1. Evolution of the Business Model
2. Launch of Land.US
3. Brand Development for Explore.US
4. Monetization Strategy for Explore.US
5. Launch Strategy and Market Launch List
Next Steps and Go Forward Plan
Explore America began with a simple, straight-forward concept. Create a network of 24,000 community sites linked together featuring over 25 million business listings. A powerful idea that enabled a hyper-local connection to entities all across the U.S.
With further market research and analysis, we uncovered key insights that we strongly believe will ultimately differentiate us from the myriad of existing digital resources.
There is universal desire and need for authentic, original content covering the best of what small town America has to offer.
So we shifted our digital strategy to a three-tiered approach to provide the type of content and digital experience users desire, with the breadth and depth of information resources users need.
The following outlines our evolved approach and the supporting primary and secondary market research, brand development and technology development roadmap that will lead to our continued success.
No one doubts the incredible track record of success for Amazon.com, Inc.
With a current market cap over $900 billion, they have achieved phenomenal business results. But the initial efforts of Jeff Bezos was actually not that impressive. Until he made a subtle strategy shift, and learned to embrace. “the long tail”.
Back in 1997, Bezos battled the then major publishing houses for dominance in online book selling. The strategy for the big publishers was to carry the top 500 our so titles and not care about the other 10,000 other infrequently requested titles in print. Bezos carefully studied customer requests and online search behavior and saw that while infrequently ordered, people still really cared about the one book they wanted within those other 10,000 titles.
Amazon quickly shifted their strategy and “virtually” carried those other titles through ingenious drop ship agreements and reseller programs. This allowed the site to carry “every book from A to Z” and meet all the needs of their customers, thus building incredibly strong customer loyalty and online buzz. The rest of this story is of course, e-commerce legend.
Our “Long Tail” network of 50 state/community sites featuring over 25 million business listings. Scope: 24,000 Dynamically Generated Sites
Our new marquee brand designed to celebrate the best of all that small-town America has to offer.
Scope: 2,500 - 3,000 Curated Small Town Sites
Our “Long Tail” network of 50 state/community sites featuring over 25 million business listings.
Scope: 24,000 Dynamically Generated Sites
Our new marquee brand designed to celebrate the best of all that small-town America has to offer.
Scope: 2,500 - 3,000 Curated Small Town Sites
Our “Long Tail” network of 50 state/community sites featuring over 25 million business listings.
Scope: 24,000 Dynamically Generated Sites
Our B2B property search engine designed to fuel transactional activity for rural properties.
Scope: 9,000 Properties For Sale Across 16 States
DISCOVERY
PRELIMINARY STRATEGY REVIEW
SPHERICAL® BRANDING
DIGITAL STRATEGY
DIGITAL EXPERIENCE PRODUCTION LAUNCH
We Are Here
WHAT
Explore.US allows users to find new small towns to visit and helps them discover the best of what each has to offer
Other Reasons
Total Reason
Main Reason
Other Reasons
Total Reason
Making a “new start,” an improved quality of life, a new job/relocation, and cost of living are the most common reasons why people move
WHAT IS THE TREND?
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
HOW CAN IT INFORM OUR APPROACH?
status was once measured by the tangible things one possessed, it has shifted to valuing the experiences one has had In a trend started by Millennials, people are spending more on things like travel, concerts, events, and dining
WHAT IS THE EXPERIENCE ECONOMY?
of Millennials prefer to spend more money on experiences than on material things
43% of people save their money to travel more often, while only 13% are saving for a house deposit
77% of people say some of their best memories are from an event or live experience they attended or participated in
Source: 1Millennials Ignited The Experience Economy. Here Is How To Cash In, Inc.com, 2018
2 Culture Trip Beyond Borders, May 2019 3 Fueling the Experience Economy, Eventbrite, 2017
MOST
56% of young professionals say they won’t take time off work for fear of projects piling up
of their intended trips this year
Source: Stylus, Ethical Travel’s Mainstream Breakthrough Toward Our Sustainable Future, June 6, 2019
U.S. staycations are most popular among Millennials and will account for 50%
80% of Americans say that they notice significant drops in stress after just two days of traveling
Source: Forbes, Five Reasons Why Travel Is Good For Your Mental Health, 2018
In 2019, searches relating to small-town travel increased by 276% according to an annual report released by Pinterest
OF AMERICANS ACTIVELY AVOID PLACES TOURISTS GO
Source: Culture Trip Beyond Borders, May 2019
Key
Brand vision
Celebrate small-town life
Brand positioning
To seekers of authenticity,
Explore.US is the inspiration resource that opens the door to the best experiences of smalltown America.
Brand personality
Insightful, genuine champion
Brand affiliation
Explorers
In an effort to create a great experience for both the user and the advertiser, we brainstormed ways to effectively leverage content throughout the interface of the MVP site
We want to ensure that the sponsored units are seamlessly integrated into the user experience and provide value to the users, as well as the sponsors
In this deck, we have provided specific placements:
Sponsored carousel
Integrated sponsor module
Sponsored business listing
Sponsored stories module
In Phase Two, we will explore opportunities for integration with third party ad networks, native placements, and other forms of monetization
Featured on home page and town pages
This unit allows advertisers to be featured in a unique and large unit with a CTA linking back to their site, or a featured article within the platform
Featured on town pages
This unit will allow larger brands to feature hyperlocal listings or advertisements for their closest stores or events
This type of unit could also appeal to local businesses to promote to audiences within their town or towns near by
Featured on town pages
This unit allows advertisers to be ranked higher on the list of businesses and activities
Featured on home page and town pages
This unit allows advertisers to be featured in a unique and large unit with a CTA linking back to their site, or a featured article within the platform
Reimagine the digital experience to align with our brand promise
OPEN THE DOOR TO SMALL-TOWN AMERICA
DELIVER THE BEST AND ONLY THE BEST
Make the first impression count
Change the way Americans explore small towns
Illuminate the adventures that await our users, both across the country and around the corner
Supercharge the search experience
Focus on delivering experiences that spark a sense of curiosity, propelling users from apathy to possibility
Invest in high-quality editorial content
Reward users for increased exploration
Surface small but powerful next steps
DELIVER THE BEST AND ONLY THE BEST
Research and curate the best experiences worth exploring in small-town America
Clearly define our approach
Celebrate the local lifestyle
Fill gaps via strategic partnerships
The inspiration resource that opens the door to the best experiences of small-town America
Illuminate the adventures that await our users, both across the country and around the corner
Make the first impression count
Change the way Americans explore small towns
Supercharge the search experience
Focus on delivering experiences that spark a sense of curiosity, propelling users from apathy to possibility
Invest in high-quality editorial content
Reward users for increased exploration
Surface small but powerful next steps
DELIVER THE BEST AND ONLY THE BEST Research and curate the best experiences worth exploring in small-town America
Clearly define our approach
Celebrate the local lifestyle
Fill gaps via strategic partnerships
Transform the site experience through a mobile-first user interface
Limited coverage of small-town America
Focus on rapid testing and learning around key conversion paths
Develop scaleable process for creating high-quality content
Analytics integration
CMS, CRM, and ESP integration
Basic accessibility
Basic search functionality
Develop needed advertising tech stack
Coverage of 25 states
Focus on scaling efforts that have proven successful
Implement needed advertising tech stack; continue to prepare for systems needed in run phase
Scale site direct advertising via digital display, sponsored content, and promoted business listings
Basic audience targeting and performance reporting
Explore partnerships to fill content gaps
Implement needed UI updates
CRM testing and learning
UGC testing and learning
Enhanced search functionality
Coverage of all 50 states
Continue to scale site direct advertising; introduce advertising networks and exchanges
Advanced audience targeting and performance reporting
Partners begin to contribute relevant content/data
Implement needed UI updates
Begin to explore website personalization
Ongoing optimization by segment
Explore new revenue streams and distribution channels
To align on the desired list of 25 small towns to launch with in Texas, the team designed a decision grid that first ranked locations within a 60-90 minute radius from major metro areas (off the beaten path).
We then developed criteria to support the content sections (Must Eat, Must Do, Must See and Must Stay) with over 60 unique parameters.
This allowed us to cherry pick the following list of highly desired towns:
The first three phases will lead up to launch and go through the completion of the Crawl phase
Phase 1: October 2019
Determine year one spend levels across paid media, content, and digital development
Align on small-town launch and expansion strategy Develop functional requirements document Perform technical discovery and provide recommendations
Concept website
Align on website content to feature
The first three phases will lead up to launch and go through the completion of the Crawl phase
Phase 1: October 2019
Determine year one spend levels across paid media, content, and digital development
Align on small-town launch and expansion strategy
Develop functional requirements document Perform technical discovery and provide recommendations
Concept website
Align on website content to feature
Phase 2: Nov-Dec 2019
Build the website
Capture content for Crawl phase
Populate the site with content
Review and update analytics implementation
Build preliminary email plan
Create social channels
Finalize media plan
Finalize PR and outreach plan
Concept and build ad creative
Develop site testing plan
The first three phases will lead up to launch and go through the completion of the Crawl phase
Phase 1: October 2019
Determine year one spend levels across paid media, content, and digital development
Align on small-town launch and expansion strategy
Develop functional requirements document
Perform technical discovery and provide recommendations
Concept website
Align on website content to feature
Phase 2: Nov-Dec 2019
Build the website Capture content for “Crawl” phase
Populate the site with content
Review and update analytics
implementation
Build preliminary email plan
Create social channels
Finalize media plan
Finalize PR and outreach plan
Concept and build ad creative
Develop site testing plan
Phase 3: Jan-Apr 2020
Launch redesigned site in open beta Generate qualitative/quantitative feedback
Update core elements of the UI/IA design
Revise hypothesis tracker
Develop site updates needed in Walk phase
Capture content for Walk phase
Stage content on Explore.US
Launch paid media
Launch on Facebook and Instagram
Notify users/advertisers of expansion plan
The next three phases highlight steps that need to be taken in the Walk and Run phases, along with those that need to be considered in 2021 and beyond
Phase 4: May-Aug 2020
Implement site updates
Optimize paid media
Capture Run phase content
Stage content on Explore.US
Develop site updates needed in Run phase
Continue website testing
Explore additional strategic partnerships
Begin segmenting user lists
Build deeper email personalization
Expand social presence to YouTube and Pinterest
Notify users/advertisers of expansion plan
The next three phases highlight steps that need to be taken in the Walk and Run phases, along with those that need to be considered in 2021 and beyond
Phase 4: May-Aug 2020
Implement site updates
Optimize paid media
Capture Run phase content
Stage content on Explore.US
Develop site updates needed in Run phase
Continue website testing
Explore additional strategic partnerships
Begin segmenting user lists
Build deeper email personalization
Expand social presence to YouTube and Pinterest
Notify users/advertisers of expansion plan
Phase 5: Sep-Dec 2020
Implement site updates
Introduce advertising networks/exchanges
Optimize paid media
Develop needed site updates
Continue website testing
Implement new strategic partnerships
Perform ongoing email optimization by segment
Explore new revenue streams and distribution channels
Notify users/advertisers of expansion plan
Plan for 2021
The next three phases highlight steps that need to be taken in the Walk and Run phases, along with those that need to be considered in 2021 and beyond
Phase 4: May-Aug 2020
Implement site updates
Optimize paid media
Capture Run phase content
Stage content on Explore.US
Develop site updates needed in Run phase
Continue website testing
Explore additional strategic partnerships
Begin segmenting user lists
Build deeper email personalization
Expand social presence to YouTube and Pinterest
Notify users/advertisers of expansion plan
Phase 5: Sep-Dec 2020
Implement site updates
Introduce advertising networks/exchanges
Optimize paid media
Develop needed site updates
Continue website testing
Implement new strategic partnerships
Perform ongoing email optimization by segment
Explore new revenue streams and distribution channels
Notify users/advertisers of expansion plan
Plan for 2021
2021 and beyond
Evaluate how broad and deep to make the experience in terms of towns/experiences covered
Focus on building firstparty data; use it to uncover new value for users and advertisers alike
Consider growth opportunities for domestic and international expansion
One fully integrated platform delivering ad revenue across:
2,500 - 3,000 Curated Small Town Sites
24,000 Dynamically Generated Sites
9,000 Properties For Sale Across 16 States = One fully integrated investment opportunity!