Upcoming Digital Marketing Trends in Tourism for 2017

The New Year is here, and it’s a time for reflection and evaluation. As a tour and activity provider, you are likely considering the successes you have had during 2016, while looking forward to the challenges you need to overcome in 2017. It’s the perfect time to evaluate your marketing strategy, and incorporate some of the upcoming digital marketing trends into your plan for the new year.

Here are a few upcoming digital marketing trends for 2017 to consider:

• Prioritize high-quality content. Fresh content is necessary in order to stay relevant, not only on the search engine results page but also with your target audience. Producing content regularly can be challenging, but it’s important not to fall into the trap of posting shoddy blogs and adding keyword-stuffed landing pages to your website. Investing in high-quality content will improve your online brand, boost your reputation amongst travelers and keep your rankings high on the SERP.
• Use 360-degree videos in your social media posts. In order to maximize your exposure on social media, you have to continue to create more engaging posts. Data continues to show that social media users prefer video to photo and text posts, and 360-degree videos are the latest technology that tour and activity operators need to be implementing into their social media strategy. Drones and other camera equipment that can produce 360-degree videos are coming down in price, making it a more realistic option for the average business owner to use this technology in their marketing campaigns.
• Be available. As you increase your presence online in 2017 and focus on user engagement, you need to make sure that you are available to respond to your customers’ needs and inquiries. If you can’t be as available as needed, then consider hiring someone to increase engagement and respond to customers regularly.
• Continue to place an emphasis on mobile development and technology. Mobile is playing a more prevalent role in every industry, but this is particularly true in the travel and tourism sector. More travellers are performing mobile searches after they have reached their destination in order to book last-minute tours and activities. Improve your responsive web design, increase your mobile advertising campaigns and make sure that your booking system supports mobile bookings.
• Advertise on the top social networking sites. Your SEO strategy is important for helping you maintain your rankings on the SERP, but it’s not the only way to be seen on the vast expanses of the web. PPC advertising campaigns guarantee that you will have an improved presence, and they are a way to maintain consistent visibility across all platforms. Google, Facebook, and Instagram are three platforms to consider advertising on in 2017.

These digital marketing trends are not difficult techniques to implement. As you enter the New Year and create resolutions for 2017, consider including these trends in your online marketing strategy.

In order to stay informed in 2017 about the latest digital marketing trends and social media marketing techniques that are best for tour and activity providers, download the social media e-book  to grow your bookings now.