02 Jul 2021 Business Insights

How to Attract More Customers for Your Travel Brand

Running a travel brand is no easy feat, especially for anyone who has navigated the waters over the last 10 years or so. But with travel finally getting the green light again, now is a good time to take advantage of pent-up demand and attract more customers who want to book their next holiday.

However, competition is fierce, and you’ll need to be at the very top of your game to attract the right customers. How do you get more customers for your travel brand, you ask? We’ve put this handy guide together detailing everything you need to know about winning more business. So read on and build your customer base with our top tips.

Network with the best of them 👋

Networking is usually reserved for B2B endeavours, but travellers come in all shapes, sizes and, most importantly, professions. So don’t be afraid to network and explore areas where you might not find traditional customers.

Having a presence on platforms like LinkedIn or even at trade shows (when they resume) could actually help you generate leads and find customers. Even if people aren’t ready to book with you right away, you could leave an impression, and they might remember you the next time they’re thinking about jet setting off to somewhere luxurious.

Building your network and using it as a driver to attract new customers can be a savvy way to grow your business. It’s slightly left-field but well worth exploring. At the very least, you might build some relevant contacts who could come in handy further down the line.

Content, content, content 📓

Travel content is one of the most shareable forms of marketing on the internet, and we’ll keep banging the drum for the importance of creating exciting travel material. If you want potential customers to see you as the de facto travel brand, you’ll need to have a solid content marketing plan so that people come to see you as a thought leader in the sector.

You can’t underestimate the importance of content marketing: 70% of people say they would rather get information about a company or learn something from a blog post or article than a traditional advertisement.

Write blog posts, host free webinars on the future of travel, send a regular email newsletter, create video tutorials, and, of course, post on social media. Doing so will help build your brand and get your content in front of the eyes that matter most.

People want value at every turn, and a strong content marketing push for your brand can provide more credibility with audiences.

But what content do you create? Well, it depends on the type of holidays you offer, but writing guides about destinations is a good place to start. You should also aim to update your audience with travel industry news – especially in today’s testing climate, where everything can change on a whim.

Focus on SEO 💻

Content isn’t just a winner for getting people excited with engaging ideas; it also helps grow your organic SEO. And if you’re ranking at the top of search engines, you can expect a more significant number of inquiries coming through to your travel brand. Around 49% of people say they use Google to discover or find a new item, product, or service.

Use tools like SEMrush or Google Keyword Finder to see which terms are relevant to your travel niche and are worth pursuing. Then go about creating content that people are searching for. When done right, it can positively impact your business as you appear on the first page of Google for certain keywords.

While you won’t be able to rank for every keyword, it’s still worth investigating which ones could bring success. For example, it may be that you rank for a low-volume keyword with high intent, which means the people landing on your website are more likely to convert than if they found you via broader key terms.

Use referrals 🔈

Businesses who do a great job for their customers should shout it from the rooftop – or at least get their clients to do it for them. Ninety-two per cent of customers trust referrals from people they know, and referral marketing can impact your bottom line for the better than many other marketing types.

There’s nothing quite like word of mouth, so ask previous happy holidaymakers to share their experience of using your brand. Whether it’s on social media platforms, Google, video reviews, or other referral websites, people will be more inclined to work with you if they have proof of your excellent service.

Your customers are the cornerstone of your business and hold the key to unlocking more success. Don’t be afraid to ask them to leave a review if they liked booking with your brand. It could help you take on a clutch of new customers, and best of all, it’s free marketing.

Offer alternative finance options 🙌

Last but not least, your website should be set up to offer flexible finance to customers. A growing number of demographics now demand alternative payment options like buy now, pay later to give them more freedom at checkout.

If customers know they can spread the cost, they will feel more empowered to book holidays that really matter. For example, knowing they can split the cost over, say, four payments might make them feel more confident about spending a bit more on their destination.

Almost four in 10 Brits have used buy now, pay later so far, and the numbers are only going to increase as customers turn away from traditional lines of credit. That means you can attract more customers if you offer the types of payment methods they prefer. The result is an increase in average order size and more sales.

Having the right mindset to bring more customers to the table

Getting more customers is one of the most complex parts of owning any business, but it doesn’t need to be a headache for you. By following our advice, you can craft a watertight strategy to get more people booking holidays and increase your bottom line as you become the travel brand that everybody wants to book with.