• Information
• Data
• Messaging
• Context
• Products
• Passion

Because they treat their blog like a daily “show” they also plan content in advance and have a – in my position for releasing content (see photo on right).  For content, they also reflect on another quote from Walt Disney, “Always, as you travel, assimilate the sounds and sights of the world.”  Borrowing from Cirque de Soleil, they know they always need to “change the act” and are regularly updating, changing, and providing new content.  What’s been most successful has been giving people a peek behind the scenes.  For example, one thing they tested is a live chat with an Imagineer to release facts about the new Fantasyland, and they were overwhelmed with questions.

One thing they’ve discovered is the value of content as it lives on, particularly through search.  Most of their site traffic comes from content that’s more than 2 weeks old. Their SEO team even helped them discover when people began searching for certain things, such as Halloween at the theme parks.  Because people were planning their trips well in advance, they started using Google Trends to identify when to talk about certain things (see photo on right).  For example, they even started talking about things like Christmas trips to the park, in July.

He said he’s been most proud by his ability to give a voice to buisiness units that didn’t normally get very much attention.  For example, they posted an article for Disney Floral about sending Mom a bouquet (with a link to where you could buy them).  That was the first time Disney Floral sold out of a product. “That was the day the power of social media became real to us,” said the director of Disney Floral.  Another example he gave was being able to post the backstory of a Disney book (with a link to purchase the book).  Revenue projects for the book exceeded projections by 500%.

“You can’t be on the social media team unless you know how to tell a good story,” he said.  He gave several examples of using their blog to tell incredibly interesting and visual stories, including this cool video:

They are trying to utilize the power of their virtual relationships to bring people into the parks.  Through the blog, they’ve coordinated meetups with bloggers and passionate “friends” from the blog.  In these meetups, they offer experiences you can’t normally get in the park to help build buzz around the attractions.  Mobile is the next thing they are looking into, with a mobile version of the blog.

What they’ve learned to focus on:

• People – It’s all about making a connection.
• Storytelling – It’s in Disney’s DNA, and essential to what they do.
• Experiences – Have to be memorable, etched into your brain.
• Curiosity drives it all – “Ideas come from curiosity” – Walt Disney
• Analytics are very important.  Everything is tracked, but results sometimes results trickle in… you have to watch what happens over the long term.