Digital Marketing Strategies Every Tourism Business Needs
Back in 2023, the global revenue of the tourism and hospitality market almost reached 880 billion US dollars. Can you guess which sales channel contributed the most to this revenue? It was actually the online market that generated more than two-thirds of total sales [1].
This was still the post-pandemic frenzy, sure. But the fact of the matter is that consumers have permanently switched to the digital world for the purpose of booking hotels, holiday vacations, camping trips, cruises, and so on. In other words, you have to engage your audience online because you can’t expect them to come to you in person.
Actually, you can, but you’ll need to participate in some effective tourism digital marketing to capture their attention, beforehand. That said, no matter which hospitality business you operate in, with a strong online presence, you won’t be able to get as many customers as you need.
But worry not. We’re here today to go over some of the most effective digital marketing strategies that will help you stand out even in a crowded market. So, let's get to it, then.
What is Tourism Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing in tourism is a way of communicating to visitors and customers more effectively. It can help you engage with your existing audience, access new markets, fine-tune your messaging and, most importantly, grow your business.
Most Effective Marketing Strategies for the Tourism Industry
Entrepreneurs often ask what is the best marketing strategy that will get them the best result in the shortest time possible. Unfortunately, there is no magic marketing recipe that will do everything at once. There are a couple of reasons why that is.
For starters, consumer behavior changes all the time. And, it can shift almost instantly whenever a new trend enters the market. Not only that but technology advances and evolves, forcing marketing strategies to evolve alongside it. Therefore, digital marketing for tourism and hospitality is constantly moving and changing.
Sometimes, those changes are negligible, but other times, they are quite impactful. So, as sad as it is to admit that you can’t cut any corners, there are still effective marketing strategies that, when combined, can get you the results you need.
This is also why you should consider hiring some professional help. Our experts at Kōvly Studio have the necessary expertise in digital marketing to place your tourism business on the map and significantly boost its online presence.
Our team knows which marketing strategies are the most effective and how to use them together to get the results you need. That said, let’s look at some of those strategies right now.
1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
In a world where digital presence is of vital importance to business success, you cannot afford to remain invisible. The online market is very competitive and quite overcrowded to the point when standing out seems next to impossible.
Despite all that, numerous companies in the hospitality industry do manage to thrive. How is that possible? With the help of SEO, of course. What SEO does is level the field, and give everyone a chance to get in front of their target audience.
It doesn’t matter if you run a small business or a multi-million dollar corporation; everyone gets an equal opportunity to build visibility, credibility, and authority for themselves in the online market.
And, they can do it the organic way, which makes SEO very cost-effective and suitable for any budget. The best thing about this marketing strategy is that you can start your campaign at any moment, even right now, if you want.
By the time SEO starts to generate positive results, you’ll have additional marketing strategies in place that will only further contribute to your online presence. That said, here’s what you can do to kickstart your SEO campaign:
Create an awesome website and optimize it for search engines.
Conduct keyword research and opt for ones relevant to your business and niche.
Add a blog and create meaningful content.
Guest-post on other authoritative and relevant sources, like websites, blogs, forums, and so on.
Engage in link building (both internal and external) to build domain authority.
Monitor your progress and make adjustments to ensure that your content ranks well on SERPs ( Search Engine Result Pages).
2. Content Marketing
You’ve probably heard the phrase that content is king by now, and there’s a very good reason why that statement holds true even today. Content, in any shape and form, produced by businesses is what engages the online audience the most.
Provided, of course, that your content is informative, educational, and also entertaining when necessary. What’s more, content is the very core of every marketing strategy you implement or plan on implementing in the future.
It’s content that gets you high rankings on search engines. Also, it’s content that gets shared, liked, and engaged with on social media. Even blogs get the attention they have due to content. So, you see, without content, there’s no digital marketing. This is especially true when talking about digital marketing for travel industry.
How else are you going to captivate your audience to visit a stunning vacation destination, book a room in a luxurious hotel, or dine at a marvelous new restaurant if you don’t tell your story through content first? Speaking of which, here’s how to make content marketing work in your favor:
Create content that will be relevant to your audience.
Use different formats, like video, images, and articles.
Publish content on your website, blog, and social media pages.
Publish new content regularly.
Make sure your content is fresh and organic.
If you have to recycle old content, use a different format. For example, a previously published article about a popular vacation destination can be republished as a podcast.
3. Social Media Marketing
Social media platforms are an ideal channel for digital marketing for travel and tourism. Social networks allow you to connect directly with your audience and inform them about anything you have to offer.
If you run your social media campaign the right way, you can generate enough interest and engagement to easily convert your followers into customers. However, you have to be smart about your approach.
If you’re overly promotional, you’ll come off as desperate. On the other hand, if you’re not promoting your offers enough, your audience will lose interest.
So, find the right balance that works well for your business and stick with it. Here are a few tips that will help you manage your social media marketing the right way.
Publish engaging content regularly.
Use storytelling in your posts to generate engagement.
Host online events, giveaways, and contests. (For example, the winner gets a discount at your hotel, dinner for two at your restaurant, or an extra massage at your spa resort.)
Be creative when promoting your offers, such as seasonal discounts, bundle packages, and so on.
Leverage fear of missing out (FOMO) to boost sales, bookings, etc.
Encourage guests or customers to share user-generated content (UGC).
Take advantage of social media advertising to broaden your reach and boost revenue.
4. PPC (Pay-Per-Click) Advertisement
It’s safe to say that the hospitality industry is quite dynamic. People want to get their hands on the best deals and save money whenever they can. This is why they’re often searching for first-minute and last-minute deals, seasonal promotions, discounts, and so on.
So, if you want people to opt-in for your deals, you’ll have to be where your prospects are, at precisely the right time, of course. This is where PPC can be of great help.
Paid advertisement, whether on social media or search engines, allows you to technically skip ahead and place your ads right in front of your audience, who just so happen to be searching for exactly what you have to offer.
What a coincidence, right? Not really. PPC is actually a strategic approach that allows you to take advantage of current industry needs or, more specifically, the needs of your prospects.
The goal is to encourage consumers to click on your ad, find your offer compelling enough, and ultimately convert. However, in order to run a successful ad campaign, you’ll have to focus on a couple of factors. Here’s what you should do:
Write a clear ad copy with your offer and engaging CTA.
Design corresponding landing pages for your ads and make them appealing.
Conduct keyword research and opt for keywords your audience is most likely to use.
Use monitoring and analytic tools to keep an eye on your ad campaign’s progress.
5. Email Marketing
Email is a perfect channel for any business in the hospitality industry. It allows you to engage with your prospects in so many ways.
For example, you can launch a newsletter campaign to inform your leads about your offers, launch a promotional campaign to encourage leads to convert, and even re-engage old leads who didn't convert for some reason during your previous campaign.
As long as you have an email list of potential leads and customers, you can tailor any kind of campaign that will suit your needs best. Moreover, you can launch an email marketing campaign at any moment to help you drive your business goals.
You just have to be creative and decide on the best way to get your prospects interested in what you have to offer. Here’s how you can achieve that:
Segment your email list into groups based on consumer interest and willingness to convert.
Tailor specific messages for each group you’ve segmented.
Include relevant content in your email to drive engagement.
Always use a personalized approach so that your emails don’t look like spam.
Include specialized promotions, like freebies, discounts, and other incentives.
Always have a clear CTA so that your prospects can opt-in at any moment.
Enhance Your Online Presence with Kōvly Studio
Building an online presence in a very competitive environment is not as easy as it may sound. Sometimes, many businesses can’t manage on their own, which is why it’s completely okay to seek help from experts in the field.
At Kōvly Studio, we have not just the experience but also the expertise to drive your business forward, regardless of how competitive the hospitality industry may be.
Through tourism branding services and numerous other efforts, we can make sure that your company stands out from the rest in every way possible. Our projects speak for themselves as we have many satisfied clients that we’ve helped over the years.
So, why not join up with our team and let us work together on fulfilling your business goals? All you have to do is contact us today, and we'll come up with the best approach to assist you with your marketing endeavors.
Conclusion: Making the Most Out of Tourism Digital Marketing
Modern consumers do everything online today, from shopping to making doctor appointments to booking a spot for their ideal vacation destination. Businesses that don’t have a strong online presence will go completely unnoticed by today’s consumers.
This is why tourism digital marketing should be considered essential for any company in the hospitality industry. If you don’t promote yourself and your offers, you cannot hope to succeed in such a crowded market.
FAQ:
What is tourism digital marketing?
As mentioned before, digital marketing in tourism is an approach that allows businesses to communicate with potential customers or guests more effectively. It can also help businesses engage with their existing audience, access new markets, improve their messaging, and most importantly, ensure business growth.
What is an example of digital tourism?
A good example of digital tourism would be when you decide to go on a trip, so you use a mobile app to plan a route, visit a travel agency’s website to book accommodations, and then use another mobile app to get a discount on booking transportation to your destination. In other words, you do everything online.
What is e-marketing in tourism?
E-marketing, or online marketing, is a way for businesses in the hospitality industry to promote themselves and their offers online. By using different marketing strategies like social media marketing, SEO, paid advertising, and so on, tourism businesses can make themselves more visible to their potential customers in the digital world.
Is a tourism marketing agency legit?
Of course, just like any digital marketing agency, tourism marketing agencies provide the same type of services. The only difference is that tourism marketing agencies specialize in the hospitality industry. They know the ins and outs of the industry, as well as everything about the latest trends. They use their expertise to help tourism businesses stand out and build their online presence the right way.
