Robust new site offers travelers details, deals and planning for their next SoCal vacation.

SAN DIEGO,CA – February 24, 2010 – To provide visitors to the Carlsbad area of southern California with an easier travel planning experience, San Diego-based digital media agency, Mindgruve, recently launched a comprehensive, SEO optimized, conversion-driven and mobile friendly website for client, Visit Carlsbad.

Featuring an easy-to-use Content Management System (CMS), the new website can be regularly updated to keep its content fresh and relevant to travelers. “We wanted to ensure that if you were interested in southern California, you were provided with all the information you would need in a single location online,” stated Mindgruve President, Chad Robley. With tools that include interactive maps, an events calendar and integrated hotel booking, planning full vacations can now be handled easily at VisitCarlsbad.com.

Additionally, an updated design and social media integration have made the Visit Carlsbad brand more accessible to potential travelers. “From the minute people arrive at our site, we want them to experience Carlsbad. The new design along with the ability to connect, learn and share on Twitter, Facebook and Flickr gives them a taste of the hospitality and fun they’ll have when visiting,” explained Sam Ross, Visit Carlsbad Executive Director. Additionally, a travel blog provides an insider’s perspective on the best deals and activities for any type of traveler.

A second phase of the site will soon follow and include additional points of interest such as last minute deal offers. It will also provide a user portal for hotels, restaurants and attractions to update their unique pages with upcoming specials and events.

About Visit Carlsbad

Visit Carlsbad is the Convention and Visitors Bureau for the Carlsbad area. It serves approximately 30 area hotels ranging from beach bungalows to luxury accommodations by presenting and promoting vacation ideas, packages, attractions and deals for the area. VisitCarlsbad.com.

The beginning of 2010 has already shown us a lot of exciting potential for the social world, including Apple’s iPad and Super Bowl XLIV ad campaigns’ interaction in social media. But what we’re most intrigued with are two recent articles from Caroline McCarthy and Joe Marchese. Both articles discuss the emergence and dispersion of noteworthy media content (you know, the stuff people actually care about) through social media and the role of monetization.

Mindgruve believes this: RSS and traditional news sources in their current form are a dying breed, while entertainment and “valuable” content are getting easier to share. People are also spending more and more time on social networks, but rather than seeing a constant stream of mostly random, rarely significant tweets and Facebook updates, meaningful content – content that is shared by friends you trust – will rise to the top (it’s already a top driver of news media traffic). The remaining issue: money is key to making this work.

Offering consistently valuable content is a huge step forward for the digital world, but how do you do it without spamming your audience? We believe it should be done strategically, creatively and with respect for the users.

So, why focus on money and friends as it pertains to social media content? Simple. The two go hand-in-hand. If your friend suggests a story on the most recent Haiti relief efforts, you’re more likely to read it and share it again with your network. In time, as you spend increasing attention to specific outlets like Facebook, the less time you want to spend outside of it searching for content, resulting in a willingness to pay for the links that your connections suggest or you subscribe to. Content producers are more than excited by this prospect. Their goal now is to make content as easy as possible to share, while installing simple profit centers in which you can fund more content.

Of course, some people would prefer to keep their social networks cost-free. Invading “personal” space with requests to buy, buy, buy will likely cause revolt among certain audiences. Everyone has seen the Facebook backlashes and we wouldn’t be surprised if some individuals who are bombarded with media content dig their heels into the sand and say, “Enough!”

Ultimately, getting socially-attuned people to become early-adopters of the social media, media frenzy means taking careful steps not to overwhelm, while also providing a perfect balance of consumer cost analysis with content desire. It will be different for every single content provider (and each one is truly different) and a lot of fun to perfect.

New online campaign invites travelers to learn about San Diego North, visit and share their experiences.

SAN DIEGO,CA – February 3, 2010 – To start 2010 with positive tourism efforts, San Diego North Convention and Visitors Bureau enlisted Mindgruve, a San Diego-based Digital Media Agency, to develop and launch an online campaign that would engage travelers and encourage them to visit.

Launched January 22nd, the Great Story Campaign tells potential visitors to not be left without their great story by visiting San Diego North. Geo-targeting communities within driving distance of San Diego, including Phoenix, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco, paid search and behavioral media points consumers to conversion-centric landing pages that showcase deals, events and contests.

“While the tourism world is familiar with ‘San Diego,’ the north region offers an amazingly diverse list of activities and amenities that many aren’t aware of. As a perfect location for exploring all of southern California, we hear amazing stories about what people find every day. This campaign encompasses what San Diego North is all about – no matter what you do while you’re here, you’ll leave with an amazing story to tell when you get home,” stated San Diego North Director of Marketing, Barbara Bovee.

In addition to a traditional online campaign, Mindgruve has also helped San Diego North embrace social media to connect with travelers, share stories and increase contest entry. Mindgruve President, Chad Robley explained, “Traveling is an extremely social activity. Through these channels, it becomes infinitely easier to share experiences, give or get advice, and learn about unique deals. Adding a storytelling contest about previous trips, provides yet another channel of content to excite travelers about their potential trip.”

The great story campaign has been immediately embraced by travelers with increased site traffic and social media interaction.

About San Diego North

The San Diego North Convention and Visitors Bureau represents approximately 300 hotels spanning from La Jolla to Oceanside. By combining the efforts of these hotels to offer a cohesive message, San Diego North engages and incites travelers to explore the northern San Diego coastline and all the amenities it offers. www.sandiegonorth.com

Visit Carlsbad shows impressive tourism numbers to start new year.

SAN DIEGO,CA – February 1, 2010 – While the San Diego region experienced an 8.3% drop in 2009 room occupancy compared to 2008, the Carlsbad area has shown great promise for a better 2010 in the year’s first weeks.

Of the regions in San Diego county, Carlsbad showed the strongest gain in occupancy rate over the first several weeks of of the new year at 6.5%. Carlsbad also saw the smallest decline in Average Daily Rate (ADR) at 1.8% and was the only area to post positive growth for Revenue Per Available Room (REVPAR) due to increased occupancy and minimal decline in ADR.

“We believe the strong brand and outstanding presence that Mindgruve has helped us create online has allowed us to start 2010 with solid performance while other local and national markets still struggle,” stated Sam Ross, Visit Carlsbad Executive Director.

About Visit Carlsbad

Visit Carlsbad is the Convention and Visitors Bureau for the Carlsbad area. It serves approximately 30 area hotels ranging from beach bungalows to luxury accommodations by presenting and promoting vacation ideas, packages, attractions and deals for the area. VisitCarlsbad.com.