Influencer marketing is rapidly taking off in the travel industry. Considering that 67% of travelers report using Instagram as inspiration for their trips, you can bet that your target audience is on social media scoping out your destination. The current trends predict that travel influencers will continue to increase their impact on consumers within the industry, and knowing how to use user-generated content to your advantage helps you capture your target audience’s attention when they’re ready to book a trip.
The Evolving Landscape: Current Trends in Travel Influencer Marketing
The rise of social media has led to people accessing information in new ways. While people once relied on referrals from friends and family, they can now tap into a wider information base that is filled with dazzling photos and influencer reports. Knowing these current travel trends gives you insight into how you can use influencers for marketing in your next campaign.
Micro-Influencers On the Rise
Micro-influencers are those that have engaged audiences that fall within the range of 10,000 to 100,000 followers. While it might seem less effective to work with an influencer with a smaller following, the opposite is often true for businesses in the travel industry. People are often drawn to smaller influencers because they inspire a greater sense of trust. When consumers see someone who looks like them at a destination they want to visit, it’s easier for them to perceive them as being authentic.
Authenticity Reigns Supreme
In a world where consumers are constantly being barraged with advertising, they tend to value authenticity. Approximately 88% of people claim that it is important for influencers to demonstrate authenticity and genuine care about their followers’ interests. One influencer marketing prediction that is coming true right now is the benefits of using user-generated content that serves as inspiration for people who visit tourist destinations.
Experiences Over Aesthetics
While the past several years have involved people being inspired by gorgeous photos from exotic destinations, the current trend points towards the need to generate content that showcases unique travel experiences and cultural immersion. Planning experiential marketing campaigns with influencers allows them to give your target audience a deeper glimpse into what your resort, hotel or other travel destination has to offer.
The Power of Social Commerce
Travelers today are looking for the best deals that help them continue to explore the world while living on a tighter budget. Integrating e-commerce features into marketing campaigns makes it easier to meet your target audience where they’re at while offering great deals and faster bookings. Providing shoppable links along with discount codes helps to increase conversion rates.
Gazing Into the Crystal Ball: Predictions for Travel Influencer Marketing
Predicting what comes next in the world of travel marketing requires in-depth knowledge of the industry, and our team at Semgeeks makes sure to stay on the leading edge of anticipated changes. We’ll help you stay on top of a competitive market by planning for the following influencer marketing predictions.
Focus On Sustainability
People today are hyperaware of their environmental footprint, and your target audience likely cares deeply about leaving their travel destinations a better place for having them visit. Influencers provide an effective way to highlight sustainable travel practices that your business implements along with tips that the target audience can use themselves.
The Rise of Niche Communities
Micro-influencers provide opportunities to practice segmentation that further improves your company’s ability to reach niche communities within the target audience. Focusing a campaign on solo travelers or families on a budget makes marketing campaigns more strategic, and consumers tend to respond to personalization in the content they view.
Data-Driven Decisions
When we incorporate influencers into a travel marketing campaign, we do so with a full understanding of what we want to see happen. With more technology becoming available every day, we can increase the role of data analytics for measuring influencer campaign performance which allows us to optimize the strategies we implement.
The Future of Influencer-Based Marketing Platforms
Technological advancements are also bringing forward more influencer marketing platforms that facilitate brand-influencer partnerships and content creation. Being able to find and connect with influencers who represent your travel brand makes it easier to generate content that contributes to a successful marketing campaign.
From international hotels to cozy local bed and breakfasts, the sky is the limit for businesses in the hotel industry that take the time to use influencer marketing for their campaigns. As the influence of travel influencers continues to grow, you can stay ahead of the curve by working with them to impact consumer behavior.
Our travel industry marketing experts at Semgeeks have an in-depth understanding of how to work with influencers for effective campaigns, and we’re here to help you begin moving your business into the future. Reach out to us for a travel influencer marketing consultation today to begin growing greater brand awareness within your target audience.
