More and more DMOs are starting to work with bloggers and organize blog trips. And rightfully so. Bloggers are travel influencers. But what does that mean? And how do they fit in the marketing mix and consumer buying process?

At Think! we refer to some of these groups as passionate communities. In the example above, the individual in the centre belongs to a passionate community of surfers. She probably visits surfing websites, reads blogs and participates in forums. 

Scott Adams offers help in his book Grouped (I highly recommend reading). And here’s his powerpoint about it. The first thing to understand is that people belong to specific groups. The example below shows how one person belong to different groups of people for different reasons.

At Think! we identify that these community typically have influencers. Bloggers are one category of influencers. But influence is not equal to reach. And that’s the most common mistake people make.     His point is that influencers such as bloggers are a great way for generating awareness. But our “strong ties” are what makes us decide.