Independent Travel Agent Marketing: The Boost You Need in 2021
I think we speak on behalf of everyone when we say the events of this year were not what any of us anticipated. With a global pandemic still looming above our heads, some positivity for 2021 is what we all need. The travel industry in particular has seen devastating disruption during this time. Parts of the year have been spent with minimal flights leaving the country, causing untold damage to travel consultants. Alongside this, you’re now having to battle with the anxiety surrounding holidaying abroad. Despite the stress of 2020, there’s no reason you can’t come back bigger and better in the New Year. In case you were wondering how to do this exactly, look no further than independent travel agent marketing.
Based in the heart of Essex, VerriBerri consists of a team made up of creative and inspiring individuals, working with clients across the UK. We all have our own unique skillsets that help to bring our clients impeccable results. No matter what you’re after, we have the ability to get you back to working at maximum capacity.
Why Invest Now?
Although you may have suffered financially this year, investing in your marketing strategy now will make all the difference going forward. The anticipation is high when it comes to predicting how many people will be wanting to book getaways in 2021. It’s safe to say that we’re all fed up with being cooped up in our homes and a holiday sounds like the perfect escape. With this in mind, if you’re wanting people to book through your business, not your competitor, you need to be making some noise.
The invention of the internet was revolutionary when it came to changing the way we live. With our own free reign, booking your own DIY holiday has never been easier. Despite source ‘Which?’ finding that package holidays are, more often than not, cheaper, many still see travel consultants as an unnecessary cost. Additionally, people often forget about the value and extras you add to the experience too. Independent travel agent marketing is the perfect way to spread the message and educate people on what it is that you do. All whilst bringing more attention to your brand.
Boosting Your Ranking on Google
Gone are the days where people walk into a shop and sit down to book a holiday. Now, everything has gone digital. Therefore, when looking for the perfect holiday destination, the first place that people turn is the internet.
It’s a proven fact that when Googling, we disregard any options on the SERP that aren’t in the top three. At least 97% of the time anyway. This combined with what we discussed previously should indicate just how vital SEO is going to be for your business. Especially if you want to attract optimum site traffic.
SEO is the process in which companies optimise their websites to meet Google’s algorithm. The more criteria they satisfy, the higher they rank. Where things become tricky, however, is when people realise, we’re not actually told by Google what they want to see. With this in mind, the only way to get yourself ranking better, or at all, is through the combined effort of an expert team. This is where our agency specialising in independent travel agent marketing may be a valued asset.
Ensuring a Positive First Impression
When trying to remember a brand, the first thing to pop into our head is usually their logo. This is often then followed by the rest of their branding. With these attributes playing such a big part in first impressions, it’s important they hit the spot. After all, a business without effective branding is like a ship without a sail.
In addition to your branding, the fluidity of your website is also integral. People are impatient and if your website takes a long time to load or is hard to navigate, they’re going to leave. What’s worse, you’ll end up driving them towards your competitors. Therefore, ensuring this is not the case should be your top priority.
Within our design team, we have the capacity to put together any area of graphic design you’re in need off. From business cards to branding and website design to brochures, we can do it all!
Building and Managing Your Online Presence
Depending on which segment of your audience your targeting, different platforms may suit you better than others. For those of you trying to tap into a more affluent market, LinkedIn is a great place for you to network. If you’re trying to reach the general public however, you may benefit from using sites such as Instagram and Facebook.
Instagram is a very visual platform. This makes it the perfect place for certain brands like yourselves to showcase your work. Sharing photos of luxurious holidays will most definitely make people think about booking a break away. Moreover, they’re likely to share this content with their friends helping to get people talking about your brand.
Meanwhile, Facebook have a slightly older demographic. Booking through a travel agency tends to be a more traditional method and one that lots of the older generation still do. Spreading the world on this outlet is bound to drum up a lot of interest.
Featuring in The Press
PR plays a very vital part in independent travel agent marketing. As we mentioned earlier, many people overlook the work that you do. Often, they think that your sole purpose is for handling all the boring parts like arranging flights and airport transfers. Whilst this is somewhat true, all the personal touches you add usually fall on deaf ears. Making appearances within articles in both mainstream and travel-specific publications can be a great way to showcase what it is that you can do. Then, when people look into holidaying, they’re likely to think twice about utilising your services.
Contact VerriBerri
If independent travel agent marketing is something you’re looking to invest more time into, you’ve come to the right place. With our bespoke packages and PR guarantee, your cast-iron results will supply you with better visibility and an impressive ROI. For more information on the work we do, you can get in touch by clicking here!