The experience of booking a trip has completely changed over the last few years. Most people look at their destination online, and tourism marketing is one of the most crucial factors for businesses that want to stand out from the crowd.
And in this landscape, social media is absolutely king. Pictures and videos from influencers can make or break a destination, hotel or restaurant; and many people (particularly the younger generation) book trips on a whim after seeing a post on their feed.
Let’s look at the main reasons why advertising on social media is so important for tourism companies, and how you can take advantage of it.
- Raising awareness of your brand
- Getting people to interact and form relationships
- A great place to be authentic
- Making use of real content
- Use promotions and quizzes to get more bookings
- Staying relevant in a tough market
Raising awareness of your brand
One of the best things about using social media for your tourist business is that it can help people remember your brand. If you’re able to make a strong presence on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, you can show off the special things your business has to offer in terms of activities, attractions, and lodging.
In that way, you can make an effect on potential travelers that they will remember by posting visually appealing content, telling interesting stories, and making content that they can interact with. This will make them more likely to use your services when planning their trips.
Getting people to interact and form relationships
And talking about interacting with your viewers, social media is a great place to be exactly for this reason. You can build meaningful relationships with both past and future customers by posting useful updates, reacting quickly to comments and messages, and holding polls or contests that people can take part in.
Imagine having some guests over at your hotel, and keeping them engaged for years afterwards by posting unique content that makes them remember the wonderful time they had there. This is one of the best ways to get recurring bookings.
A great place to be authentic
Authenticity is very important for tourists looking for real and engaging experiences in this age of experiential travel. Thanks to social media, you can show what your tourist business is really about, not just the glossy brochures and ads from old times.
People can really see what makes your business unique and why they should book their next trip with you if you share behind-the-scenes looks, user-generated content, and personal stories from past guests. And the right guests will definitely connect with this honesty, and it will help them trust your brand.
Making use of real content
In the tourist business, user-generated content (UGC) has grown into a powerful marketing tool thanks to social media. By asking guests to share pictures, reviews, and stories from their visits, you can start a social proof chain reaction.
Something similar happens if you decide to partner with an influencer. Working with people who have a lot of followers in the travel and tourist niche can help you reach more people on social media.
This way, you can talk to their followers and benefit from their reputation and level of engagement. Influencers can make interesting content, share their own experiences with your business, and send people to your website or booking platforms. When done right, this will lead to more bookings and more exposure for your brand in the competitive tourist market.
Use promotions and quizzes to get more bookings
Another strategy to boost your bookings is by offering promotions and hosting quizzes. These are powerful ways to create buzz around your business and reach new potential travelers who might not know you in advance.
Promotions can include discounts, special deals for certain dates or packages, or even freebies such as complimentary meals or activities. And quizzes can also be a fun and interactive way to engage with potential customers. There are many tools online that can help you with both strategies, so make sure to do your research.
Staying relevant in a tough market
In any case, it’s important to stay relevant and at the top of travelers’ minds; and luckily for you, you can compete on social media based on the quality and creativity of your content, not just how much money you have to spend on ads.
So, even if it looks like it at times, social media isn’t just for posting pretty pictures to promote tourism companies; it can also become your greatest asset when building a strong community, making connections, and inspiring people to go on trips they’ll never forget.
As a tourism company, you can find a lot of ways to show off their products, connect with customers, and do well in a digital world where people share, value, and remember experiences if you use the power of social media marketing.
Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence.
The post Why promoting your tourism business on social media is crucial appeared first on MoneyMagpie.