If there is one thing I’ve learned about content marketing it’s that not all digital channels are ideally suited for every industry. Before you get started, you should first take into consideration the types of channels your audience uses the most as well as the ones capable of encapsulating your voice most effectively.
As I’m an avid traveler (alright, I don’t travel nearly as much as I would like due to time and finances) I spend a great deal of time browsing through related online content. Doing so frequently, paired with my eye for great content marketing skills, has led me to believe that are three essential marketing tactics that travel marketers ought to be leveraging, or improving upon, immediately:
- Instagram: Correct me if I’m wrong, but when consumers are day dreaming about a tropical vacation, the last thing they want to see is a dense article about TSA regulations or how to pack practically, although those types of content are very important. They want to see imagery. Instagram is an exceptional way for companies in the travel industry to get their brand known by way of visual stimulation. In fact, Instragram offers a special page that features different types of accounts every day, and travel accounts are frequently spotlighted. The more incredible photos you post from places your consumers travel, the more likes and recognition you’ll receive on this platform. But don’t forget to caption your picture with a clever call to action so that consumers know you’re in business!
- Pinterest: Similar to Instragram, Pinterest offers a more sensory experience for the vacation-planning consumer. Pinterest is platform which allows travel agencies, destinations or resorts to influence their consumers, oftentimes subconsciously. Pinterest users bookmark “pins” and add them to their boards which, for travel purposes, can be dream vacations. When consumers pin pictures from your company’s website, blog or photo gallery you instantly become top of mind and influence other consumers to consider your company when the day comes to plan their trip. As well, Pinterest affords great brand exposure for companies in the travel industry because users share their pins with their friends and families as a sort of word-of-mouth recommendation.
- Email: Email marketing is a great way to get your consumers to transition from vacation dreamers to vacation planners. Providing relevant travel tips, discounts and featured destinations are surefire ways to get your emails opened. After all, everyone fantasizes about planning their adventure but sometimes the logistics of doing so can be stressful. As such, companies within the travel industry have a special leg up in the email realm compared to other industries as they can more easily inspire consumers to take action by providing tips and tricks, special offers and let’s not forget the images of palm trees and waterfalls.
In travel marketing, I say, if you’ve got it, flaunt it. These three marketing tactics are great for the travel industry as they help companies capitalize on their greatest assets. Are you planning to reinvent your content strategy to reach more travel-ready consumers in 2016? A third-party content strategist can help you make the right plans and set the right tone. Click here for more information!
Whether skydiving in Interlaken or free falling into hot oil pizza from Colony Grille, Diana Bishop knows a thing or two about adventure. After graduating from Keene State College with a Bachelor’s Degree in English, she has used her experiences while studying abroad in Barcelona to inject fresh perspective into her work at Content Boost. Admittedly “artsy” by nature, she enjoys painting and drawing whenever she has free time on her hands. Before she joined the team at Content Boost she organized promotions and wrote commercial copy for iHeartMedia, a global entertainment and media company.