own route rather than a guided package tour I was able to find enough information and links to plan where to stay, where and how to travel.

Thought also is - if some of that TV programme " Scotland Revealed" was on the Internet it may just reach a wider target market.

I guess this is the point I am trying to make in that Scotland is not using the web to its best advantage. Go to any of their tourism sites and all you really get are wee pictures whereas they could be offering huge pictures and videos.

Also most hotels and B & B's show you pretty standard web sites and don't even try to show you what's available within driving distance of their accommodation. Given that most of us have digital cameras that also do videos it really shouldn't be very hard to show what is available.

Mind you I have to admit that it's really the tourism trade as a whole all over the world that fail to really embrace the web. It's not just a Scotland problem but as I focus on the history of Scotland it's where I tend to focus my efforts.

Whatever way you look at it Electric Scotland is a high traffic site but not once in over 13 years have any tourism organisation in Scotland used the site to advertise or contribute articles. I did a huge survey back in the year 2000 and 2001. When people emailed me in 2000 to say they loved the site and it had made them decide to take a holiday in Scotland as a result I kept these emails. In 2001 I emailed them all to see if they did take a holiday in Scotland and if they did would they tell me how much they spent excluding airfare. When I totaled up the results it came to just on $21 million. So in 2001 that's how much Electric Scotland contributed to Scottish tourism.

While we do have a Travel section on the site I can't claim it's brilliant or anything but it could be so much better is the Scottish tourism trade would contribute.

Very good Blog......

Lu

Originally Posted by LuRose Williams

Very good Blog......

Lu

I could not agree more with you. Whenever I have talked to the people at Visit Scotland, they don't seem to have a clue as to what they are doing. The difference between the slogan , their new one," I love Scotland" and "Come Home to Ireland" One is passive and the other is a call to action. I am director of public relations for the R.T. Burns Club and All Things Scottish, part of my job is to send a call to action to visit Burns Country in Ayrshire. Getting Visit Scotland to help, we will see. Great article

I think a survey of Scottish business...both consumer and biz to biz would be very interesting, the only company that I have found that uses the web and all its tools is Irn-Bru. Perhaps a survey would be a wake up call to Scotland. It certainly would make a great news story. I would be glad to help format a survey as have done many in the past

Well as it happens our forums have the ability to run polls so that might be one to try out once we get some more members.

I have tried to talk to the Scottish Chamber of Commerce. Phoned twice and left a message with the receptionist who said they would return my call. No call. I don't know how they expect to do business if they won't even return a call and from a web site that has a higher circulation that any Scottish newspaper or magazine.

I just think the leading business and tourism organizations in Scotland are really stupid people and I am sorry to have to say that.

Is it because Scotland is not as well known as the London area ? We Scots love our culture and our famous people but....Are We Marganilized ? Scotland holds the romantic and warlord image to the rest of the world, London area is very social and upbeat. We are historians and lovers of the ancient, not all folks see thruough our eyes to appreciate the romance of All Things Scottish...

I would venture to say, the greater percentage of tourism takes Scotland for granted as the Americans take Mexico for granted. By doing this, they might venture into the cities for a special occasion but would they venture out to Ayrshire to see the castles and the Lugar River or the Renfrewshire or Stirling to see Bannockburn or Culloden ? Heaven forbid the class of persons now who would spend their time and money to see old dead stuff ?? No.. The beauty of Scotland is just there.. You and I care what is at Rosslyn Chapel, but who else ? Saint Andrews gathers thousands of spectators to watch "cow pasture pool" but do those folks take an extra day or so for a journey back in time to sit in a thatched pub and have a pint ?? So it seems...

Lu.

I've found one site that does promote and does send out updates on new facilities;but, it is genealogy based. "Scotlands People"

Now as it is one of (if not the best) family history asset on the Web and has a world wide consumer base those assets/communications links could be further utilised to enhance the wider benefits of Scotland regarding Industry/products and travel that are currently available.
There are many who travel to research their family history/Scottish roots,some go to specific "family" areas to round off their research,as soon as people begin their inquiries they become a "captive source" for further promotional activites/surveys.

Maybe it requires a government campaign urging (with small subsidies) business and industry to fully utilise their "in-house" marketing assets to reach out to the world...................I have noticed some small manufacturers already doing this, but unfortunately they only provide specialised or limited market share items (jewellry,knitted items,highland wear etc.). Maybe courtesy links on all their web sites (and vice versa) could stir the pot.

Originally Posted by Alastair

Well as it happens our forums have the ability to run polls so that might be one to try out once we get some more members.

I have tried to talk to the Scottish Chamber of Commerce. Phoned twice and left a message with the receptionist who said they would return my call. No call. I don't know how they expect to do business if they won't even return a call and from a web site that has a higher circulation that any Scottish newspaper or magazine.

I just think the leading business and tourism organizations in Scotland are really stupid people and I am sorry to have to say that.

Alastair, Scotland has many faces, for the Heritage tourist trade, but also Scotland has not tapped into the many great golf course, pony trecking, extreme sports, hiking, camping, just relaxing. I have been told by a director of Visit Scotland that they want to move away from the Kilt thing and present a new light, they have done neither. The history of Scotland is part of its soul. However there are plenty of non-historical events and places to see and explore. Fishing, no better place, golf, no better place, mountain climbing no better place, could go on and on. I agree with another response about perhaps making a study of the role of the internet in bringing tourism to Scotland would make a great B. School research project. Keep up the good work