Content creation is not a fun moment for some digital marketers. The truth is that everyone loves content, but not so many of us love creating content. The reason is simple: content marketing isn’t merely posting random ideas and content picked from anywhere. When it comes to business, it is even more challenging. Social media content creation must align with business goals and values. In other words, any communication has to follow the brand guidelines and maintain a consistent tone and message.
Social Media Content Creation is an integral part of Travel Digital Marketing
What is the best social media content creation strategy for the travel and hospitality industry? How can travel businesses, tour operators, hotels, and travel agencies ensure that their social media content reflects their brand identity and resonates with their target audience? This article discusses easy tips for travel social media content creation that large and small businesses can use to get the right message across to their target audience.
What is Content Creation?
Creating content is the process of developing and producing valuable and relevant information, such as articles, videos, and social media posts, to engage and attract your target audience. It involves understanding your audience’s needs and preferences and consistently delivering content that meets those expectations. Successful content creation requires staying consistent and adapting to the evolving demands of your audience to maintain their interest and drive engagement. It is worth noting that content is the fuel of any digital marketing strategy which includes social media, travel SEO, and Influencer marketing.
10 Travel Content Creation Ideas
Without any delay, here are my five easy and quick tips for travel social media content creation. These content creation ideas don’t necessarily require any top skills in photography or videography. All you need to do is stay alert and updated about the latest trends and your tour destinations.
1)Travelers love videos with less text.
The simple reason for video to come first is that more visuals capture the essence of the experience. Whether you captured an event or a beautiful place you visited this morning, a video will invite those who weren’t there to live the same experience. This is the type of content creation idea you can materialize with a good smartphone and share with others to make them feel like they were there too. The good news is that there are apps you can use to edit or enhance it before sharing it on your social media platforms. Like in the mainstream media, everyone loves breaking news, aka fresh content. After polishing your video, hit the publish button.
Protip: Make sure you indicate what you captured and where you captured it with the right hashtag if you plan to share it on Instagram, for instance.
2) Post travel photos you own.
If you are a local travel company, it would be absurd to post stock photos while you can take fresh ones. Instead, take your own photos and showcase the unique experiences and destinations you offer. This is your chance to captivate your audience and provide an authentic glimpse into what they can expect. In the previous paragraph, we discussed the importance of video in travel social media content creation.
It is true that some social media platform algorithms, like Instagram and TikTok, favor video. In fact, social media platform algorithms dictate content creation. Whether it is a good or bad thing should not be our concern as long as we are reaching our audience. Our main focus should be on creating engaging and valuable content that resonates with our target audience.
Back on our travel content, take a great photo you would love to be shown yourself. Chances are you know what your clients love about your region and what they would find interesting and inspiring.
Protip: Don’t post photos and mess them up with irrelevant captions or hashtags. The worst thing you could do is always invite people to book your tour package. They know you are a tour operator or hotel. Don’t spam them with “Book with us your trip to X destination” captions. Your content should be centered around education, awareness, and information to provide value and build trust with potential customers.
3) Consider repurposing your evergreen travel content.
Content creation is time-consuming. Repurposing your evergreen travel content can save you time and effort while still providing valuable education, awareness, and information to potential customers.
What does repurposing travel content mean? Repurposing travel content means taking existing content that is still relevant and valuable and finding new ways to present it or use it in different formats. This could include turning a blog post into a video, creating an infographic from a travel guide, or using social media to share snippets of previously published articles. By repurposing your evergreen travel content, you can reach a wider audience and maximize the impact of your valuable information.
Protip: If you can produce engaging and eye-catching social content from your existing posts or blogs, consider hiring a virtual assistant on Fivver or Peopleperhour. Again, you should always make sure your content media content quality matches your business brand image.
4) Share client testimonials and reviews strategically.
You must have heard about this. Social media serves as social proof. It helps build trust and credibility for your business. By all means, make sure to secure great reviews from happy clients and showcase them on your social media platforms. While not all happy tourists will be willing to write a review, if you ask them genuinely, a happy client will leave one. According to the TripAdvisor Reviews Report, 3 out of 4 travelers make travel decisions after reading reviews. It is worth the effort to ask for reviews from satisfied clients.
Protip: This content creation idea should be used with moderation. You should only share reviews of social media posts wisely, not often. You don’t want to appear spammy or overly promotional.
5) Check The Latest Travel Visual Trends
Content creation is a game that needs to be adjusted regularly. So, you create social media content and want to post more travel visuals. It is always a good practice to test what works and what doesn’t. In this digital transformation era, it might be hard to find the right resources for learning about the latest trends. Follow the people in the travel industry you love and admire their work.
Their insights and experiences can provide valuable guidance and inspiration for staying up-to-date with the ever-changing landscape of travel trends. You should make sure you remain abreast of the latest types of social media marketing content creation strategies utilized by successful travel influencers.
Protip: Subscribe to industry newsletters and follow influential travel bloggers on social media to stay informed. Consider also Google trends. It is usually a source of inspiration for different topics.
6) Tag your travel company clients.
Content creation isn’t a one-man show. It involves collaboration. This is another lucky breakthrough for local travel companies. Travelers and tour companies alike use social media. Chances are your clients are on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or at least one of the social media platforms your business uses. Tourists love to share their travel experiences with their families and fellow tourists. Don’t shy away from asking them if they would be happy to tag your travel company. If they are willing to do so, ask them to use a specific hashtag related to your travel company.
Another way is to ask them if they would like to be in one of your social media posts. You can suggest taking a photo with them and including it in your social media posts. Very few tourists will say no. This is a great chance for your clients and your travel company to expand their audiences.
Protip: Keep it cool. Tag your clients or travel influencers and leave a genuine comment to show your support. Nobody likes an intrusive sales pitch.
7) Use The Right Travel Hashtags
The travel content creation process involves choosing the right hashtags depending on the social media platform. Getting the right travel hashtags can be tricky for digital marketers too. If you use them wisely, you have the opportunity to present your social media content in front of a large audience.
The golden rule is to use a combination of relevant and popular hashtags that are specific to your travel niche. Make sure your brand’s hashtag is used consistently. It is important to research and analyze the performance of different hashtags to determine which ones will yield the best results for your social media strategy. Take some time to analyze your content creation and engagement metrics to see how well your chosen hashtags are resonating with your target audience.
Protip: Don’t use multiple hashtags hoping that your post will go viral; instead, focus on using relevant and targeted hashtags to attract your target audience.
8) Engage with Travel Industry News
Engaging with industry professionals opens up opportunities for networking and collaboration. Join relevant industry groups and share your insights and expertise to establish yourself as a knowledgeable and valuable member of the community. LinkedIn is a popular platform for professionals to connect and network with others in their field.
While LinkedIn is a great platform for professionals to showcase their skills and achievements, it’s also important to engage with others and contribute meaningful content to build strong connections. So, if you pursue content creation on LinkedIn, keep in mind that it can help you establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.
Protip: You don’t have to be an expert in your field to start creating content on LinkedIn. Your peers need your input, and you can learn from them too. Sharing your insights and experiences can contribute to meaningful discussions and professional growth for both yourself and others.
9) Run a genuine travel contest.
There could be different types of travel contests that can be run on social media as content creation ideas, such as photo contests, caption contests, or destination-themed quizzes. You will need to define the goal of these contests for your audience and how they can help build connections within your industry. Specify how the winner will be chosen and the reward they will get.
Be as genuine as possible. If it is a free tour you are offering as a prize, be sure to highlight the unique experiences and attractions they will get to enjoy during their visit.
Protip: Don’t forget to use a dedicated hashtag or brand hashtag in your content. Travel content is best for brand awareness! Using a dedicated hashtag or brand hashtag in your content will help increase brand visibility.
10) Leverage UGC in your strategy.
Travelers who share their experiences sometimes use hashtags related to your brand. Search for these hashtags and engage with the users who are using them. This is pretty popular on Instagram. If you find content where your travel company is hashtagged, make sure to like and comment on it to show your appreciation for their support. And if it makes sense for your business to repost the content, ask for permission to do so.
Protip: Always credit the original creator when reposting content.
The next paragraph discusses some of the skills a content creator needs.
Content Creator Skills
Here are five skills every content creator should develop to succeed in the digital age.
1. Developing a unique and authentic voice: Creativity is the key. Content creators need to find their own distinct voice that sets them apart from others in the industry. This involves honing their writing style, tone, and overall communication approach to create content that resonates with their target audience.
2. Research and data analysis: To produce high-quality content, it’s crucial for creators to have strong research skills. They should be able to gather reliable information from various sources, verify facts, and interpret data accurately. These skills will help them to present well-researched and credible content to their audience. You don’t pick up any information on the Internet and serve it to your audience.
3. Understanding the target audience: You can’t serve someone you don’t know. It is important for creators to have a deep understanding of their target audience’s preferences, interests, and needs. You will need to know who you are writing for so you can tailor your content accordingly and make it more relevant and engaging. Understanding your customer needs is an indispensable piece of travel digital marketing.
4. Developing storytelling techniques: A distinct voice in writing often comes from incorporating storytelling techniques into the content. Content creators should learn how to craft narratives that captivate readers. The sky is the limit. It might be important for you to test one or more techniques to find the one that works best for your audience.
5. Utilizing data analytics: To better understand their target audience, creators must have the ability to leverage data analytics tools to gather insights on user behavior and preferences. This information can help them make informed decisions on content creation and improve the overall user experience.
FAQs
What are the 5 Cs of content marketing?
The 5 Cs of content marketing are clear, concise, compelling, credible, and a call to action. These principles help guide creators in developing content that is easily understood, succinct, engaging, trustworthy and prompts the audience to take action. By incorporating these 5 Cs into their content strategy, creators can effectively communicate their message and achieve their marketing objectives.
What does a travel content creator do?
A travel content creator is responsible for producing engaging and informative content related to travel. They may write blog posts, create videos, or share photos on social media platforms to inspire and inform their audience about different destinations, travel tips, and experiences. They often collaborate with brands and tourism boards to promote products and services, and they may also provide recommendations and insights based on their own personal travel experience
How can I create my own travel content?
Creating your own travel content can be a fun and rewarding experience. To start, consider documenting your trips through photography, capturing the unique landscapes, architecture, and local culture. You can also write about your experiences, sharing personal anecdotes, recommendations, and tips for other travelers who have a similar passion for exploration.
What does creating travel SEO content and social media content require?
Creating travel SEO content and social media content requires a deep understanding of the target audience and their preferences. It also requires the ability to conduct keyword research and incorporate relevant keywords seamlessly into the content.
What is content co-creation, and why is it important for businesses?
Content co-creation is a collaborative process where businesses involve their audience or customers in the creation of content. It allows businesses to tap into the collective knowledge, creativity, and insights of their audience, resulting in more diverse and authentic content. Content co-creation empowers businesses to create more relevant and impactful content that resonates with their target audience.
Final thoughts
Here are my ten easy social media content creation ideas that you can implement in your travel marketing strategy. Back to our first statement: Content creation is not easy, but it is possible when you have a clear understanding of your target audience and consistently provide valuable and engaging content. Remember that the key to success is to stay consistent and adapt to the ever-changing needs and preferences of your audience.
