What: A Luxury-Based Experience

According to the National Travel Association and Virtuoso’s 2024 Luxe Report, the top reasons behind high-end travel include:

• Exploring new, off-the-beaten path destinations
• Rest and relaxation
• Seeking authentic experiences in new destinations
• Rediscovering previously visited destinations
• Personal enrichment

“Travel & hospitality is going beyond the experience economy to the ‘transformation economy,’ where an experience changes us in some way during a particular moment in time. When travel brands can design the experience to be so significant for a particular person and provide the exact experience that they need at a particular moment in time, it becomes easier to deliver a life transforming experience. That aspiration can range anywhere from desiring to be a more creative person to being a better parent, so travel brands have an opportunity to support that evolution.”

The Evolution of Luxury Hospitality Whitepaper VERB, 2017

With this travel trend, it’s all about what the destination can offer to travelers. A smaller, lesser-known destination can be as highly successful as a luxury destination if they offer consumers unique and high-end experiences. There are a few different ways you can emphasize the high-end experiences your destination offers:

• Personalization: nothing says high-end like an experience that has been tailored for you and only you.
• Exclusivity: an exclusive experience can make a consumer feel special which is what justifies the price of luxury. 
• Authenticity: consumers are looking for authenticity from the brand selling their experience.
• Sustainability: the pandemic has inspired travelers to seek destinations that prioritize climate-conscious options in their accommodations and attractions. 

How Consumers are Finding Luxury Travel

In the niche market of luxury travel it’s important to know how consumers are finding this product.

Digital & Social Media. The most common place for consumers to research luxury experiences is through digital and social media. Luxury travelers are highly influenced by authentic brands and experiences they see on social media.

Travel influencers are a great way to pique the interest of consumers. People love consuming content that is extravagant, expensive, and unique.

Word of Mouth. Consumers also love posting that extravagant content. It is important to take into consideration how “Instagram-able” an experience is. A consumer is more willing to book a luxury experience based on how it will make them look on social media.

Find more ways to tap into a niche travel market.

Who are Luxury Travelers?

There are many different types of luxury travelers, so it’s important to first understand how luxury your target audience is. For example, one person could see a private jet as their everyday type of travel, while another could see it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

With so many differences, we look to similarities between luxury travelers and who is booking the most luxury travel to define the market.

Middle class. The emerging middle class is a huge market for luxury travel. This group has disposable income and wants to spend it on exclusive experiences.

Older Millennials are the most willing to spend their money on luxury travel.

Personal vs Business. There is a difference between the personal luxury traveler and the business luxury traveler, although this distinction is beginning to overlap.

By better understanding your audience’s spending habits, consuming habits, types of cars they drive and so forth, you can narrow in on how and where they spend their money or how they spend their time. Then, you can advertise on the most relevant websites, pitch stories to specific publications, and target their interests in digital advertising. For example, if they are more likely to own a Porsche, you can target publications that focus on Porsches.

Line up with the customer’s journey.

The post Luxury Travel Trends appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

1. Keep it simple.

Keep your messages simple and concise. Each post should have a focus, and get right to the point. Whether you’re sharing something fun and engaging, or asking your audience to take action, the shorter the better. Of course there will be times that you need to share enough information to give context or tout all the great aspects of what you’re sharing. Make sure it’s clear and that the audience knows what to do.

Keep in mind that people don’t want to read paragraphs of text. A common misstep we see often is a social media post with a full press release or blog post text on it. It’s better to link to the full blog or press release (better yet – link to the placement you got from the release!).

2. Make it visual.

More than just eye-catching, it needs to be thumb-stopping. Shaky, lowlight, low-res photos just won’t cut it. If you don’t have the photos you want, crowd-source and repost them (but don’t forget to give credit).

Visual retention is your best bet to be memorable. It’s often cited that people remember 65% of information when text is paired with a visual, but only 10% of what they read or hear. Over and over again, the data tells us that people prefer visuals and video over written text.

In addition to high-quality photos, consider incorporating infographics, GIFs, and videos to make your content more dynamic and engaging.

3. Embrace video content

Video content has exploded in popularity, with platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Reels becoming dominant. Incorporating video into your social media strategy can help you capture and retain your audience’s attention. Experiment with different types of video content, such as tutorials, behind-the-scenes footage, answering FAQs or storytelling.

4. Know your audience.

While knowing your audience’s demographics and habits is important, it’s also essential to understand their interests and preferences. Conduct surveys, engage in conversations with your followers, and use social media analytics tools to gain insights into what your audience wants to see from you. Are they online at 7:30 am or 3:30 pm? Do they like questions or exclamations?

5. Have a call to action.

What do you want your audience to do when they see your post, Reel, or video? Don’t expect them to know what you are asking. Include a direct ask, a button (on ads) and simple instructions on how to complete the task. Make it easy for them to do what you want them to do. And ask yourself if you’re measuring those actions.

6. Monitor social media constantly.

Your posts don’t exist in a vacuum. Pay attention to the stats of your ads and posts, and make adjustments as needed. Watch your reviews for unhappy (or very happy) customers. Also watch out for spam reviews and get them taken down. Know how people are engaging with your channels and how to change or increase your content.

7. Engage whenever possible.

If people are taking the time to comment or like your post, find ways to engage with them. Like their comment, reply to a happy (or unhappy) comment and answer their questions about the product or service. Let your audience know there’s a real person on the other end of the page who cares about them.

8. Be flexible.

Having a plan is important, but don’t be afraid to deviate from that plan. Take regular stock of your most engaging posts and repeat the topics, tone, or style that is working. Your audience may surprise you from time to time, so trying variations is a great way to gauge reactions if you’re unsure.

9. Have fun!

Social media is a lot of work, and can be frustrating at times- but if you’re not having fun with it, your audience won’t either. Get creative with your posts, ads, photos, contests, and more. Social media is an opportunity to reach your audiences and consumers on their level- so don’t forget to play!

10. Watch for platform changes

Stay informed about platform changes. Social media platforms constantly evolve, introducing new features and updates. And new platforms are starting to rock the boat in terms of popularity (but Meta is still the most popular). It’s important to stay up-to-date with these changes to ensure that your strategies remain effective. Follow social media marketing blogs, participate in webinars, and join online communities to stay informed about the latest trends and updates in the industry.

The post 10 Beginner Social Media Marketing Tips appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Whether you are promoting a location, an attraction or even a hotel, the image you put out into the universe is essential. More than the vivid and imaginative words used to lure you, that first glance of an image you see, that first feeling can make all the difference. High-quality photos and video can do that. They can cause you to want to go there, be there, do that. If it’s true that, “every picture tells a story” (thank you Rod Stewart) then capturing an image that evokes a story in someone’s mind is a tourism ‘holy grail.’

Think about these elements the next time you chose or stage an alluring photo:

The Human Element 

The human element is simple- people enjoying the place. If it’s someplace that wants to attract people, then why not put people in the picture? We often live vicariously through a good photo, particularly if we can imagine ourselves in that place. The couple dining on a farm to table meal, children petting goats at a local market, lounging on a comfy-looking chair in a hotel suite after a massage, it all tells a story. It evokes a feeling.

Bonus – no need to gain photo permission if you don’t show the person’s face.

The Color Element 

Don’t be afraid to take your visual content to the next level. You can certainly overdo post-processing these days but ‘touching up’ your photos to enhance their vibrancy is not cheating. A photo taken with even the best camera can dull what the eye sees. Don’t overdo it but, improve contrast, sharpen images, boost shadows for a truly unforgettable shot.

The WOW Element 

You know it when you see it. “WOW, what a photo. What a place. I just put that place on my bucket list.” Don’t be shy, show your drama! We see countless photos of waterfalls from far away- what about seeing it from below looking up? (As long as the visitor can actually see the falls from below looking up.) When they do, they tell the world. That’s the money shot.

The Obvious Element 

Lead with your best and be obvious about it. If it’s the only place for miles and miles like it, lead with it. How many photos of a kayak on the water have you seen? Plenty I’m sure. Lovely and alluring yes, but are they unique? When you have a totally unique, nowhere on earth can you see this kind of attraction, show it. Lead with it. People love a good hook.

And…The Video Element 

Video is currently the hottest form of visual content, and just about any actual movement will do. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Sometimes the best videos are purely organic. Shot on a cell phone as long as it’s clear, on topic and not too long. Professional video (drone is awesome) is fantastic and if you’ve got the time and cash, go for it! But, it’s still great to offer a glimpse into your world with someone telling the story. Again, the Human Element – talking, walking, feeling, tasting, smelling, touching.

Humanize it, touch up its true colors, add movement and let it WOW!

The post Elemental Photography in the Tourism World appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Ah, Facebook. The social network so popular, everyone from your little cousin to your grandmother is on it. Of all the social media channels, Facebook has the biggest reach and most diverse audience. This makes it an ideal channel for almost every kind of business to find their target audience, destinations and tourism businesses included. While we dive into a few key considerations, including if paid advertising is the right fit, keep in mind they are all connected in the grand scheme.

The Algorithm

The elephant in the room, the ever-changing, elusive Facebook algorithm. The algorithm is essentially responsible for what posts you see, who the posts are from, and how often you see them. The exact calculation of the algorithm remains (and will likely continue to remain) a mystery, but we do know a few key things:

• It prioritizes posts from people over posts from businesses
• Newer posts are considered more fresh and are more likely to be seen
• Visual content and content with high engagement “lives” longer
• Facebook has used the algorithm to continually decrease the organic (unpaid) reach of business posts, with the intention of increasing the relevancy of the posts people see. This trend is ongoing for the last five years or more.
• The more people engage with posts from a person or page, the more posts they will see from that person or page.

In January 2021, Facebook finally revealed components of the algorithm.

Here is a thorough article from Hootsuite covering Facebook’s history and the algorithm revelations.

Posting Frequency

If you have a Facebook page, of course you have to post on it. But between the algorithm and the constant reports that Facebook is intentionally decreasing organic reach of businesses on Facebook, it can be hard to pinpoint the happy medium of posting. Unfortunately, there’s no quick fix or easy answer but you can use a few trial and error measurements to help you find the best balance for your page. Consider this:

• How many followers do you have? As a general best practice, pages with fewer than 10,000 – 15,000 followers don’t need to post every day.
• When is your audience online? It does no good to schedule your posts at noon if your audience is most active at 7 am and 4 pm. You can see an overview of when your audience is most active under Insights – Posts – When Your Fans are Online.
• What type of posts do best with your audience? Again check your post insights breakdown to see which posts had the most reach, engagement and clicks. Identify those pieces of content, and what was special about them. If your audience loves behind-the-scenes photos, or food recipes, increase the frequency of those posts.

Finding that sweet spot between not posting enough and posting too much can be best determined by audience engagement. Which brings us to…

Audience Engagement

If you’re curious about Facebook engagement throughout the years, and how the recent changes have affected it, Buffer has a great breakdown based on analyzing 43 million business page posts. The article concludes that regardless of content or posting frequency, business pages have seen an overall decrease in engagement. This is due to several factors, including the algorithm and an increase in competition for eyes on posts.

Audience engagement and posting frequency go hand in hand, so by analyzing the posts that do best with your audience, including content and time of posting, you’ll be able to more accurately find the happy posting medium.

Pro tip: It’s always a good idea to be responsive to the engagement you’re receiving on Facebook, and across all social channels. If someone comments, take a second and like their comment or reply something as simple as “thanks!”

Visual Content

It’s no secret that of all the types on content, visual does best on Facebook. But long gone are the days where you could put a photo in a video format to boost engagement (just kidding- that never worked). With a decrease in engagement, good content is more important than ever. But don’t stress if you don’t have time to go out and gather gorgeous photos of your destination for all seasons? Utilize existing assets, like local influencers or travel writers you’ve brought in, and ask to use their content. You can even seek out any posts of your destination or attraction and ask for permission to use the image. As long as you give credit where it’s due, re-post away!

Bonus: Using other people’s photos lends an element of credibility, which potential customers (or visitors in this case) love to see. This is also known as user-generated content or UGC.

Drone photography and video are now well-established and many vendors offer drone services. Seeing shots like the ones in the below video from I LOVE NEW YORK are striking and memorable and modern – everything we want our destinations to be.

Analytics

Facebook changed the amount of analytics it provides users this summer. While the insights information is still available, the analytics tool is no longer available. Follower count, post scheduling information, engagement and reach and other useful data is still available in the Insights tools. More data is also available through the Creator Studio, Business Suite and Facebook Ads data remains unchanged.

Facebook Ads

While this is another topic in and of itself, the consensus is Facebook is decreasing organic reach of business posts to encourage promoted posts. They want you to increase your advertising and spending more money. While it’s tempting to simply click on the Boost button, we recommend going into Ads Manager to fully take advantage of Facebook’s advertising power. It’s worth making a note that of all the options for social media marketing, Facebook ads have the most detailed targeting, and are the most affordable. You can run ads for as little as $1/ or $5/ day (depending on your goal), perfect for any small business.

The post Facebook and Tourism Marketing: Best Practices appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

The Finger Lakes Region of New York recently hosted bloggers for both Travel Media Showcase (TMS) and the Travel Bloggers Exchange (TBEX) when they brought their conferences to the western part of New York. We embarked on nine days of touring with seven travel bloggers around a destination. It was a truly eye-opening experience into the world of bloggers, how they work and what actually motivates them to care about and produce tourism blogs about a destination.

Read what you may about enticing a travel blogger or understanding what to ask for or expect from a travel blogger; nothing can replace an actual first-hand experience immersed in every facet of what inspires these unique journalists to write about your destination.

Here’s what I know for sure about ‘bloggers at work’ and how best to create an experience for them that will convert to a great blog for a destination.

Fearlessly independent

You’ll plan for them to zig and they will want to zag. That’s actually a really good thing.  No hand-holding for this group.  They’ll arrive at the attraction and immediately venture towards what appeals to them.  Don’t be offended.  After all, if it appeals to them in their own way, that’s how they’ll write about it and that’s how they’ve built their followers.  Give them space to seek out their own ‘twist.’  That independence is exactly why it is best to allow the blogger their own time and not group them with other bloggers.  Groupings can work with very similar bloggers but they are by far best suited to travel independently. Each of them has a unique angle and focus for their content.

Completely curious

They somehow, either by training or natural instinct, flesh out the little, hidden nuance at an attraction.  Bloggers and influencers are so totally conscious of what their followers are expecting of them that they will see things you might not see yourself as a destination marketer.  They ask questions- lots of questions, and always guide a conversation towards what their very specific interest is.  Be mindful of this, let your partners know this and the overall experience will prove fruitful for all.

Totally Technology Savvy

Their world revolves around that device in their hand – often-times two devices.  Bloggers know all aspects of that device and know how to maximize its potential and guard that device with their life.  They feed it with battery packs in various sizes and shapes and are forever looking for ‘juice.’  It is, after all, the tool of their trade.  Don’t be fooled though.  While it may appear that their total concentration is focused, looking down at that device, they are still engaged.  They are simply creating content and, in many cases, they are sending their thoughts about what they are seeing straight out into the world – real time.  Again, prepare yourself and your partners for this seemingly distracted guest.

Photos are King

While we all know how important a good image is in the world of destination marketing, the blogger will spend an inordinate amount of time ‘setting up’ a photo.  Stage a product so the light is just right, venture to the brink of the path to grab the right long shot, let the actual food go cold while positioning the plate and cutlery in a very specific manner and the list goes on.  Result – generally a magnificent shot worthy of any tourism publication or website- let alone tourism blogs.  The best news about all that patience when it comes to waiting for those photo-shoots?  The stellar photos they are likely to share with you and the absolutely great content they share about your destination or partner.

Time to absorb

Time management goes straight out the door with this group!  All that independence, curiosity, tech-time, and photo preparation leads to a schedule that only they can (and should) control.  When something interests them they simply need more time. They also don’t take kindly to rushing along- and who can blame them? They are often real-time sending out content to their followers and after all, that’s part of what we want. Do yourself and your partners a big favor and allow for plenty of time.

First-hand experience is always best and my experience with bloggers was like a ‘master-class’ in the education of hosting bloggers.

The post Inside A Blogger’s World appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Read our blog for a quick refresher on what a social media influencer is and how destinations can successfully work with them.

Influencers may reach out to your destination directly, come through a PR agency or state organization like I Love NY, be part of a FAM following a conference or show, or you may be interested in reaching out to them directly. No matter how an influencer comes across your desk, it is important to figure out whether it is worth spending your time and resources (or your partners’ resources) on hosting them. Here are 12 tips for vetting a social media influencer.

Questions to Ask Yourself:

1. Are they asking to be paid? This isn’t a deal breaker, but could be a red flag. First of all, many influencers are satisfied with trading an experience for their posts. Provide the monetary value of the trip you are offering: overnight accommodations, activities and experiences, food, and travel expenses. If they’re interested in negotiating payment, discuss the expectations and deliverables (see question 2). Make sure there’s something in it for your destination – such as rights to all of their photos and videos, or getting exclusivity on travel posts for six months. Whenever money is involved, write up a quick agreement to cover both parties.
2. What are their deliverables?  An influencer should have a general idea of what they will produce before, during and after the trip. During early discussions, find out what social media platforms they plan to post on and how often they will post (once a day, at every stop, etc.). Will they write a blog post on the destination, or pick out a few places they visited? Keep in mind, this may differ once they’re in your destination, but it’s important to know they’ve thought it through. Flexibility is important, as what they were thinking may change once they arrive.
3. How did you meet this influencer?  Did they come from a reputable source, such as a media event or through a media organization? Do you know other destinations or brands that have worked with them? For example, I Love NY does a good job of vetting influencers and bloggers that attend their media marketplaces. While you should still do your own research, it’s good to know others have checked them out as well.

Consider their Followers:

1. Quantity of followers. This is the first indication whether you want to spend your time and resources. However, we’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – a large audience is not automatically better than a small audience. There are a couple reasons why it’s actually a great idea to work with an influencer with a smaller audience:
   • Start developing relationships with influencers before they become popular, and they’ll continue to engage with your destination as their following grows.
   • If you have a specific product and they have a niche following, it’s like you’re talking directly to your target audience.
2. Quality of followers. The point of working with an influencer is to get to their following, so make sure they are reaching your target audience. Scroll through their followers to see who they are. If you’re hosting them for a family-friendly FAM or showing off your beautiful waterfalls, you will want their audience to consist of moms or outdoor-lovers, respectively. How many of their followers are brands, destinations or other travel influencers? (Common phrases in their handles may be: travel, traveler, nomad, wander, etc.) Do any seem like follower bots or fake accounts? These can be red flags. Don’t be afraid to ask where their followers come from. As Dalene Heck said, “…we can see they’ve got 20,000 Facebook fans, but 10,000 of them are from a third-world country, and unless that brand wants to market to that third-world country, those numbers are really kind of useless to that brand or destination.”
3. Engagement. It doesn’t matter the size of their audience if no one is engaging with their posts. Look at how many likes, comments, shares, retweets, etc. their posts get. The engagement should be proportional to the number of followers. For example, it’s not a good sign if they have 50,000 followers but their posts receive under 100 likes.

Consider their Posts:

1. Frequency of posts. How often do they post on their platforms? You want to host someone whose blog or social channel has momentum, not one that has been stagnant. Instagram influencers should post every couple of days, if not every day. Bloggers should post an article every couple of weeks (and share them across their platforms!).
2. Content of posts. What do they typically post about and does it align with your destination? If most of their Instagram posts are of beaches and your destination has no water, it’s probably not a good fit. When it comes to blog posts, what do they write about? Are they digging into a destination’s hidden gems such as the best biking trail to catch a sunset? Or do they simply share listicles of things to do or collages of photos with no context?
3. Quality of posts. Make sure their website or blog looks professional and well-maintained. Would you want these posts representing your destination? Spelling errors, incorrect grammar or poor photography are all turn-offs. Click on their social icons to make sure they are linked properly to their accounts. Although Instagram influencers are prevalent, not everyone has an eye for photography. Look for photos that are well-lit, well-balanced, in focus, and tell a story. How do they show off a destination? Do they take beautiful landscapes of state parks, up-close details of a farmer’s market, or is it always in the background of their selfie?

Red Flags to Avoid:

1. Spike in followers. Sadly, it’s common for some influencers to falsify their reach and following. A quick way to check is by searching their handle on Socialblade. A large jump in followers over a short period of time means they probably purchased them. Below, this Instagram influencer gained 20,000 followers in a six-month period. Take it from someone who runs Instagram accounts, it’s pretty hard to grow a large following that quickly.
2. Falsified engagement. You have to look beyond the number of likes or comments on a post to who is liking or commenting. Some Instagram influencers are part of “pods” – a group of Instagrammer friends that are obligated to engage with each other’s posts to make them look more popular. One quick way of telling- do all of the comments essentially say the same thing, with different emojis? Are the same seven people commenting on every photo? Does the person posting not interact with any comments? They’re most likely part of a pod.
3. Clickbait. Clickbait is still roaming rapid around the internet, so you can’t take photos or posts at face value. Pay attention to blogs with titles that over-promise, or captivating Instagram photos with captions that promote an influencer’s contest or referral code.

The post How to Vet a Social Media Influencer appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Before we dive in- if you need a quick refresher on why your destination should be on Instagram, check out my blog on getting started.

As we’ve discussed, more people are using Instagram as a search engine to research destinations they’re interested in visiting and to make their travel plans. They’re also using the platform to discover new places they may be interested in visiting in the future. Instagram undoubtedly has a crucial role in tourism marketing, so the question for destinations becomes, how can you optimize Instagram for tourism? Through research, exploration, and trial and error, I’ve identified six best practices.

Frequent Posting

While the changing nature of Instagram’s (Facebook) algorithm can make it a challenge for businesses to keep their reach up, consistent posting is crucial. The only thing more penalized than posting too much is posting too little. While this can be a tricky line to walk, a good baseline to start with is 2-4 times per week, and working up as needed. Posting every day can be beneficial to accounts with the right number of followers. That number can be hard to determine, but trial and error (and a follower count in the thousands) is the best way to find out if it’s right for you. If you notice your engagement level dropping dramatically, then Instagram is penalizing you for posting too frequently.

However, with the new algorithm, the half-life of a post is actually much longer than it used to be. Posts tend to rotate in visibility, popping up on people’s feeds anywhere from seconds after posting to a week later. You may notice bursts of likes on a week-old photo- a pretty good indication it’s back in the algorithmic circulation.

Post to stories

Instagram stories are a widely successful knockoff of Snapchat. Existing for a mere 24 hours (the epitome of ephemeral content), stories can be as long or short as you want them to be. Stories appear at the top of your followers feed in a fixed position, ensuring there’s no searching for them. It’s a great way to get more eyes on your brand and connect with your followers, especially if they’re not seeing your posts in their feed.

Content posted in stories can be anything from a suggested “day on the town” itinerary that tags local partners to a grand opening of a new attraction or just a behind-the-scenes snippet. Unlike Snapchat, Instagram allows you to pull from any photo or video added to your phone in the last 24 hours without letting your followers know it wasn’t taken live.

An added bonus- it’s an unverified but widely believed inside secret that posting to stories helps your actual posts rank higher in your followers feed.

Engage with local influencers

Influencers don’t need to have millions of followers to be influential! Seek out and identify local influencers who already exist in your area. Connect with them, engage with their content, regram their photos (if they fit), and chances are they’ll return the favor. This can facilitate building a relationship that can help in the virtual and physical world.

Maintain a level of quality

Having an eye for photography is an acquired skill and simply having an Instagram account does not a photographer make. While it can be tempting to post any and all photos your account has been tagged in, maintaining a certain level of quality will help elevate your destination and the overall aesthetics of your account. When people search for you, they want to see the best of the best. Be selective with the posts you feature to give your feed an authentic yet professional vibe.

Always look at the comments

While this may sound counter-intuitive, monitoring the comments is the opposite of feeding the trolls. Keep a close eye on comments, especially in the hours immediately following posting. This helps quickly weed out inflammatory or negative comments, and respond quickly to questions or excitement. Many people use a brand’s latest post as a chance to ask questions- you don’t want to leave them hanging!

Use hashtags

Hashtags are to social media what SEO is to websites. It helps index and give context to your post and makes it easily searchable to people who are looking for what you’re doing. However, it’s not aesthetically pleasing to see a post with 10 hashtags cluttering up your newsfeed. So how can you keep your posts simple and pleasing, while still tapping into the power of hashtags? Put them in the comments. Immediately after posting, comment on your own post with the hashtags you want to use. One caveat- this has to be done soon after posting or it won’t be indexed correctly.

The post Instagram for Tourism: Best Practices appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Facebook

Of all the platforms, Facebook arguably has the most in-depth analytics and measurement capability. This comes from Facebook’s sheer power to track people both within its platform and outside. However, this amount of data can be overwhelming, and it can be difficult to sort through and find the analytics that are most relevant to you. Find your Facebook measurements by visiting your page and clicking on the Insights tab at the top, and you can also export them to an Excel sheet. A few key metrics:

• Total reach: The number of unique users who have seen any content associated with your Page.
• Reach of Page Posts: The number of unique users who saw any of your Page posts.
• Total Impressions: The number of impressions seen of any content associated with your Page. (Total Count)

Facebook also breaks their analytics down by daily, weekly, and 28-day, depending on what you’re looking for. When I’m looking at Facebook analytics, it’s usually for a monthly report, so I’ll focus on their daily analytics to get a complete picture for the month. If you’re making a summary of your year, Facebook limits how much you can download at one time. The maximum is around 3 months, so download a set of data for each quarter. I still recommend looking at the daily column of the analytics here.

Facebook reports on everything and anything, so take 30 minutes to download a report and familiarize yourself with all the measurements they provide. From obvious numbers, like page likes, to more niche analytics like total check-ins from a mobile device. Your analytical needs will vary based on your organizational needs, and even month to month.

Twitter

Of all the social media measurements, Twitter’s are the easiest to understand at a glance. Twitter has an analytics homepage that allows you to quickly see key measurements, like top tweets and number of mentions in one month. However, Twitter is also the only platform that makes you choose to enable analytics- so make sure you do! If you haven’t yet, now is the time to turn these on and have them for the future.

Twitter also allows you to break down further into each month and see analytics for individual tweets, audiences, and more. For smaller accounts, the home page analytics are sufficient.

Instagram

Instagram is the newest platform to analytics (on this list). Facebook revamped the analytics after taking over the platform, and it’s still a work in progress. In order to access the analytics, make sure your Instagram has been converted to a business account. Not sure how? Follow these steps to convert your regular Instagram profile to a business account.

Instagram builds analytics over a 28-day period, with changes from the last seven days. Due to the mobile nature of Instagram, this is a static view and the dates currently can’t be changed, which means that Instagram analytics fluctuate every day. Yes, this can be as frustrating as it sounds. In the future, Instagram may update to be able to show analytics from specific time frames, but that’s currently not that case. This doesn’t make the numbers less valid or inaccurate, but if you’re looking at a specific time frame, there’s no procrastinating.

Pinterest

Pinterest is a great platform for travel and tourism organizations, but their analytics are difficult to navigate. The analytics home page shows some measurements, but for the most part it’s a jumping off point. Rather than having everything in one place, Pinterest allows you to explore analytics in three main tabs (with subtabs) and you can customize the date range you’re viewing. The main categories:

1. Your Pinterest Profile
2. People You Reach
3. Activity from Your Site

While Pinterest’s analytics aren’t the easiest social media measurement to access, the information they have is well worth the dive.

Google Analytics

While Google isn’t, strictly speaking, a social media platform, the analytics they provide on your website can help formulate your marketing and public relations plans in 2018 and beyond. Google can tell you more about your website audience than almost any other source, and that can give you insight to your social media as well. Is your Facebook referring people to your site? Is there a disconnect between the people on your site and the people on your social media? Tracking analytics from your site can help make sure your social media audience aligns with your overall marketing goals. Google Analytics has a lot of information, and like Facebook, it can be overwhelming. Remember to adjust your date range!

Start with these sections:

1. Audience
   • Number of Sessions
   • Users
   • Pageviews
   • Pages per Session
   • Average Session Duration
   • Bounce Rate (under 30% is ideal)
   • New vs. Returning Visitors
   • If you haven’t yet, enable the demographic section
2. Acquisition
   • Acquisition channels
   • Referral sources
3. Behavior
   • Under “Site Content,” look at Landing Pages
   • Site Speed
   • Bonus! Check out the Behavior Flow chart to see how people move through your site

Applying Measurement to 2018 & Beyond

Tracking social media measurement and analytics from your website can help make sure your social media audience aligns with your overall marketing goals.

Building in goals for your channels can help give structure and regular checkpoints. Some of our clients prefer a monthly social media report to track growth and engagement. Others prefer quarterly reports, or reports after large events or projects. Such reports can be useful for building a case to put more money behind social media, assess your efforts and build a strategy for moving forward. Regular checkpoints also make end-of-year reports easier, since the data is already organized.

What should your goals be? Take stock of your channels as they are, and note the changes from the last 12 months. Keeping your social media strategy and budget in mind, set reasonable growth goals. Are you focused more on organic growth, or can you put money behind ads? Are you looking for more followers, or do you want more engagement with the ones you have now? Would simply posting more often be a better solution than running ads?

Don’t set yourself up for disappointment. If you currently have 1,200 likes on Facebook, getting to 5,000 likes by the end of the year isn’t reasonable without an aggressive paid campaign. Engagement on your page won’t suddenly skyrocket, and people won’t be inspired to write a review out of nowhere. Be realistic in setting your goals, and keep in mind that growth won’t happen unless your fans believe your content is valuable. Don’t sacrifice quality content for quantity of followers!

However, you can use your analytics to see what type of content your followers are looking for. Which posts, tweets and pins received the most engagement? What do they have in common? Look at the content that wasn’t as powerful – and what could be changed. Is the photo appealing? Could the post be phrased differently? Was the time or day it was posted less than ideal? Take stock of what did well and what your followers weren’t as fond of. How can you expand on the popular posts? What do they have in common? Use analytics to build that knowledge into your 2018 strategy.

The post Social Media Measurement for Tourism Marketing appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

First, what is content marketing?

To understand content marketing, we first need to define content. Content is consumable informational material. This blog is a piece of content. Articles, white papers, infographics, email newsletters, videos and slideshows are all examples of content. Books and ebooks are content. Marketing is how we promote a product or service. Content marketing is using informational materials to promote a product or service to the intended audiences. At its most basic level, the content educates the customer on the topic at hand, gives them confidence in the product or service as a thought leader and reputable organization to buy from.

What does content marketing have to do with social media?

Using content has always been part of marketing plans, and social media amplifies the need for content. As the internet grows and technology develops, we get more and more kinds of content and the content digs deeper. People share different opinions and levels of expertise on their industry topics. Before the digital age, content marketing was brochures, books, pamphlets, flyers and the like. With so many platforms and channels, content spreads easily and can even “go viral.” Social media is the ultimate delivery tool for content marketing. Instead of mailing postcards or pamphlets, a simple share button puts content in front of thousands of people at once. On the flip side, social media needs content to share in order to fill its feeds and engage followers – for both individuals and organizations.

Why won’t content marketing go away?

Simply put, content marketing won’t go away because it always has been, and always will be a big part of marketing. Consumers want to know more about what they’re buying. Whether it’s a product, a service or an idea.

Now that we have the basics down, let’s dive a little deeper. Like, what makes a great piece of content?

So what is content marketing, actually?

Many marketers turn to the Content Marketing Institute for a definition of content marketing. I’m partial to this roundup on Linkedin for an answer to “what is content marketing.” These definitions go beyond the basics and aim to define great content marketing. Here are the essentials of great content for marketing:

Valuable.

There is substance to it, and it provides value in some way to the target audience.

Relevant.

The topic of the content is best for both marketer and consumer when it’s relevant. Talking about something off-topic does nothing to help a marketer promote their product or service. Off-topic content is not interesting to the consumer because they expect to see content that relates to the product or service in some way.

Educating.

One of the best ways to be valuable and relevant is to give your audience some new knowledge.

Showing vs. Telling.

Content marketing is a great way to demonstrate expertise rather than saying it over and over. Shorter, sales-focused messages purport your expertise, but longer form content gives you a chance to really show off.

Engaging & Entertaining.

There’s a saying I’ve heard around B2B (business to business) marketing. When you’re marketing to a business, you’re still talking to people. It’s a good idea for all marketers to keep in mind. Content needs to be engaging and entertaining, no matter what you’re promoting. Check out our tips for writing for your business.

Non-salesy.

Honestly, if you are a business, people know you are selling/promoting something. While it’s great to have a call-to-action, with content marketing the action is usually softer and leads the customer to more content or another way to engage with you.

Compelling & attractive.

I love the 13th quote in the content marketing Linkedin roundup from Rebecca Lieb, Conglomotron LLC. She says “…it’s a pull strategy — it’s the marketing of attraction.” It’s a way of pulling the audience in with great information about your topic.

Strategic content marketing is an integral piece to your overall marketing plan. Now that you know what content marketing is (chances are you were already doing it in some way), you can more effectively work it into your marketing plan. Do you have an overall strategic marketing plan? Is social media part of your plan?

The post So what is Content Marketing, actually? appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

You didn’t really go on vacation if you didn’t post a picture of it on Instagram, right?

Your social media posts about your latest trip are doing more than inducing FOMO in all of your friends – they’re starting to inspire and influence the travel decisions of others. And since we all know that consumers trust recommendations from people over branded content, it makes sense that destinations are turning to travel influencers to help promote their assets.

Working with influencers may seem like uncharted territory, so I’ve provided some tips to help you get started.

First things first, what is a travel influencer? 

An individual who creates appealing content (blogs, videos, photos, etc.) that shows off destinations, dining and experiences, and shares it on various social media platforms in an authentic way.

Depending on the person, they may also identify themselves as a blogger, consultant, content creator, producer or travel personality, among others.

What to consider when working with travel influencers?

Tone. Skim their social media accounts to see how they speak in both sponsored and non-sponsored posts. Pay attention to how they describe other destinations and ask yourself these 3 questions:

1. Are they relatively positive?
2. Does their overall style and tone mesh with your brand?
3. Would you want this person showing off your destination? They would be representing you, so make sure they would do it well.

Quality over quantity. Don’t get stuck on the number of followers they have. Instead, look to see how many people are engaging with their posts, and if the influencer is responding to questions and comments. Look at who their audience is, and see if it matches your target audience. Smaller influencers with high engagement levels that fit your niche will be more beneficial to you than an influencer with a broad following, but little engagement.

Compensation. Are they looking for financial assistance? This may range from covering meals, accommodations or travel, to paying for a certain number of posts. Find out what they will deliver and if you will get the rights to the content, then consider if their ask seems reasonable. Remember, they’re providing a service and value for your destination. Think about the price tag you usually put on content creation.

Tips to working with travel influencers

Set expectations. This is important for both sides of the equation. Before partnering with influencers, find out what they are expecting from you and your destination before, during and after their visit. Make sure they are interested in the assets and activities your destination has to offer before committing to a trip.

Help them help you. Find out what they need from you. Do they want you to plan an itinerary with scheduled stops? Or do they want a list of suggested stops that they’ll visit in their own time and order? Provide additional information to help them craft their posts with interesting (and accurate!) facts.

Open understanding. Although social media may just be a hobby for you, it is part of a travel influencer’s job. Understand and respect how much time goes into crafting quality content. That may mean that they’ll need downtime during their visit to develop posts, so ask them about their work schedule before developing an itinerary.

Develop a story. Choose stops that fit the overall feel of their social pages. Posts won’t seem genuine if they don’t fit. Find an angle and tailor their trip. Whenever possible, provide VIP experiences that provide an insiders feel or give them access to the best views.

Amplify the message. If an influencer is creating great content, make sure to share it! By promoting or engaging with their post, you’re furthering the message and reach. And you’re providing an easy way for their followers to find (and follow!) your destination’s account.

But don’t stop the support once they leave. A travel influencer is more likely to become a long-term advocate if you continue to engage with them even after their visit.

The post A DMO’s Guide to Understanding Travel Influencers appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.