When it's time to book a next vacation, what do many people typically do?
Most Americans head to the internet to get ideas on where to go by getting on social media to see where their friends have recently traveled and visit travel websites and agencies to find package deals.
To get the word out, travel agencies need to market themselves effectively in order to make sales.
With so much competition, travel agencies need to get creative and use a variety of marketing tools.
Marketing Strategies Used by Travel Agencies
With the majority of travelers booking their vacations online, travel agencies need to have easy-to-navigate, informative websites.
They should be active on social media, promote their site with ads, have a mobile marketing plan in place, have a blog sharing travel news and information, and promote any deals or promotions taking place.
Let's take a closer look:
- Social media - One in four people worldwide use social media. If travel agencies aren't taking advantage of this major marketing tool, it's going to be hard to stay in business. Social media is no longer an option for travel agencies, it's a must. Popular travel site Expedia, for example, has an active Twitter page, a Facebook page, an Instagram account and even a LinkedIn account to advertise jobs with the company. The more sites you're on and using, the better.
- Mobile marketing - Mobile marketing is the act of marketing your business through smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. More and more internet users are turning to their mobile devices rather than laptops and PCs. As a travel agency, you should be getting your ads in front of mobile device internet users. Keep in mind that most people use their phones or tablets for apps, with games taking up the biggest chunk of time.
- Travel blog - People who travel frequently usually spend a good amount of time researching destinations, finding the best deals and reading articles and information on traveling in general. If you're a travel agency, a blog to go with your travel site is a great way to generate more traffic to your site. The more people you can get your site in front of, the increased chance you'll have at making sales.
For example, if you're looking for information on “How to start a travel blog,” RoamRight has an informative article discussing the steps you need to take to get started.
On the right, the site displays their own ad for users to get a free travel insurance quote. Since the user is already interested in travel due to their search, the blog was able to potentially generate a sale from this person.
For travel agencies, it's all about getting their site in front of travelers.
This is made possible via social media, mobile marketing, traditional marketing strategies and blogging.
The best agencies will use a combination of all four marketing strategies.