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Travel marketing is a whole area of marketing that needs special attention and care. The process of developing these strategies isn’t the same as marketing a beauty brand or professional business.
It requires a specific skill set and a hunger for growth and advancement because the ways in which people book their trips in 2019 is much different than ever before.
There are new platforms, new applications, and new consumer trends that make it very obvious you need to be extremely intentional with your digital marketing campaigns. It’s not as simple as slapping an ad on a booking site anymore.
As a European digital marketing agency at the forefront of online travel and hospitality industry we have gathered some key insights to help you better understand how digital marketing can reshape the outlook of your business.

6 Things You Need to Know about Travel and Hospitality Marketing

1. Personalization Is The Name Of The Game

57% of travelers outright say that brands need to tailor their content to specific users and their past experiences. That comes right from the horse’s mouth, so to speak, so it’s a trend that matters.
Consumers want personalization across all verticals, but especially when it comes to travel marketing. That’s because these experiences are innately personal and special. Therefore, brands need to take that into consideration and build their technology, digital strategy and actions accordingly so that they are able to speak to who a user is at their core and the type of experiences they’re seeking out. 
The user experience matters, across every step of a traveler’s journey – from planning and booking to experiencing and returning home. Therefore, our biggest tip is to ensure that throughout the entire experience, brands are offering personalized content, services and experiences by building content for each individual user. 

2. Content Is (still) King

If you think that offering great services and products on your site is enough, think again. In order to attract more customers, you’ll need to amp up your content creation game. Travel content creation isn’t just the lifeblood of travel bloggers - many of the world’s most successful travel businesses have set up active travel blogs on their sites as they recognize its value in enticing potential guests.
And it’s not just written content that can transform your outlook - publishing captivating visual content is also vital. 
Video, in particular has a way of condensing complex concepts in an engaging and satisfying way. More and more users are turning to video content over textual content. There are a number of reasons for this, but one of the biggest is the dwindling attention spans of travelers across the globe.
In short, if you’re not regularly posting high-quality written and visual content, you’re potentially losing out on hundreds to thousands of leads. Just ensure that any content you publish is of a high-quality, engaging, and relevant to your target customers’ lives and desires

3. A Strong Social Presence is Essential

Before a traveler leaves, when they are on their trip, and after the trip has ended, there’s one thing that can be counted on: a post about the trip in all social media accounts.
We live in an age where everyone is sharing their lives on a daily basis, and vacations are the perfect time to flex those creative muscles and get the word out about current escapades.
Therefore, social media is a great way to understand how your audience thinks, how they travel and what they’re looking for. From these insights, you can create a strategy targeted at a specific audience.
Not only that, but through social media, you can actually interact with your audience, asking them what they want specifically and engaging with them on a level that makes you a trusted source in their eye. 

4. Mobile Marketing Matters (More)

According to Google, 53% of the world’s population is comfortable completing a travel search and finalizing a booking from their mobile device. 
That means that now, more than ever, brands and digital marketers alike need to make sure that they’re promoting themselves on mobile devices. Not only that, but brands need to make sure that their mobile experience matches if not exceeds that of desktop experiences.
With more and more people using their phones to search for trips and complete bookings, you need to ensure that their user experience is seamless and pleasing. Otherwise, consumers will quickly and happily turn to your competitors.
And a great way to start creating a unique experience for users that prefer their mobile device over their desktop is to ensure that your website is fully responsive and mobile friendly.
Create a mobile-friendly site. Infuse AI chatbots that easily pop-up on the screen and guide users on their journey. Take an omnichannel approach, ensuring users can begin their travel journey on their smartphone and take this through to their tablets and finish on their desktop. This ensures nothing stands in their way. 

5. Users Want Instant Gratification

When it comes to travel marketing in 2019, marketers need to understand that their audience wants instant gratification. They want results and they want them now – that can be a challenging hurdle to overcome. But this quick happiness can secure lifetime customers.
Only 9% of travelers know instantly what brands they want to work with. That leaves ample opportunity for travel marketers to swoop in and steal clientele. Considering over 60% of users make a travel decision based on a deal or sale, these moments can really impact bookings and sales.
Make sure your users have access to all information as easily as possible and lure them in with a flash sale to secure the purchase. This will give users the instant gratification they need.

6. Privacy and Security Are on Everyone’s Minds

15 million consumers were victims of identity theft in 2017. 
With these numbers growing year by year, users are more aware of their online experiences, the purchases they make and the brands they work with.
That’s especially true when it comes to making a big purchase like a flight, hotel or excursion.
Therefore, marketers need to ensure they are being as transparent as possible, letting users know that their data will remain safe and their transactions protected. This affects the overall brand image of a company. The more trust consumers have in your brand, the more likely they are to choose you going forward. 

 Insights from a European Digital Marketing Agency Perspective:

When it comes to marketing your travel and hospitality brand, it’s important to keep these insights in mind:

Users want personalized experiences built for mobile platforms. They want to be engaged and dazzled by the content you create, and they want to get instant gratification and feel safe.
But once you nail these steps, you’ll get a better understanding of the things you need to do 
Need digital marketing help? Learn what a digital agency can do for your brand!