A new website and digital strategy for the opera
When I started my job as marketing director for Austin Lyric Opera, I knew I wanted to put my stamp on its digital marketing efforts. I wanted to put all that I have written about and all that I have learned over the past years to action. What follows is a brief overview of what I did and how I did it: A new website Tracking conversions Online … [Read More...]
Join me for #ArtsMgtChat this Friday
Getting back into the blogging and tweeting habit came at the right time. I was invited to guest host a Twitter chat called #ArtsMgtChat this Friday, May 11. This chat is great initiative by Ally Yusuf, a young emerging arts leader, and had its launch on April 27 with a chat about navigating a career in arts management. You can read the transcript … [Read More...]
ALO: final round up (complete presentation)
ALO: A new website and digital strategy (complete) View more presentations from Marc van Bree This concludes a brief overview of what went into a new website and new digital strategy for a performing arts organization. At the start of the season, the opera was in a precarious position. I had to work with a 35% overall marketing budget cut, … [Read More...]
Dispelling some untruths about managing the arts
Summer time is conference time, which inevitably leads to discussions about the state of the arts. The topic has been picked up around the blogosphere too. Yesterday I went to an event by the Austin Creative Alliance called “Crisis & Opportunity: An Open, Structured Dialogue” and a familiar discussion evolved. I think it is time to reframe … [Read More...]
Latest Posts
Join me for #ArtsMgtChat this Friday
Getting back into the blogging and tweeting habit came at the right time. I was invited to guest host a Twitter chat called #ArtsMgtChat this Friday, May 11. This chat is great initiative by Ally Yusuf, a young emerging arts leader, and had its launch on April 27 with a chat about navigating a career in arts management. You can read the transcript here. This Friday’s chat covers social media strategies for arts organizations, a topic, as you know, that is near and dear to my heart. My … [Read More...]
ALO: final round up (complete presentation)
ALO: A new website and digital strategy (complete) View more presentations from Marc van Bree This concludes a brief overview of what went into a new website and new digital strategy for a performing arts organization. At the start of the season, the opera was in a precarious position. I had to work with a 35% overall marketing budget cut, so I knew I had to be more efficient with the marketing dollars I had to my disposal. Because many parts of the digital strategy were outsourced, … [Read More...]
ALO: Mobile site
Approximately 20% of the traffic to the ALO website comes from mobile devices. This has been steadily on the increase and will continue to increase into the future. The new website displays well on mobile devices and touch screen devices. What we wanted to build then was something to complement, not replace the new website. There is no auto detect for mobile browsers on the main institutional site, to redirect mobile device users to a mobile site. In the future, if the mobile site proves more … [Read More...]
ALO: Social media
In my 2010 TAFTO contribution, this is what I wrote: Over the past decade, the Internet has moved toward becoming a social medium with more participation (encouraging contributions), openness (no barriers to content and feedback), connectedness (networked relationships and sharing content), community (gathering around a common interest), and, of course, conversation (a two-way street). The Cluetrain Manifesto, still pertinent after more than 10 years, tells us that “conversations among … [Read More...]
ALO: Online advertising
One of the first things I did was to pull our online advertising in-house. Previously, it was not uncommon to spend $8,000 per production on an agency booking interactive banner ads and placing search engine ads on Google, Yahoo and Bing. First, I applied for Google Grants. It’s a simple process for nonprofits, but it took a couple of months to be approved. Google Grants allows nonprofits to set up Google AdWords campaigns at no cost. It’s all in-kind advertising. There are a few limiting … [Read More...]
More Posts
- ALO: Tracking conversions
- A new website and digital strategy for the opera
- Dispelling some untruths about managing the arts
- Remember the Alamo
- Settling in Austin, Texas
- Moving to Austin, Texas
- First reflections on #askaconductor
- Abundance, eager hands and #askaconductor
- Gig/International Arts Manager looks at social media in classical music
- An early look at nonprofit social networking site Jumo
Dutch native Marc van Bree is an analytical marketing communications professional with more than 8 years of experience strategically managing campaigns—on and offline—in a rapidly changing media environment. 
Communications is storytelling. Telling your organization's story consists of many different ingredients across a wide variety of media—from crafting messaging to optimizing your e-mail marketing. 
Organizations are dipping their toes in the social media pool, but do not have the strategy in place to effectively use the many tools at their disposal. Achieve the organizational buy-in you need, build your infrastructure, and leverage social technologies to engage your audience. 
The very definition of cultural participation has changed in a world with endless technological possibilities. The smart marketer will apply insights into patron behaviors to build your audience.
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