Internship Research Methodology

In this investigation, both primary and secondary research was used in order to gain insight into social medias value and effectiveness as a marketing platform for DMO’s. The interfaces of current online social media channels were researched through both directly observing, contributing and interacting with them, in conjunction with analyses of literature; both academic and commercial in nature, relating to individual interfaces characteristics. The research data was categorised and summarised in terms of the user base size of each interface and its defining characteristics. Four broad categories have been assigned; the first three are communicative, collaborative and multimedia. The fourth category is titled ‘hybrid social media’ in recognition that in fact a large majority of social media interfaces possess characteristics from more than one of the three main categories assigned in this report. The interfaces placed within this fourth category however are divided more evenly than others in terms of which of the three categories it could fall within.
Through the broad analyses of the social media platform and its component interfaces, the most significant interfaces (in relation to GCT) were then selected to explore on a deeper level in terms of the channels different marketing uses, strengths, criticisms and implications. This data was sourced from academic journals in conjunction with case studies which illustrate the notions academia propose. Primary data was collected through observation, contribution and interaction with the selected relevant social media interfaces. This involved the creation of a weblog (blog) and Facebook profile, joining the YouTube network, initiating a Twitter presence and joining a virtual community. Through experiencing the social media directly, the physical and tangible aspects of the interfaces could be experienced and analysed.
The analysis of the all data collected provided recurrent notions which are divided into recommendations and implications of the interfaces examined. These recommendations have then been translated into a brief action plan for using the social media interface as a marketing tool, which Gold Coast Tourism or other destination marketing organisations could adopt.