TikTok has become one of the most popular social media channels with over two billion registered users across the world. It started by appealing to a very young user base. Now it has a great deal of user engagement in the 18 to 34 age group. For those in the travel industry, it offers the potential to reach a large global audience and drive bookings. Today tour operators, hotels, restaurant chains, and other businesses in the travel industry use TikTok marketing.
Why is TikTok relevant to the travel industry?
Marketers in the travel industry can reach a young and engaged audience. The visual and interactive nature of the platform is great for showcasing destinations and experiences. Users are actively searching for exciting activities and new destinations to visit. The 18 to 34 age group is one of the demographics travel marketers need to target. This is the age when they finish their studies, start to earn, and can afford to travel.
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How to use TikTok for marketing
1. Create short, entertaining videos
One of the most important TikTok tips is to create short, highly entertaining videos. Before you start creating your videos, it’s worth checking out popular travel profiles to see what works and doesn’t work. Your travel campaigns have to be inspiring and memorable to stand out.
- List what makes a destination unique and weave a story around it.
- Show behind-the-scenes footage, exclusive activities, or awe-inspiring scenery. For example, you could create a montage of a hot balloon tour at sunrise.
- Put your ideal customer at the centre of the video.
- Your videos don’t have to be highly polished but they must be authentic.
- Keep the focus on fun and entertainment rather than trying to make a sales pitch.
2. Use popular challenges
One of the TikTok content ideas for business that really works is to make use of trending challenges. They can help to showcase travel in a fun way. TikTok has a good search feature to help you find the latest trending videos.
Innovation and creativity thrive under the hashtag #FoodTok. These videos feature exotic food challenges and cooking hacks. You could showcase the culinary delights of an tropical location using this hashtag. You can find any current challenge that relates in some way to travel and create a video that aligns with it.
3. Create live streams
A live stream can offer an authentic look into a destination or travel experience. You could do a live tour of a destination and answer viewer questions in real time. Hosting live Q&As with travel experts is a chance to discuss travel tips or showcase a current promotion. Interacting with followers and answering questions can help to create connections and build community.
4. Collaborate with travel influencers
Collaborating with travel influencers can help you to boost the credibility of your brand. You can use TikTok’s creator marketplace to find travel creators you’d like to work with. One way to collaborate is to invite a travel influencer on one of your tours to create content about it and tag your brand. This could encourage their followers to book a tour.
5. Use relevant hashtags
A TikTok strategy you shouldn’t ignore is to use relevant hashtags. Travel-related or location-specific hashtags can increase discoverability. Some popular hashtags include #Vacation, #Getaway, and #TravelLife. TikTok captions are limited to 300 characters so using three to five hashtags is enough. You can use trending hashtags or local hashtags such as #ThingsToDoInLondon.
6. Leverage user-generated content
Encourage your customers to share their experiences on TikTok. This authentic content can help to build the trust of potential customers. For example, they could share their experiences on a particular tour using the hashtag #ExploreWithUs. You can offer incentives for content that creates the most engagement.
7. Monitor and make changes
Using TikTok’s analytics can help you to track content performance. You can find out what resonates with your audience and adjust your strategy accordingly. Ditch what’s not working and create more of the content that performs well.
TikTok is the way!
The TikTok platform provides a great opportunity for any travel brand to reach the right audience. You need to create short-form, fun, and visually appealing videos that viewers love to watch. Make use of trending challenges, collaborate with influencers, and interact with viewers so you can make connections and ultimately, boost sales.
What TikTok travel marketing tips are you most excited to use? Let us know in the comments below!
