Social Media Marketing for Tourism Companies, Travel Agencies and Tour Operators

Gone are the days when a business could have boomed with the help of archaic advertisement tools alone such as newspaper advertisements, posters, pamphlets etc.  The zeitgeist of the present day are various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, Snapchat, Youtube, online blogs and other such countless virtual platforms which are easily accessible from smartphones and computers.

In this article, we will broadly deal with how to effectively use Social Media platforms to promote the business of the tourism companies, travel agencies and tour operators.   

First let us understand the meaning of Social Media Marketing (SMM)…

In lay man’s word, it is nothing but utilizing various social media platforms with the help of internet as advertisement and marketing tool. The aim is simple but effective  ,I .e , to produce shareable content on these social platforms which will help tourism companies, travel agencies and tour operators. in widening its customer base and brand exposure. A common mistake committed by most of the travel agencies is that they heavily undermine the power of this modern day juggernaut. The first thing these agencies should do is to get rid of this type of mentality and realize its potential. For the cynics, I would simply state that this is the very same tool which significantly affected 2016 US Presidential Elections and was the main reason for the unexpected victory of Donald Trump.  When a tool has such exorability it’s not hard to imagine its effectiveness as a marketing tool. Before the content develops prolixity below are 5 tips to increase the efficacy of these platforms as a marketing tool.

• Choosing the right platform – This is the utmost important point to be kept in mind. There are various platforms and each one varies in its composition (for example Facebook has users from various age groups whereas snapchat and Instagram has maximum users between the age of  14-25.) The platform must be chosen according to the composition and types of customers aimed to be targeted.
• Keep the content as short as possible –  It is the 21^st century everyone seems to be running out of time. ‘Time’ is the most scarce resource nowadays so keeping content short and precise goes a long way in keeping the customers in their seats.
• Creativity is key – Keeping a content short but monotonous refutes the entire purpose of using the social platform. The content should be appealing and it should have a high persuasive value.  A visual content like one having images and videos are 110% more cogent than boring verbose content.
• Analyse the trend –  The social media is very dynamic and gives birth to a new trend every now and then. Analysing and using these trends at the right time keeps the content relatable to its customers. For example, the Valentine’s Day 2018, Oscars 2018, PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games are trending at the time of creation of this article. So making content relating to the prevailing trends will definitely make the content viral and relatable to the customer.
• Genuine Content –Never forget to keep the content genuine and ethical.  The aberration from a genuine content does severe damage to the brand image of the tourism agency. People stop responding to deceptive contents. Being honest with the audience is the key to form a long term relationship with the customer.

Last advice for travel companies starting Social Media Marketing in 2018 is to properly formalize a strategy with realistic goals. These tips if followed pragmatically will definitely give the much needed boost to the business.

But first, you should open membership in our system to contact worldwide with the other companies for new business opportunities!

Tourismprof.club Author Team