New Research: Why You Should Take Social Media Seriously

If you aren’t doing it already, now would be the perfect time for your tour and activity company to get social. Social networking platforms have become an integral part of daily life, not just for people who want to connect with their family and friends on a personal level but also for consumers who want to engage with the organizations they do business with. Social media is not about fun and games anymore — it’s a serious component of your business and marketing strategy.

Why Tour Operators Should be on Social Media

Social media users not only get information and recommendations about travel companies on social media, but they are also highly likely to engage with the organizations themselves. In fact, according to recent research from Hootsuite that was published on Travel Weekly, Australian travel businesses are tagged on Instagram every 28 seconds. This means that your customers are highly likely to tag your business while they are enjoying one of your tours, which is essentially free advertising and social proof for your company. If you aren’t active on social media, you will miss out on these valuable shout-outs.

The Role of Major and Micro Influencers

Tour and activity operators should use their presence on social media in order to engage with major influencers as well as micro influencers, as this can help them significantly extend their reach on the different platforms. Micro influencers are important for reaching a specific target audience or a niche travel segment. Micro influencers are considered to be any active user on social media with between 1,000 and 10,000 followers. Major influencers are considered to be larger brands that are well-known by the general population. By interacting and engaging with major influencers, your tour company can improve brand recognition by more than 60 percent.

Employees as Real Influencers

Don’t ignore your employees when it comes to creating and executing your social media strategy. Encourage your employees to interact on your social media platforms and to post on their personal profiles about the work that you are doing at your company. Employees are considered real influencers, as they offer both expertise and social proof of the tours that you offer. This can help you increase your overall brand recognition, reach new and unique audiences and also boost user engagement with your brand. Your employees may even have a few unique ideas to bring to the table when it comes to promoting your brand on social media.

When it comes to implementing your social media strategy, you should consider getting involved on the most popular platforms for travel businesses. Facebook and Instagram are particularly powerful, as they are image-centric platforms that users often incorporate into their own travels and adventures. You also might consider Twitter and YouTube for your tour and activity company, amongst other emerging social networking sites.

To find out more information about creating an effective social media strategy for your tour and activity company, download the Rezdy online marketing ebook now.