With Mindgruve’s solid social media strategy that includes engaging content and new sharing tactics, Visit Carlsbad’s Facebook Page successfully reached 50K “Likes.”

SAN DIEGO, CA – March 23, 2012 – Mindgruve executed a social media strategy via Facebook that grew from 30K to 50K “Likes” over the course of eight months. The integrated strategy included targeted content, deals, contests, photos, videos, conversation starters and highly-targeted Facebook ads that all contributed to Visit Carlsbad’s page growth.

Conducting an in-depth analysis of Carlsbad’s community and optimal posting times, Mindgruve took a different approach to social content sharing by focusing on eye-catching and share-worthy photos and videos that promoted Carlsbad venues, events, deals and more. Fun facts, trivia questions, fill-in-the-blank and other conversation starters were also part of the refined strategy and have resulted in increased engagement.
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Improved online media efforts and increased awareness for Carlsbad, CA lead to extended partnership.

San Diego, CA – September 29, 2010 – Following recent successes with a new website and increased online marketing efforts that have helped make Carlsbad, CA a top family travel and spa destination site in the United States, Visit Carlsbad has resigned with San Diego-based digital media firm, Mindgruve.

Through improved search engine marketing, a user-centric website experience and a streamlined visitor conversion process, Mindgruve has helped guide curious travelers to Carlsbad, CA. Focusing on improved messaging and information-rich content, the updated Visit Carlsbad brand has become a recognizable online destination for valuable southern California travel tips and insights.

“We have been extremely happy with the efforts that Mindgruve has put into our online marketing initiatives. We are confident they will continue to promote Carlsbad as a premier travel destination as we extend efforts into social media,”  said Sam Ross, Visit Carlsbad Executive Director.

Mindgruve has already started to increase Visit Carlsbad’s social media presence through website integration of Facebook “like” buttons, as well as a Facebook ad campaign and increased interaction across multiple social channels including Twitter, YouTube and Flickr. Future efforts will include online travel giveaways, custom travel applications and increased community connectivity for other Carlsbad businesses.

“Our partnership with Visit Carlsbad has been very successful thus far and we are excited for what the future holds. Extending our online efforts into social media, Visit Carlsbad’s website will become the hub of local content and useful travel insights ranging from weekend getaways to group-based travel,” stated Chad Robley, Mindgruve CEO.

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.

New branding and increased awareness help Carlsbad, CA become a top TripAdvisor destination.

SAN DIEGO,CA – May 26, 2010 – Through a refreshed brand, online marketing strategy and new, user-friendly website, Mindgruve helped Visit Carlsbad put their town at the forefront of the online travel conversation. Not listed as a TripAdvisor top destination in 2009, Carlsbad appeared as the #3 Family Destination and #9 Spa Destination in the United States in 2010.

Beginning their efforts in January 2009, Mindgruve developed a new visual presence for the Visit Carlsbad brand starting with a website that features simple navigation and robust information about the area, including exclusive travel offers. Additionally, Mindgruve reshaped the marketing strategy by geo-targeting search, display and print, as well as increasing email, landing page and social media efforts to successfully capture and increase quality web traffic.

“We used a variety of tactics to increase Visit Carlsbad’s ability to communicate all that their area offers. From opening up a dialogue through social media to engaging travelers with localized contests and promotions, we’ve been able to create an effective call to action, and our audience took notice,” stated Chad Robley, Mindgruve CEO.

Mindgruve hopes to continue Carlsbad’s growth in the destination marketplace through increased social media interaction, and by providing robust group and event-based travel services.

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.

Carlsbad CVB looks to keep momentum going with San Diego, California-based digital media firm.

SAN DIEGO,CA – After two successful campaigns over the spring and summer of 2009, Visit Carlsbad has once again decided to tap their neighbor to the south, digital media firm, Mindgruve, to take on their interactive marketing efforts over the next year. “Working with Mindgruve, we saw phenomenal results right away for both our spring campaign and our Endless Summer campaign. We received over 15 million online impressions and had an almost 16% rise in ‘room nights’ year-over-year, while most of the industry was experiencing a decrease in occupancy,” stated Sam Ross, Visit Carlsbad Executive Director.

Having moved Carlsbad into the number one ranking in both ADR and RevPar against all other San Diego regions in May, Mindgruve looks to not only maintain that status, but build upon it. “We’re extremely excited about the contract extension with Visit Carlsbad. We had great success through behavioral targeting and retargeting our display ads, as well as email marketing and our deal-centric microsites. In the coming year, we will overhaul Visit Carlsbad’s existing website to introduce in-depth content and improve usability,” said Chad Robley, Mindgruve President.

Another main focus moving forward will be forging a powerful two-way dialog with consumers. Carlsbad shows a longer than average trip stay compared to other areas (2.5 nights versus 1.8 nights elsewhere). Understanding and promoting why this is will help serve to better solidify Carlsbad as a top vacation spot. Sam Ross extrapolated, “Now that summer is over, we want to make sure that people will continue to take advantage of everything the Carlsbad area has to offer. It’s why we’re in the process of establishing a strong social media presence on Facebook and Twitter, among other sites. Through these channels, we can connect with visitors, helping them be the first to know about our travel deals, as well as allowing them to share stories about, or offer suggestions on, planning the perfect getaway.”

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 City of Carlsbad hires Mindgruve to promote summer hotel packages to Los Angeles and Orange County families.

SAN DIEGO, CA - After the success of their spring campaign the City of Carlsbad has again chosen San Diego-based digital marketing firm, Mindgruve, to create and launch their new 2009 Endless Summer Stimulus Campaign.

The three month marketing push funded by the City of Carlsbad, CTBID and [Energy Co.], involves a comprehensive online and offline marketing strategy designed to promote “20 irresistible summer hotel deals” to families traveling to Carlsbad, CA.

The summer campaign targeting families in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas includes direct mail, a hotel deal microsite, email marketing, paid Google search and online banner advertising to form a cohesive, fully integrated marketing effort.

“The success of the Carlsbad campaign is more evidence of how critical the role of digital media now plays in all Destination Marketing Organizations. The internet is now the epicenter for the marketing mix enabling lower cost of customer acquisition and vastly improving marketers ability to measure campaigns in real time. Additionally, search marketing is shortening the buying cycle and delivering customers at a time of need” states Mindgruve president, Chad Robley.

Mindgruve and the City of Carlsbad’s last integrated marketing campaign proved extremely successful.  Their spring campaign had over 3.5 million brand impressions in the first 60 days as well as a 105% increase in page views and 152% increase in site visitation year-over-year in that same time period. This increase tripled hotel bookings on the visitcarlsbad.com website in the first 60 days of the campaign.

Marketing and Internet Media Company tasked with developing new Carlsbad brand and “heads in beds” strategy

CARLSBAD, CA - Mindgruve, a San Diego-based advertising+interactive marketing firm, announced today they have signed a contract with the Carlsbad BID [Business Improvement District: responsible for improving Carlsbad's tourism market share in Southern California]. As part of the agreement, Mindgruve will be developing a brand platform, logo, and print collateral campaign. However, the primary focus of the marketing investment dollars will be allocated to the internet strategy, microsites, paid search, search optimization, affiliate marketing, social media, and email marketing portion of the agreement.

This partnership was created to jump start Carlsbad tourism in light of the recent downturn in the economy and tourism market. “Carlsbad is home to some of the word’s finest hotels, resorts, golf courses, beaches, and attractions,” says Reint Reinders, President of Reint Reinders & Associates, the consulting firm for the Carlsbad BID. “We will be actively pursuing families who are seeking hotel and attraction deals and packages within several regional feeder markets including Southern California and Arizona.”

Mindgruve plans to develop a series of highly targeted micro websites to promote Carlsbad destination-centric family package deals. “This campaign will be centered around search marketing to families looking to drive relatively short distances for a vacation at a reduced price”, says Chad Robley, President of Mindgruve. “The combination of a world class family destination and value-based marketing approach provides a great opportunity for families to explore Carlsbad.”