Marketing snapshot - Hortlink 2018, edition 2

This Hort Innovation Turf Fund marketing snapshot has been taken from Hort Innovation’s Hortlink 2018, edition 2.

Hort Innovation is responsible for investing the turf marketing levy into a range of activities to drive awareness and use of Australian turf, under the Hort Innovation Turf Fund.

As noted in the last edition of Hortlink, a key focus for the marketing program has been the development of a new consumer website for industry. At the time of writing, the new website was in the final stages of development and about to be launched at www.lawnspiration.com.au.

The new turf website is one of the major pillars in the three-year turf marketing strategy. Research conducted in the 2016 Turf Usage and Attitudes study showed that websites are the number one source of information and advice for both existing and intended buyers of turf. However, the research showed that consumers are currently visiting numerous websites, with no single authoritative source turf buyers and intended buyers visit.

The new site will be a comprehensive, engaging destination for existing or potential turf consumers. It is built on an easy-to-use WordPress platform, which has a clean, fresh look and a responsive, modern design. The website is designed to be used on desktop and mobile and can be easily updated to add additional features and content. It also adheres to best practice search engine optimisation (SEO) methods, which are vital to ensuring that the website features strongly in Google search results, so that consumers can easily find it and its information through search.

The website will evolve over time to house new content, and will have the capability for electronic direct mail (EDM, or newsletters) to help navigate consumers through the turf sales ecosystem once they are on the website.

The new website is essentially split into five key sections, and houses content that has been developed in collaboration with industry. The sections include…

• About turf: a guide to the major turf varieties and the key benefits of turf
• Laying turf: guides to choosing and laying turf
• Turf care: tips on lawn maintenance including seasonal maintenance advice
• Inspiration: a picture gallery and articles to inspire people to add and improve their lawn
• Find a supplier: a sophisticated Google plug-in allowing consumers to type in their postcode to find their nearest turf supplier, including links to suppliers’ websites and phone and email details.

Just some of the other features on the website include a link to the Lawnspiration Facebook page, an industry link at the bottom of the site to link to the Turf Australia website, and a cost calculator.

Traffic will be driven to the site by marketing activity throughout the 2018/19 season, including digital advertising, such as paid Facebook posts, as well as through a PR campaign.