2020 has arrived, and with the new decade comes new digital marketing trends that your tourism business, attraction, or destination needs to get on board with. Don’t worry, we’ve done the dirty work of finding out what trends to look for, so just keep reading to find out which Digital Marketing Trends to Expect in 2020.
1. Interactive Content Marketing
Want to spice up your content and appeal to your audience? Using content to generate sales is nothing new. We’ve been doing it for years! However, instead of static content, it’s time to embrace interacting with your audience. You can do this by including things such as the following:
• Polls and Surveys
• 360-degree videos
• Augmented Reality Ads
Interactive content works to grab the attention of the viewer, and then provide them with a value or experience, which is why interactive content works! While it does require some persuasion on your part to get viewers to participate, it will help in boosting your conversions.
2. Personalization
Personalization can apply to every aspect of the tourist experience, and today’s consumers have come to expect experiences that closely match their preferences. If an experience can be tailored to their expectations, the more likely they are to become a returning customer. Some examples of personalization in marketing are targeted ads, product & tour recommendations based on the viewers’ previous purchases, and personalized email subject lines & text.
3. Conversational Marketing
Today’s consumers are busy and expect speedy solutions, which is why conversational marketing will be an effective strategy this new year. Conversational marketing uses customer data to drive conversions, improve engagement, build customer loyalty and more. So what are the ways that your tourism business or attraction can incorporate this strategy?
• Live support
By utilizing conversational marketing, your business can also personalize their approach and connect with the consumer. It also helps that it adds a friendly touch!
4. More “Authentic” Branding
Over the course of the past year, consumers have expressed a yearning for authentic, and genuine experiences. Consumers have also expressed that they expect brands to be transparent and authentic in their marketing efforts. So how does a tourism business like yours accomplish this? Rely more on emotion and less on the facts! Instead of writing “5 ways to enjoy this destination”, try writing “this is what it is like here, here’s why we love it, and here is how you can experience it too”.
5. Mobile As A Travel Tool
The travel industry has made great strides in creating mobile-ready information for travelers, but there is still work to be done! Tourism businesses and attractions should begin integrating their offerings onto already existing platforms, such as allowing tours to be booked through TripAdvisor.
6. Optimizing Content for Voice Search
With smartphones and AI assistants such as Alexa and Siri, the use of voice search has grown by 187 percent in 2018 and continues to grow according to Canalys reports. With the rise of users searching online using their voice, content marketers are focusing on optimizing their content to match. Most users speak differently than how they would conduct a text search, for example, instead of typing “weather Los Angeles”, a user would ask, “What’s the weather in Los Angeles today?”. Because of this, content marketers would need to optimize their content for voice search by anticipating questions their audience would ask in a conversational manner and create content based on those questions and longtail keywords!
7. Video Marketing
Video marketing has become one, if not the, most important marketing trend! We’ve written about the importance of Video Marketing before, so check it out here. Not convinced? Check out these stats:
• 70% of consumers say they have shared a brand’s video (Wyzowl)
• 72% of businesses say video improves their conversion rate (Invodo)
• 54% of consumers say that watching product videos makes them more confident in their online purchases (Forbes)
• 92% of mobile video consumers share videos with others (Mill for Business)
8. User-Generated Content (UGC)
We’ve written an ultimate guide to User-Generated Content, so be sure to check it out!
UGC is a resource for marketers who want to tap into marketing to Millenials and Gen Z. It’s a great way to source content, building brand awareness and authenticity, and so much more.
9. Influencer Marketing
Yes, influencer marketing will still be a thing in 2020 and there are no signs showing that it will slow down. What we will see in the upcoming year is that this strategy will mature and adapt. In 2020, we will see an increase in paid media budgets for influencers’ posts to better reach their audiences. Also, Instagram will continue to hold the title as the preferred influencer marketing platform, however, TikTok will start to take a part in this market.
10. Improved Security
Customer security has always been an important factor, but as technology continues to advance so does your business’s efforts to keep customer information safe. If a consumer feels that their information isn’t safe on your website, they won’t bother to complete the booking and are unlikely to become a returning customer.
Digital marketing trends and destination marketing trends can be a very tricky thing to watch and implement. That is what iWerx Connect is here for! Whether you need answers to your questions, a website built, content marketing or more, we’ve got you covered. Contact us today to start capitalizing on these upcoming digital marketing trends.