When it comes to a wider digital marketing strategy, understanding and effectively engaging with niche markets can be challenging but also incredibly rewarding.
For Trout Tales Tasmania, a business rooted in the passionate world of fly-fishing, carving out a distinct identity online has been crucial for success; both digitally and 'out in the wild,' so to speak.
The journey thus far hasn't just been about broad strokes; it has involved a step-by-step digital marketing process specifically tailored to resonate with an audience that are connected to the art of fly-fishing.
This case study explores the Tales From The Fly series created for Trout Tales, and specifically looks at the benefits of long-form (i.e. 8+ minute) videos for businesses including:
Youtube Growth: Increased followers over 1500% from around 30 followers to nearly 550 in 11 months.
Increased View Counts: Episodes of the long-form series (~ 1.5k views) significantly outperformed shorter videos (~ 500 views).
Client Engagement: Strong alignment with the interests of fly fishermen, combining captivating visuals and educational content.
Booking Uptake: Notable increase in bookings directly attributed to viewers of the series.
Trout Tales Tasmania is a premier provider of guided fly-fishing tours in Tasmania, offering all-inclusive packages that cover everything from lunches to transport and accommodation, alongside premium gear and service.
In short, Matt and Trout Tales aim to stand out in the market by delivering a comprehensive and complete fishing experience.
The game plan for the Trout Tales longer video format wasn't a traditional approach, as in our other Hobart digital marketing case studies.
Instead it was more focussed on ensuring that the Tales From The Fly series covered off on a range of factors including:
Wondering what a Tales From The Fly video looks like?
Check out the popular episode on Arthurs Lake in Tasmania's Central Highlands in the player below:
To effectively engage their audience, Trout Tales Tasmania and Wakeford Digital developed a content strategy that revolved around these long-form videos.
The approach aimed at increasing viewer engagement by keeping viewers watching for beyond 6+ minutes, or the time of some of our medium format previous videos.
This was achieved by incorporating a variety of videography techniques to produce high-quality, engaging content - including educational insights (such as Matt talking to the camera about certain techniques or tips), incorporating cinematic footage as well as wider topics, such as Tasmania overall as a place to visit.
With this goal in mind, the episodes of Tales From The Fly were also planned to cover different locations across the fishing season, showcasing various fishing techniques suitable for each season.
Episodes that featured popular locations, such as the one below on Little Pine Lagoon, have also seen a big uptake in viewer numbers:
Diversity in topics was also important to the series success - for example, winter episodes focused on wet fly fishing, while other seasons highlighted dry fly fishing and the locations which really enhance this technique.
The content strategy emphasised capturing not only the action of fish catching but as mentioned, also the scenic beauty of the locations and surrounds, providing a full experience for the viewer.
This combination of focus ensured that each episode was visually appealing and informative, catering to the interests of both novice and experienced fly fishermen but also general viewers who may have wider interests.
Promotional efforts were also key to the success of the series, such as short trailers released on YouTube to build anticipation for each episode.
Additionally, build-ups on Instagram and Facebook helped to engage the audience before the full episode's release including using YouTube’s premiere feature to further generated excitement and engagement by allowing viewers to watch and comment in real-time during the release.
We’re pleased to share that the long-form video campaign with Trout Tales Tasmania has been a resounding success.
The strategic planning and ability to adapt and expand on the video strategy has led to some fantastic outcomes.
What does this mean?
Well, we set out to increase the following and minutes viewed on the Trout Tales account, both of which have been achieved along with enhanced engagement and interest generated through the long-form video content.
Some key highlights include:
Improved Viewer Engagement: The average view duration and engagement rates increased significantly, indicating that viewers were more captivated by the long-form content.
Subscriber Growth: The number of YouTube subscribers grew from around 30 to nearly 550, showcasing the effectiveness of the longer video strategy.
Higher View Counts:
Thanks to the considered content strategy and targeted promotional efforts, this has ultimately led to significant business growth.
While not a specific goal that we had upon embarking on the Tales From The Fly series, the tangible results of our efforts were evident in the increase in leads and inquiries through the website.
Pleasingly, Trout Tales Tasmania has seen further growth in bookings and client engagement since the implementation of the long-form video strategy.
In 2024 and beyond, with a focus on things like 'video hooks' and our ever decreasing attention span - we feel buoyed by the success of the Tales From The Fly series and its long-form videos.
This, coupled with the increase in leads and engagement for Trout Tales Tasmania, suggests that long-form videos are here to stay, for now at least.
The series has not only enhanced Trout Tales' YouTube presence but also established them as an authority in the fly fishing industry here in Tasmania, and growing nationally.
The combination of visuals, educational content and honest storytelling, has resonated well with their audience, leading to increased bookings and positive brand perception - as we again thank Matt for the opportunity to work alongside the businesses to help achieve online success.
If you've been wondering about a video strategy (or indeed some longer format videos) for your business, feel free to discuss your project with Wakeford Digital today - and for the anglers among us, tight lines!
Get in touch with Wakeford Digital today to discuss your digital marketing goals.
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