As the world seems to be getting smaller every passing day, more people can afford booking a trip to different countries. While this may seem like good news for travel-based startups, the reality is quite different.
This is primarily because business is extremely competitive, with hundreds of travel agencies operating in small areas. Also, holidays and travelling are usually a one-time deal, as very few people visit the same place twice.
Many travel based companies spend astronomical amounts in marketing, which in turn drains their resources and can even end up bankrupting the firm. In order to stand out and be successful, a travel startup needs proper marketing strategies. Here are 6 such strategies that are guaranteed to boost your business in no time.
Place the right content in the right places
Make sure your content is reaching the target audience of your business. If your target demography is a niche community, advertise accordingly in specific websites, magazines etc. Publishing your content in wrong places can mean that it is reaching a random audience.
It is important to create content and make it available to relevant audience using Facebook Advertising dashboard, as this maximizes the number of people who can view your content and find your company. Once your content is reaching its target, your startup can attract potential customers.
Identify your target demographic
Figuring out your customers’ wants and needs is the next step for a successful startup. Identifying your target audience can help you create specific content and advertising for certain niche communities.
For example, your customers maybe the average traveler looking to book flight tickets or a business man looking for travel reviews. Understanding the customer allows the company to cater to their customers’ needs.
The most popular categories for travelers include honeymoon goers, backpackers, wildlife retreats, exotic vacations, business trips and educational tours. Pick out a niche before you think of any marketing plans and create a business plan that will suit your target demography the best.
Pay attention to customer reviews
When it comes to traveling, prospective customers rely on reviews and second hand opinions. Travelers rely on sites such as TripAdvisor to read up on experiences of other people. Pay attention to what people write about your startup.
Address complaints and other issues and consider all suggestions given by customers. Encourage them to give you honest reviews or ratings and make them believe that opinions are valued. Good reviews create credibility for your start up and can motivate potential customers to give your company a try.
Social media is your best friend
Establishing a strong presence on social media can do wonders for your startup. Use Facebook or Twitter to interact with users and potential customers. Encourage customers to rate your company and post pictures of their travels. Social media stars can also give your startup a boost.
Many people run travel blogs or YouTube channels with large followers or fan bases. They can act as brand ambassadors for your startup. You can invite them to use your services and talk about your startup on their blogs. This will let many other people find out about your company or brand.
Your customers can create content for you
With increasing popularity of review-based websites, you can get your customers to do some of the marketing for you. Create a blog where customers can share their travelling experiences, complete with pictures or videos.
You can give them an added incentive of great giveaways or affordable holiday packages to encourage them and contribute to your blog. Original content will help create an online presence and generate web traffic for your startup. It will also aid search engine optimization process, further improving your startup’s popularity online.
Make use of SEO and SEM for retargeting
You can build a custom audience by Web remarketing pixel code. This is done by putting a code on your site that captures the number of visitors and places them on Facebook or Google Adwords as your audience.
Investing in SEM and SEO is vital as it will create an audience for Retargeting. Collecting email addresses is also an easy way to get a huge audience for Remarketing.
Although it may seem difficult, conquering the market isn’t impossible for your travel startup. Making use of good marketing strategies will promote your startup and help it grow.
The easiest way to do this is to identify your customer base and interact with them online to attract potential customers and strengthen your online presence. Combined with proper advertising, these tips will result in a flourishing business.