Important Social Media Marketing Trends for the Travel Industry

Over the last 10 years, technology has changed the way marketing works forever– not least for the travel industry. Gone are the days of visiting a travel agent on the high street to book a package deal. Now, it’s now easier than ever to book a trip away online from start to finish independently. It’s easier still to shop around and compared prices from dozens of other hotel providers and mix and match different elements of the trip, including hotel room, excursions and travel to tailor-make the best deal.

And it’s not just good news for travellers; this global change has meant that travel marketers can also make the most of these new opportunities on offer. The travel sector, just like many others, needs to build and maintain relationships with customers in order to provide them with first-class service. This is the first step to retaining customers. And as the travel industry is incredibly competitive, it’s vital hoteliers able to keep up with the latest trends.

Social media has provided a simple yet effective way for the industry to speak to consumers and create a rapport. One of the most effective online marketing solutions, social media cannot be overlooked from brand building and lead generation perspectives. If you’re guilty of being out of the loop when it comes to this earned media channel, read on. We’ve compiled a list of the current, most important social media marketing trends for the travel industry.

Mobile messaging apps

There’s no denying that WhatsApp and Snapchat have changed the way we live our lives, but they’ve also provided us with uncapped opportunities for the hotel industry to engage consumers on the go. Although these types of platforms are still elusive in terms of functioning as blanket advertising and marketing platforms, it is now extremely common for consumers – particularly the younger demographic who are used to being ‘always on’ – to be engaged via these increasingly popular apps. Whether it be encouraging guests to interact with hotels and airlines at any time of day, or running initiatives via messenger, this somewhat new way of communicating within the industry is only set to grow.

Omnichannel marketing

Technology has paved the way for omnichannel marketing. Although not a new trend, the use of various channels has started to gain momentum in the travel industry, earning the attention of savvy marketers across the board. Although there will continue to be the same challenges faced by omnichannel marketers as always such as attribution and continuity, those who invest heavily will reap the rewards.

‘Live’ videos

Facebook Live, Instagram Live, and YouTube Live are all just the tip of the iceberg for travel marketers. With consumers demanding information faster than ever before, ‘live’ videos, across all platforms, have all started to play a large role in hotel social media marketing. Providing a new, 360-degree element of social media interaction, this encourages influencers and bloggers to interact with the hotels and create a whole new dimension to their digital marketing.