Since the advent of technology and social media, the traveller’s journey has become very different than it used to be. Travellers no longer rely on “expert” guides with outdated information or even paper maps to navigate their next destination. Instead, travellers now have the privilege of instant access to information on the web in the form of Buzzfeed guides, TripAdvisor reviews, and travellers’ Instagram photos of their latest vacations. This real-time access to relevant advice and, often, crowd-sourced information has ultimately changed the way travel approach planning a trip.
Additionally, consumers no longer decide on their destination, research what to do or where to stay, and then purchase the required tickets. Instead, their travel path, both purchase and experience, has become non-linear. They look to friends, colleagues, and influencers in the ever-expanding world of social media for travel inspiration and even deals to support their new destination.
According to a recent Adweek survey, 52% of Facebook users dream about vacations while on the social network, even if they aren’t planning a specific trip. This is due to the fear of missing out, which is especially common among millennials. When asked, 69% of millennials regretted not taking a last-minute trip.That’s why user-generated content has become a popular source of inspiration for modern travellers and often impacts the initial decision to take a trip among the younger generation.
Due to the authenticity of user-generated content, the travel purchasing process has been transformed, but also the post-trip experience. From users discovering new destinations, deals, and places to stay via Instagram to the way vacationers visually share their trips through many other social media platforms, it’s time for travel marketers to take note of this trend and capitalise on it. A recent survey found that 87% of millennials on Facebook said they use the social networking site for travel inspiration, while 20% used Twitter and Pinterest.
On Pinterest, there are over 1,000 boards with “travel inspiration” in the title. The majority of them are not destination specific, but rather offer the possibility of a successful trip through inspiring images and travel tips. The customer uses this social tool to explore, discover, and then decide if they like a travel idea, then take the time to research the place they can go to have the experience they want.
According to another survey by Adweek, nearly half of vacationers are more likely to hear about a new travel company or destination on Twitter than anywhere else. They may not be specifically searching for this information, but they’re exposed to it in their feed. With this in mind, there’s an opportunity for brands to leverage social media’s popularity to inspire future travel.
All of these metrics show how influential user-generated content on social media can be in the travel decision-making process, and provide valuable insight into users’ activities and destinations online.
To leverage the power of social media to inspire their visitors’ future travel, brands must:
Encourage the use of a branded hashtag:
Experiences are increasingly gaining prestige over objects. In an Eventbrite survey, 78% of millennials said they would rather have an interesting experience than something desirable, though this shift is also trending toward other demographics. In short, travellers will be sharing their vacations online, and to capitalise on this, brands should encourage the use of a branded hashtag in these posts. This promotes the brand and increases engagement with a searchable hashtag.
Inspiring Travellers During Vacation:
When travelling, 60% of travellers and 97% of millennial travellers share their travel photos. User-generated content not only impacts the planning phase of a trip, but also the trip itself. With real-time images shared at events, travellers will often be inspired to attend an event or attraction they hadn’t planned before their trip. To ensure a business is part of the possible travel narrative, travellers should be encouraged to share their images with incentives. These don’t have to be expensive or difficult to implement. For example, a brand can promote the use of the hashtag with signs around the brand’s property and offer a discount to those who share.
Encourage travellers to share their trip after the trip:
Most people don’t travel for long, but they spend a lot of time thinking about or planning their next trip. Travellers get inspiration weeks or months before they start planning their trip in earnest. Consider connecting with previous travellers and encouraging them to share their images on social media through email or social media campaigns to inspire newcomers. A contest or giveaway, such as a free stay, will increase the amount of content created with a hashtag. It also gets people talking about the brand, putting it at the forefront of their travel plans.
Sharing content:
Using social networks allows hotel establishments to promote their offers and services through quality, targeted, attractive content at a reasonable cost.
Also, more than 60% of travellers like to share their travel content, whether during or after their stay, so why not take advantage of it? Indeed, their own social platforms are transformed into a real digital album that introduces new destinations to other travellers and makes other travellers want to book their next trips. Therefore, encouraging your customers to share content on social networks would promote your establishment and its customer experience for free and to a wider audience, but also attract their attention and encourage them to make a reservation.
Interactions between travellers:
Often, travellers do not know exactly which destination to choose or even the accommodation and activities they will book. They feel the need to escape and therefore use social networks to find inspiration for their next stay. As a result, travellers do not hesitate to interact with other people, ask for advice and good deals and especially to consult online reviews from previous travellers, the most famous being Google and Tripadvisor. Indeed, it is proven that 63% of Millennial travellers consult social networks to choose their next destination and nearly 84% of them read customer comments and reviews before finalising their reservation.
E-reputation:
In a hyper-connected world, building and consolidating your online reputation has become a real necessity. Indeed, e-reputation reproduces the effect of digital word of mouth. Thus, everything that Internet users say has an impact on your hotel establishment. In addition, many travellers trust what they read on social networks , which means that the better your hotel establishment has an online reputation, the more travellers will want to stay with you and the more your number of reservations will increase. Conversely, a bad online reputation can also lead to bad buzz or a crisis situation.
It then becomes important to invite your customers to leave online reviews on your social platforms and to regularly monitor in order to identify and respond to all good and bad comments.
The use of influencer marketing:
This rarely free marketing strategy consists of using the notoriety of an influencer to promote your hotel establishment. Indeed, influencers are excellent brand ambassadors who will allow you to achieve greater visibility and a larger audience but also to generate numerous interactions around your brand. This partnership will also help you to highlight the experience offered by your hotel and therefore to increase your bookings . Note that there are several types of influencers depending on their number of subscribers, who use different communication channels, who produce different types of content and who have different audiences. In addition, the role of this person is to influence the purchasing decision of Internet users while remaining as transparent as possible. Thus, it is proven that 85% of consumers prefer to trust an influencer rather than a brand directly.
Before committing to a partnership, you should make sure that the chosen influencer shares the same values as your establishment but also that their content matches your audience. Also, don’t forget to clearly set your objectives, your marketing budget and your ROI beforehand.
The future of social networks is still very promising since the number of users is estimated at more than 4 billion by the end of 2021, compared to 3.4 billion in 2019. Using social networks has many advantages but the goal is not to be present on all platforms but on the most popular platforms in order to increase your visibility and strengthen your reputation. As for the e -reputation of your hotel establishment, it is essential to regularly monitor your social platforms in order to collect your customers’ opinions about their stays, improve your offers and services and be on the lookout for new trends that will allow you to attract new customers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the advent of technology and social media has revolutionised the traveller’s journey, transforming it into a dynamic and non-linear experience. The influence of real-time information, user-generated content, and social media platforms has fundamentally altered how travellers plan, experience, and share their trips. To effectively engage modern travellers, especially millennials, travel marketers must harness the power of social media, encourage user-generated content, and promote interactive and inspiring experiences.
By leveraging the expertise of the best digital marketing agency for tourism , brands can strategically navigate this ever-evolving landscape. These agencies provide comprehensive services, from optimising social media campaigns and engaging influencers to enhancing e-reputation and utilising data-driven insights. This ensures that travel brands not only capture the attention of potential travellers but also build lasting relationships and inspire future journeys.
In a world where travellers seek authenticity, personalization, and sustainability, partnering with a top-tier digital marketing agency can give your brand the competitive edge needed to thrive. Embrace the digital revolution and let expert marketers guide your strategy to ensure your brand resonates with today’s tech-savvy and socially connected travellers.