Marketing the Lake of the Ozarks

OUTdrive Episode 88 with Eric Homan

The Lake of the Ozarks flew under the radar for many years, and was considered a hidden gem for those that knew about it. That was until May 2020, when viral videos during the pandemic made headlines and popularity of the Netflix series “Ozark” brought attention from around the world to the mid-Missouri oasis. The media coverage drove hundreds of thousands of clicks to the Lake of the Ozarks website and had a huge impact on marketing. In this episode of OUTdrive, I sat down with Eric Homan, the web administrator for the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitors Bureau, to talk about marketing strategy and tactics along with new technologies emerging in the tourism industry.

Eric has served as the web administrator at the Convention and Visitors Bureau for 18 years. In his role, Eric manages the website and leads the digital marketing efforts for the lake. He works closely with the board of directors and Missouri Department of Tourism to implement new messaging and campaigns across digital platforms. Eric earned his degree in computer programming and web development from State Fair Community College. A Smithton, Missouri native, Eric worked for his family’s livestock and pet food business for several years where he was tasked with running the accounting software along with delivering feed.

Tune in to this episode to learn more about what goes into marketing a popular vacation spot. From resorts and waterfront restaurants to hiking and fishing, the Lake of the Ozarks has it all, and more.

SHOW NOTES

• 3:15 – Eric describes his role as the web administrator for the Lake of the Ozarks CVB
• 4:30 – Eric outlines his “non-traditional” path to his current job
• 7:15 – Eric explains why he got into computer programming
• 9:00 – Eric shares his advice for someone looking to go into the computer programming field and what traits he thinks best prepared him for the job he has now
• 11:45 – Eric talks about the positive and negative feedback and attention that came out of the pandemic for the Lake of the Ozarks
• 16:30 – Eric shares some of the different marketing strategies the CVB has used to get out their vacation guides and information when trade shows were canceled
• 18:15 – Eric explains how the messaging of their marketing changed in 2021 and the direction they are taking it in 2022
• 23:45 – Cliff and Eric discuss the hype surrounding the Netflix series “Ozark” and the impact on the Lake of the Ozarks marketing
• 27:00 – Eric tells Cliff about some of the new trends and uses of technology within marketing efforts
• 30:00 – Eric explains how the CVB goes about taking on a new marketing platform
• 32:30 – Eric outlines how the Missouri Department of Tourism supports the Lake of the Ozarks CVB marketing
• 34:45 – Eric tells Cliff what he enjoys about his job