New travel content agency offers antidote to Google’s Panda

A new marketing agency is targeting travel offering firms offering an answer to the Google Panda and Penguin algorithm changes that have targeted duplicate farmed content.

A new marketing agency is targeting travel offering firms offering an answer to the Google Panda and Penguin algorithm changes that have targeted duplicate farmed content.

Melt is co-owned by former Viator general manager Dan Hart and Ian Brooks, director of travel technology recruitment specialist Pure Genie and a Travolution editorial advisory board member.

The pair have over 40 years experience in travel between them and believe their connections and understanding of the travel industry will give Melt an edge over other digital agencies.

Hart told Travolution that firms have undervalued the importance of good content but that Google has changed the game, condemning old link-building techniques for SEO to history.

“It’s quite evident that through algorithm changes the whole emphasis on how you build up your indexing has switched toward being content driven.

“There has been a real shift in how SEO is viewed. This was something we were adopting when I was at Viator. Campaign creation was very much driven around content, lots of outreach stuff.

“If planned correctly, with a clear objective of whom you’re targeting, a well-executed content campaign is an obvious replacement to traditional but now defunct link building strategies.

“Quality over quantity link-building through content led activity is where businesses will see notable ranking improvements.”

Hart said Melt will deliver unique content for its clients using a network of writers and bloggers but also advise firms on how to make better use of content they already have.

However, he said although the opportunity in travel around content is potentially huge there is a need for better content.

“Having in-house content people using good quality writers is not something that most people have traditionally done and in the main most agencies farm it out to content specialists.

“There’s no other agency that really specialises in the sector and understands the language and travel landscape, what you can do with good content and how you can use it effectively.

“We have only been doing this a short time and already we have won some pretty good clients in travel.”

Melt was established in June and has worked with the Lowcost Travel Group and Attraction Tickets Direct among other travel clients it cannot name.

Hart said the approach will be to maintain an agile relationship with clients to adapt to their changing needs.

Melt is offering a multi-lingual service for firms looking to expand overseas with keyword research and marketing services fulfilled by a global team of writers, SEO experts translators and consultants.

While copy, images, video, and increasingly graphical ways of communicating information like infographics, are all important Hart said which takes precedence depends on the product.

Tours and activities lends itself to video, for example, whereas car hire may not be quite so appropriate, Hart said.

Keeping content fresh and making sure it is authoritative is increasingly important so it is vital firms match the content they focus on with what their customers are looking for.