Travelers no longer rely solely on local agencies to help them plan their vacations or trips away. Most people now get their inspiration from social media and personal online research. According to research, more than 70% of business travellers use smartphones to make the majority of their travel bookings, and more than 60% of people research their trips and travel plans online before deciding where to go. Many people still use travel agencies, but it’s more important than ever to establish a strong online presence if you work in the travel and tourism industry. After all, the internet not only ensures that you are present wherever your loyal and prospective customers are, but it also allows travel businesses to easily collect important data on their target base, and it ensures that you can reach out to your customers with travel deals, offers, and personalised ads more frequently and with better results than traditional marketing could.
In this article, we’ll look at how we can use various Digital Marketing tools to help travel and hotel businesses grow.
To begin, here are some of the top benefits and reasons why the Travel and Tourism industry should be present online and make the most of digital marketing:
It’s never been easier to connect with your audience. You can use the internet to quickly learn what your customers are interested in and then target them with personalised communication based on those interests.
You can use all of the search engines to your advantage. Your customers are constantly searching for answers to questions like ‘best places to visit in 2020,’ ‘best European summer destinations,’ and so on. By investing in a strong SEO and SEM strategy, you can ensure that your ads, blogs, and website details appear first on search engines.
Social media can significantly aid in the growth of your business as well as the creation of top-of-mind recall. Not only is it a great tool for handling inquiries and responding to your audiences more quickly, but you can also actively use mediums like Instagram and Facebook to entice your customers to buy into travel plans they didn’t even know they had. Consider stunning destination photography, video experiences, and more.
Last but not least, your company’s online presence makes collecting and utilising customer data much more efficient. You know what your customers want, and you can deliver it to them in the form of email communications, personalised ads, and more.
Now that we’ve discussed the benefits and reasons why it’s critical to have the right Digital Marketing tools on hand, let’s talk about some of the most important digital presences that your travel company should establish. The first steps in developing a digital marketing strategy for your travel company.
Blog and website
One of the most important assets for Travel and Tourism businesses, your website and blog serve as both an information hub and the primary commercial destination for all things travel-related. Ensure that your website has a strong interface, that the path to holiday planning and purchases is well-organized and simple to follow, and that the website is mobile-friendly. It’s also a good idea to have a quality content blog that covers everything from must-see destinations to travel advice and more – a comprehensive travel blog will help generate quality SEO results while also building top-of-mind recall and loyalty for your company.
Keep in mind:
Content is king: Keep an eye on the quality of text, images, and videos, particularly visual content, which is especially important in the travel industry.
Usability is essential: The user experience on your website is critical. Even search engines rank your website based on the user experience. Make sure your website has easy-to-use navigation and a high level of performance.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and Social Media Marketing (SMM)
Your business leads and website traffic will be heavily reliant on a solid SEM strategy, whether you go for paid advertising like Google Adwords or display, so make sure your website is search friendly and invest in SEM experts to build a winning search strategy for your travel business.
It is worthwhile to optimise the website to make it more accessible to search engines through the use of keyword placement, meta tags, and other techniques. Not to mention the importance of link-building for travel businesses. You can significantly improve your Google page rankings by obtaining links from reputable websites such as TripAdvisor or other travel businesses and blogs.
And, put some emphasis on developing your social media presence – not only do various social media mediums provide invaluable insights into your target audience, but they also serve as a great medium for luring customers through photos, videos, and other forms of advertising. A win-win situation for any travel company.
As a travel company, it is beneficial to establish a presence in the following areas:
In comparison to other social networks, Facebook has the largest audience reach. You must set up a Facebook Business page for your travel company.
Instagram: As a tourism business, Instagram can be a powerful marketing tool in terms of visibility and product promotion.
YouTube: If you have a content team that can create bespoke travel videos, YouTube can be an invaluable resource for travel businesses. It is definitely worth maintaining an active presence on YouTube.
Management of online reputation
If your company is listed in forums such as Trip Advisor, Clear Trip, Sky Scanner, and others, make sure you invest some time and money in managing your online reputation. These are some of the most important networks in the world for travellers and tourism-related businesses, and their reach is truly global. How your company responds to reviews, especially negative ones, is often more important than the reviews themselves.
It has never been easier to take your first steps into the world of digital marketing. There are numerous resources available online to help you get started, and once you start building your website, setting up your blog and social media presence, and building a community, it only gets easier. However, once you start generating leads, don’t overlook the importance of ongoing marketing efforts. It is critical to keep your regular customers engaged and prospective customers interested – email marketing and CRM efforts can be extremely beneficial in this regard. Speak with the Digitawise team to learn how we can assist you.