One of the more popular tourism—and relocation—websites on the internet is www.visitseattle.com. Playing off that recognition is www.visitkitsap.com, the County’s tourism site. And now, www.findpoulsbo.com can also be located by the major search engines through www.visitpoulsbo.com.
It’s called virtual drafting—like migrating Canada geese who trade off the lead position, and stay to the back where “drafting” makes the going easier. By trading on the popularity of the ‘visit’ search term, the Poulsbo Marketing Coalition is convinced its well-liked FINDPoulsbo site will get even more hits.
“It’s just smart marketing,” explains Chamber Director Marc Abshire, one of the Coalition’s members. “When we want to attract more visitors from even farther away, we have to use the terms and tools that make our jobs easier. This is one those changes.”
“The FINDPoulsbo website is almost two years old,” says Kelle Kitchel-Cooper of The Rockfish Group, designers of the site. “Our goal was to create one-stop shopping for anyone trying to find out anything about Poulsbo—particularly tourists or locals wanting to play.
“The hardest part is reminding so many fine groups to keep us in the loop, so that we can promote their festivals, events, and activities. The site is designed to make everyone successful. And we work closely with other sites, such as www.experiencenorthkitsap.com, which in turn promotes Poulsbo too. It’s synergy that works.”
Tourism brings in [a lot of money] each year to Poulsbo, and is largely responsible for the busy downtown district. While locals like to complain about the increase in traffic, especially weekends and summer, those dollars help support the City’s infrastructure, as well as dozens of mom-and-pop businesses. And for those visitors who stay in our hotels and B&Bs, the lodging tax dollars collected are funneled back into marketing Poulsbo as a destination—paying for things like the www.findpoulsbo.com (now, also, www.visitpoulsbo.com) website.
The Poulsbo Marketing Coalition is a collaborative effort to bring more visitors to Poulsbo. Its members are representatives from the Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce, Port of Poulsbo, Viking Fest, 3rd of July, Poulsbo Farmers Market, Historical Society, and, now, the newly forming Viking Business Association.
