Seeker

Why YouTube?

YouTube is the second most popular search engine, behind Google. Yes, I said search engine. In many circles YouTube is considered a search engine more than a social media platform. In fact, in 2022, there were over 3 billion searches on YouTube.

Videos are popular

YouTube is used for trip inspiration, travel planning and validating decisions on booking accommodations, adventures and attractions. Hence why it works for travel and small businesses. Consider this. 42% of travelers are inspired by YouTube content! And then, some icing on the cake, there are these statistics too:

66% watched videos when considering taking a trip
65% watched videos when selecting a destination
54% watched videos when deciding on accommodations
63% watched videos when looking for adventures to do in the area

YouTube works for travel and tourism businesses.

Benefits for YouTube

Consistency of content is a big deal. Hence why you need to figure out your brand and message prior to your launch. Expect to put in the time, research and preparation for your YouTube channel if you plan on reaping the benefits of the platform.

Build brand awareness – stronger brand identification, the easier it is to find your your niche market and grow a bigger following.
Rank well with search engines – because search engines, like Google, now post top videos on the first page of search results.
You can increase customer engagement – because your channel can direct travellers to your website and/or blog.
Social media integration – easy for users to share videos on Facebook and Twitter.
Low Budget – because, in comparison, you are running a entertainment channel without the big costs of a production company and TV network.

Builds your tribe

Online streaming channels are taking off in a big way like Crave, Prime, Disney and of course Netflix. People can binge watch their favourite shows and our characters at anytime. Think of your YouTube channel as a place people come to watch your adventures one after the other. Your YouTube channel is like any other TV or online channel. Therefore it needs to be operated like one with shows, hosts and personality.

What it takes to be successful

Be you. Practise being you. Experiment being you. Like any successful show, the characters play a large part in its success. On YouTube, in many cases, you are the actor, as well as, the producer, director, editing department, and script writer. You have to put it all together keeping in mind that relatability, personality and authenticity are the tools required to growing a successful following on YouTube.

Why Instagram?

Is your business and/or tourism business visual? Is there something about your business which looks good in a photo or video? Is your tourism business photogenic? If yes, you will like these stats. On Instagram 35% of users discover new places and 48% use it to help with the selection of their next vacation destination. Instagram attracts travellers.

Best to engage

If your business is photogenic in anyway, than Instagram is a format you should consider adding to your social media arsenal. While marketers are always seeking the best social media platform for specific industries, when it comes to tourism marketing, Instagram is one of the best ways to engage followers. Instagram has a 2.3% engagement rate per follower. The best in social media. Look at the Instagram accounts with the most followers and what do you see? You see visual personalities like musicians, influencers, photographers, artists and others.

Who uses Instagram?

When it comes to visual material, Instagram is one of the most effective social media channels, hands down. If appealing to travellers Instagram can be very effective. It is a great platform for tourism businesses to engage with their current and future travellers and guests. If your business caters to a younger population like millennials, then using Instagram is a must, as they are highly active on Instagram. If you are trying to market to small businesses, Instagram may be more challenging because if the business is not on Instagram you will not connect with them. Remember most tourism small businesses are on one format only and Instagram may not be the preferred choice.

Instagram hashtags (#)

Instagram has the best hashtag database on social. It is absolutely vital to use hashtags when posting on instagram as that is the best way to distribute your post and to connect with others. The end result is that users like, comment, and share at a much higher rate on Instagram. We would suggest using 20 hashtags minimum per post.

Know your hashtags

The positive side of hashtags on Instagram is that you can search them and when you do the results shows how many times they have been used. Here is the dilemma. Some say use the most popular hashtags. Some say, including us, use the mid to low hashtags (anything between 50,000 to 500,000). Why? While on the busy hashtags, the scroll is moving so fast, your post will slide down the feed and fall off the page very quickly. The other option, the post stays in view longer and has more eyes on it.

Create your own hashtags (#)

There is no other format where building your own hashtag is as important. Since the distribution mechanism on Instagram is based on hashtags you should create your own hashtag(s) to maximize the popularity of your posts. Include this hashtag in every post you publish online as best as you can.

Tips and Tricks

As an unwritten rule users should try to keep their message to a 200 words and use the most important words at the beginning of your text.
Post your hashtags separate from the main text. An effective way to do so is to use dots or dashes to position them separately in your text description.
Include usernames of other Instagram profiles in your post, this could encourage them to engage using likes, comments, shares and/or follows.
Use a call to action. Leave a big enough impression and users are compelled to follow your instructions to check out your bio link, share or comment below.
Use the features like Instagram Stories and Instagram Highlights to maximize the number of eyes on your post.
Cross post and share your Instagram on other platforms. Facebook is best as they work closely with each other.

Why Twitter?

Twitter is your small business and/or tourism business voice. It is a platform which performs better for statements, opinions, announcements and conversations. Using a photo or video in promoting your statement or for starting conversation will always help engagement numbers. Tweets with photos and videos generate higher engagement rates, such as likes (18% more), retweets (150% more), mentions, favorites (89%), comments, and clicks, than those without any images.

Who are these Twitter Users?

Research shows that Twitter users are wealthier and hold high positions in their organizations. A quick look around at all the television and media platforms, one will notice that most broadcasters, corporations and personalities will have a Twitter handle. So, if your tourism or small business is looking for media coverage, influencers and partnerships, then Twitter, is the platform to make connections with all of them directly and immediately. It is easier to generate media coverage, when you are engaging with the source on Twitter for a long time.

Using Twitter for what it was made for

Twitter and tourism can go hand and hand when it comes to quick resolution of customer service. As well as, research clearly indicates that 40% of users purchased something after they engaged on Twitter. In addition, tourism businesses use Twitter to act as a virtual concierge and to provide travel advice. It is important to note that this platform is a good compliment to your social media strategy, as over 99% of Twitter users are on another platform. This enables cross promotions.

Work on your response time

Here is the challenge with Twitter. When users and travellers comment, or retweet, they expect an answer quickly. Imagine Twitter as a face to face interaction. You do not stand there when talking with someone and wait a day to answer back while standing there. Neither do you on Twitter. In fact, on Twitter, 72% of people expect a brand to respond quickly, with 53% expecting a response within an hour. Twitter, is a platform, when taken seriously, is best used with phone notifications so you know when others engage and you can answer quickly on your phone.

Use the tools Twitter provides

Twitter allows 280 characters. That’s it. So working in hashtags can be tricky. This means you have to be direct with your marketing message. Twitter is a pioneer, along with Instagram, of hashtags (#), yet users do not use them enough nor do they know how to use them? Think of a hashtag (#) as a way to categorize conversations so users can participate in specific topics and find related content faster. Watch what hashtags others in your industry are using. Research hashtags and build a “hit list” of hashtags to select from for your posts. Create your own tourism business hashtags, so if travellers want to add to your hashtag conversations, which focus on your business only, they can.

Let others know!

On Twitter in the retweets and comments please make every effort to ping at least one person. What do we mean by pinging? Let others know when you tweet and it involves that business or user by using the (@) sign and then the name of the Twitter page you want to connect with. This can be done in the message when posting or after the post is published in the comments, as well as, when you retweet.

Why Facebook?

According to Facebook, the social media platform is being used, more and more, by its users to share travel and vacation ideas, pics, videos and information. When friends and followers share adventures and shopping experiences this triggers thoughts about the users own personal holiday ambitions and how they could have similar experiences with their families. Using Facebook to share your tourism business, helps consumers get motivated to take the step and book and/or buy with you. You want every shopper and every traveller to take a selfie at your business. You should encourage it.

Facebook Attracts Tourism

In our minds, like it or hate it, Facebook is a must for any tourism and small business. Why? Because in many cases most travellers over 35+ and a high majority of small businesses in small communities (tourism destinations) use one platform only and, yes, it is Facebook. So, it is clear that using Facebook provides the best chance at connecting with your target market, whether it is the traveller or the small business. It is a matter of playing the odds.

Power of Content

Facebook is image and video driven. It is a visual platform in most cases. Lets be real here. Images can also make a users’ life look way more exciting and glamorous than it actually is in reality. In many cases Facebook is used for bragging rights. Look at me! This is good for tourism businesses when the traveller sends out photos on Facebook while at your accommodation, and/or on your tour or out with your guides. Facebook can make followers, friends and families and other users very jealous.

Groups and Loyal Following

Facebook is an efficient platform to connect with users and increase followers using proper and consistent engagement techniques. With Facebook, once the user starts following your tourism or small business page, it is an ideal platform to increase return visits to your business, improve product sales and acquire new followers. Facebook’s enables people to share their experiences with other pages and their followers, in hopes, of attracting them to follow your page.

Figure It Out

Facebook can be used effectively for travelling purposes as well. Properly analyzed, Facebook is a good tool for researching your customer base. Use the insights program with Facebook and you can find out if your target market is male or female, when they visit your page the most (good for posting times), where they are from, comparing with competition and so much more.

Which Social Media Should I Use?

There are hundreds of social media platforms today – Facebook, Whats App, QQ, We Chat, Tumblr, Snap Chat, Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok, You Tube, Viber, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Reddit, FourSquare, Badoo, My Space, Flickr, and hundreds more. Select your social wisely.

Not all social media are created equal? Not even close. They all operate and cater to different social needs of the population. Keep this in mind when selecting your social media marketing strategy. Some social media are for chatting. Some are very visual while others are about creating groups of like minded people and on and on we go.

What you select and how many you select will have a direct impact on the time you will need to invest in your social media strategy to be successful. Some social takes more time than others. Managing and building a brand on one social is a lot easier than on 3 social media platforms.

What Does Your Target Market Use?

What do the people who you want to attract to your brand, what are they using? Ask them in your newsletter, at the front desk, in a survey, and in thank you emails? Get some idea of what social media platforms they are using and why?

When it comes to tourism, which social media platform seems like a simple choice. Here we are back at the same question, “What does your target market use?”. For example, if you want to sell your services and products to a tourism business, you are on Facebook, because in many cases it is the only social media platform they use. Why? Because small tourism business owners are older. If you want to connect with tourism businesses than use what they use, Facebook.

What Are Their Habits?

Well you have their attention, see if you can find out when they are online? Are they morning, during a lunch break and after the kids go to bed type social media follower? How many times a day do they log in and check social media? Do they have their social media notifications on so when anything happens on their page their phone dings? Learn as much as you can about your target market.

Commit or Do Not Bother.

Most tourism businesses do not understand social media or a have a false impression it is easy and they just need to post. Somehow, they are convinced there is no skill involved. They say they are getting no results. Well they are right because they have put no effort into learning it. What is often lacking in social media is effort and understanding. Creating content and having a unique way of delivering it, takes a lot of thought and research. Small businesses are now responsible for their own marketing, now a days, unless they have a large budget. Now it is up to them to create videos, photo galleries, memes, infographic, podcast, etc. for their business. In the old days some third party local newspaper, radio station or magazine would design it and push it out to the world.

Focus On Your “Go To” Social?

First, decide on your “Go To” social media platform. That platform you decide on will be the one you focus your energy on first. A good strategy is to select 1 or 2 others, and start populating and watching how your content engages with that platform online. Once you have the “Go To” humming along, then your energies can slightly waver to a second social media platform. Get good at one platform and use the other platforms to compliment your brand as you grow your followers.

It Is a 2-Way Street

Social media likes and follows is a two way street. If you want others to engage with your content and share, then you need to engage with there’s. Many times, we are asked to share posts by other pages and groups, however, the page asking has never bothered to like, follow or comment on any of our posts.

There is very little incentive to share posts from other pages when others who do engage with your page deserve a share more than the one-and-done pages. If you want returns in the future by certain pages, then show your interest in their posts. Do not come begging for promotions only when it is convenient for you. No one cares, if you do not.

So unless it is a spectacular post, we would not be able to share it as we already post every day. Over posting is not good.

Tagging

Promote your social media page with an (@) sign. In your social media marketing, in fact in all your marketing per say, add and mention your social media tag like @ehcanadatravel in your marketing materials and posts. Repetitive marketing pays off in the end, when they start memorize your tag and it becomes automatic.

What is Facebook tagging?

This simple fact of adding a tag will help and assist other Facebook pages in mentioning your tourism business in their post, as well as, to tag you when they want to share something with your page that they think you might be interested in sharing. All tagging, will show up on your page’s notifications.

This enables other pages to market you and share content which produces followers and likes.

How Facebook Tagging Works

When tagging on Facebook, start with the @ sign and then start typing who you would like to tag in the post or in the comment section. When you start typing a drop down list will appear to select from. Select the business or person you wish to tag and their name will appear like the examples above.

If when adding a tag, the business or person does not appear in your drop down list then it is most likely they have deactivated tagging in their settings and they cannot be tagged.

Influencers

Partner with a travel Influencer or an influencer who specializes in your niche market.

What is an influencer?

An influencer is an individual who has the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of his or her authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with his or her audience. Each influencer has a specialty and caters to a dedicated niche market. Many consider an influencer as social media relationship assets.

Beware of Poor Influencing

There are good and poor quality influencers. There are fake and credible influencers. There are social media and/or search engine influencers. Bottom line is that not all are created equal. Not even close.

Research Influencers

Some cater to social media only and on one platform only. So research if your customers engage with that platform and look into the engagement numbers of that influencer when they do post. For example if they have 50,000 followers and yet their posts reach only 500 people, and create 1 like and 3 shares, there is something wrong.

BEWARE: Many influencers may have a perceived high following but if the engagement numbers do not match the followers you are most likely dealing with an influencer with fake followers. Yes, there is such a thing.

Watch out for the cash-grab influencers. One post and no follow up or effort in engagement practises. These are scary partnerships with little to no value. Look for the influencers who will market your tourism business with blogs, photo galleries, video and more. Look for proof of engagement. Look for high reach, many likes, plenty of comments and the number of shares.

Social Media Influencers Is Not The Only Answer

Not sure why, but many social media influencers concentrate on social media only. Social media posts can have a short life span on busy feeds. Some only last hours while others can last a lot longer with good photos, videos, descriptive text, hashtags and marketing techniques. However, if your business is looking for longevity in content created by an influencer then seek out search engine influencers, especially in the tourism industry.

Search Engine Influencers Work Best and Longer

Some tourism and travel influencers write content for search engines. However, most do not have the skills to position your content on the first page of search results on search engines. These types of influencers provide the most bang-for-your-buck because well written content will last on the first page of search engines for years to come. This is huge since about 80% of travel research is done on search engines.

Selecting An Influencer

Check their credentials of the influencer. have they won awards. Search on search engines and does their content show up on the first page of content? The influencers in our Adventure Seeker program are trained and over 90% of the content falls on the first page of search results for high quality keyword searches. Contact us, at media@ehcanadtravel.com for more information as they are available for partnerships.

Facebook Live

Use Facebook Live. They tend to get better engagement on other people’s feeds as they are positioned higher up on the feed. Facebook Live videos tend to also receive higher views which translate into followers.

Practice First

Practise first. Write a script of cheater points for your Facebook Live and practise it. Do not use during the broadcast but have an idea of the flow of your episode. Dead space, negativity and lack-of-flow are quick ways to be one-and-done and followers will not come back.

Advantages of Facebook Live

Increase brand awareness
Have a Facebook Page then you can produce Facebook Live videos. Popular types of live streaming are interviews, sharing news, new product and/or service launch, live events and more.
More brand engagement
It’s an opportunity to humanize your brand and establish a higher engagement rate with your customers and social followers.
Cost savings
The beauty of live streaming is it’s completely free.
Be authentic
No editing the video, posting it, and everything else that goes into the process of generating video content. You can offer real-time videos to your audience that’s more authentic than a pre-recorded video.
It sticks around
Stays on Facebook page and often can be featured with your settings.

Notification Invites

Another form of inviting people to follow your page is in your notifications. You see when people like one of your posts if they do not like your page yet, you can click on the link, with all your likes on your post and open up a window and from there you can invite people by clicking invite button beside their name.

Click to see your notifications for your tourism / small business page.
Click on notification which says, ” Help them see future posts by inviting them to your page”.
Post opens up on page.
Click link which shows all who like your page.
Click “invite” by the names who do not follow your page.

Seeker

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