As a travel company, you’ll be using social media for marketing. It’s a no-brainer.
How’s it working out for you?
To be honest, if you’re getting massive rewards from social media, you can stop reading and head off to the pub or something. It’s fine. I won’t cry or anything.
Still here? In that case, you’ll find this article useful. I’ve put together the top 7 mistakes by travel brands on social media, with tips on how to avoid them.
- Relying on photos
OK, I know what you’re thinking.
We’re a travel company. Of course we’re posting photos on our social media feed.
You’re right. There’s nothing wrong with photos on social media. The trouble is, travel brands tend to rely on single images. What’s more, these single images are often taken from the website so they look… well, a bit rubbish (sorry).
If you fail to grab your audience with a gorgeous visual, the rest of your post is wasted. It could be a masterpiece of spectacular marketing copy, but no one will read it.
Rather than filling your feed with single images, take advantage of the carousel. It allows you to tell a story.
Show the range of destinations you offer, or a variety of images showcasing different aspects of one resort. With the carousel, you can send multiple messages with a single post.
Above all, make sure the images are high quality, colourful and eye-catching.
- `Buy now’ offers
Some travel brands are so focused on sales that they forget about the actual real-life audience.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting a blanket ban on highlighting holiday deals. That would be daft.
But… if every post is a sales pitch, bombarding users with shouty `buy now!’ messages, they’ll be off quicker than you can say `sales target’.
People don’t buy holidays, particularly expensive ones, off the back of a single post. It just doesn’t happen. The journey from social media to booking enquiry is long, winding and complicated.
Before they buy, your audience has to know, like and trust you to deliver. This is what they want to know:
Who are you as a brand? What can you offer me that others can’t? What will it feel like in this resort? If I choose this destination, what sort of experiences could I have?
- Getting it wrong with video
You might already use video. More than that, you may have noticed that video gains more traction than any other form of social media content.
Here’s the problem:
Most travel companies post videos in the wrong aspect ratio. They’re wasting a brilliant opportunity.
What do I mean by the wrong aspect ratio? Landscape format. Videos on most social media platforms should always be vertical.
Vertical video is tailor-made for mobile viewing. It’s how people hold their phones.
Also, social media platforms tend to prioritise vertical content so it will get more attention. Your video will catch the eye of scrolling users who have a myriad of competing, colourful distractions.
- Being scared of video
To be fair, many businesses have a fear of short-form video. Where should you find suitable content? And, once you’ve found it, how do you edit it?
If you’re struggling to source content, video libraries are a good option. With some, you pay to use the content but plenty others, like Pixabay, are free.
When it comes to editing, you don’t need to be a professional video expert. Try CapCut or InShot.
- Not using your customers’ own content
User-generated content is one of the most powerful marketing tools in the box. According to Adweek, 85% of people find it more influential than a brand’s own content
Nothing beats the real-life holiday experience of your customers. It’s believable, authentic and worth its weight in marketing gold. Lots of your customers are actually there now, on one of your holidays, shooting videos.
How do you persuade them to share this video content for you?
Give them an incentive. Audiences love a competition, so start a trend, contest or challenge. Create a hashtag, with regular posts to remind followers that it exists — and don’t forget to tell them the kind of content you’re looking for.
The end result is a huge bank of video content that you can keep going back to again and again, pretty much forever.
- Sparsely populated bios on Instagram
Your Instagram bio has massive potential as a lead generation tool. However, unless your bio section is properly set up, it won’t generate anything.
Create a short, snappy bio line, and keep it simple. Users don’t have time for anything clever or cryptic.
After that, make sure your Instagram profile drives traffic to your website by using a linking tool such as Later.
And here’s the most important thing:
Your Instagram Story Highlights. It’s the first thing people see when they open your profile, and these images and videos live here permanently. If this section is neglected, with decrepit content, your first impression is likely to be the last.
Don’t forget to include customer reviews in order to build trust. Also, add some information about your sales team — their favourite holiday destinations, for example. That way, your Instagram followers aren’t speaking to strangers when they book a holiday and become customers.
- Failing to make an emotional connection
Are you from one of the big travel companies? No? That’s good, because I’m about to be rude about their social media marketing.
Most large travel companies focus so hard on their famous name that the audience gets forgotten. They fail to make any sort of emotional connection.
Would a picture of a hotel chair and table persuade you to buy a holiday? No, it wouldn’t. This is content for the sake of it.
It’s a pet peeve. Can you tell?
To sell a holiday on social media, you should transport an audience to a destination and help them understand what it feels like to be there. Place people within the experience, and make them want to do it.
Put simply, do less selling and more nurturing.
Want more tips? Check out my free download — 5 tips to help your travel brand generate more bookings through social media.