Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Marketing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Destination IQ tells Lodgers Tax board ads drove sharp December uptick in website traffic
Summary
Destination IQ told the Lodgers Tax Advisory Board that search and social advertising launched in November produced a large increase in December website users, direct visits and ad engagement; staff said a public data page and spring-break targeting are next steps.
Destination IQ reported to the Lodgers Tax Advisory Board that paid search and Meta advertising launched late in the year coincided with a marked increase in website engagement for Los Alamos.
At the Jan. meeting, an unnamed Destination IQ representative said total website users were “up almost a 150% in December ’25 versus December ’24,” crediting new Google search and Meta ads. The presenter also said direct traffic rose “just about 70%,” organic reach improved roughly 17%, and meta ads generated nearly 6,000 clicks. The presentation included other metrics: Google search impressions rose by about 50% (roughly 20,000 to 30,000), interactions went up about 33%, and the reported cost per click on search ads dropped from $0.70 to $0.40.
County staff and board members questioned how the campaign was geotargeted and whether the data and materials would be shared with local businesses. Dana Even of the Lodgers Tax Advisory Board (representing Holiday Inn) asked whether Texas markets beyond the Dallas–Fort Worth area could be included; the presenter said geotargeting can be adjusted and that budget considerations affect reach. The presenter identified Albuquerque and Santa Fe as the highest click-through markets and said Dallas–Fort Worth and Colorado also performed well.
Ellen, a Los Alamos County staff member, said the county will publish a web page with the running data and reports and circulate a press release; she told the board staff hopes to launch that page before the end of the month. Board members asked that staff also provide straightforward guidance so small businesses can access and use the marketing data.
Board members discussed a near-term spring-break ad and asked Destination IQ to test narrower Colorado front-range targets and to consider additional Texas cities such as San Antonio. The presenter said a spring-break-focused ad is already on the team’s list and that adding geotargets is straightforward though it spreads budget across more markets.
What’s next: staff said the data page and a press release will be published, Destination IQ will explore targeted spring-break ads, and staff will follow up with a more detailed breakdown of geotarget recommendations for the board.
