THINGS EVERY ADVISOR ’ S WEBSITE SHOULD HAVE ACCORDING TO KATE WINTER COLE
website is the one place where you are in charge , not an algorithm .”
While social media accounts are fairly easy to create and manage , having an established website adds a level of legitimacy to a business . When consumers are looking for assistance planning their vacation and conduct a quick online search , they are more likely to choose a travel advisor who has a website to explore vs . one who only has social media pages .
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CREATING COPY TO REFLECT YOUR EXPERTISE Sometimes it ’ s difficult to know where to start when creating copy for a website , and Winter Cole said this is the biggest hurdle she faces with the travel advisor community . When it comes to writing the text for your website , Winter Cole encourages advisors to start by thinking about what questions they get asked the most and answer them in the copy .
It ’ s also important to remember who this content is for . “ Remember — this text isn ’ t just for your future clients ; it ’ s also for search engines to crawl and rank your website ,” Winter Cole said . “ If you are stumped for words to include , look up social media hashtags . It ’ s a great way to see what ’ s trending .”
Your website is also an ideal place to include things like testimonials you ’ ve received and certifications you ’ ve earned . You ’ ve worked hard to get where you are and have years of experience under your belt , and your website is a great place to showcase this . There are a host of traits that set you apart from online booking engines and specific characteristics that also set you apart from other travel advisors . Make sure your unique skill set is highlighted on your website for all to see .
“ One thing that sets travel agents apart is their expertise . I ’ d love to see more agents lean into that ,” Winter Cole said . “ I think when we work in an industry for a while , we take certain knowledge for granted .”
Winter Cole encourages advisors to take things like travel ideas , packing tips , destination guides and resort reviews and turn them into valuable content for prospective clients to read . These could easily be turned into blog posts to add additional content to a website . “ This extra content goes a long way with search engine optimization and positions you as the expert . I ’ d always rather book with the expert ,” she said .
CONSISTENCY IS KEY If you ’ re considering having a blog on your website , Winter Cole reminds travel advisors that keeping it up to date is always going to be important . “ The key to successful content creation like this is consistency . Consistency will always win ,” she said .
If consumers come across your website and see a blog post last updated five years ago , there ’ s a chance they might think your
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THINGS EVERY ADVISOR ’ S WEBSITE SHOULD HAVE ACCORDING TO KATE WINTER COLE
1 . GREAT PICTURES : I know you all take about a million pictures on your FAM trips . Use them ! Also , find that great photo of yourself where you feel like a million bucks . People really do connect with people . I ’ d want to see the person I ’ m booking travel with smiling .
2 . ABOUT SECTION : Tell me about your journey in the industry ; include your passions , personality and favorite destinations . Don ’ t be afraid to let your personality come through .
3 . SERVICES : Explore exactly what you do and how you help . Don ’ t assume your prospective travelers know anything .
4 . TESTIMONIALS : Please share some words from past clients ( also — are you asking for Google Reviews ? You should be !)
5 . DESTINATIONS / TRAVEL PROVIDERS : Give me some suggestions . Maybe I was thinking Florida , but I ’ ll read your list and think , ohhhh , Aruba !
company has gone out of business . Be sure to keep not only the blog posts but the copy and imagery fresh and current .
“[ Your website ] needs to be updated often , and it should reflect you NOW , not four years ago when you built it . If you DIY ’ d your website or if you have a professional designer , please be sure your content is fresh , current and up to date ,” Winter Cole said .
6 . SPECIALTY PAGES : Are you an expert in European River Cruising ? Do you host group African Safaris ? Maybe it ’ s theme parks and you have 101 tips for avoiding lines . Whatever makes you unique , show it off .
7 . FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS : We all have professional questions that we are asked regularly — you might as well use that content for your website . Also , this is more content for search engines to read .
8 . CONTACT INFORMATION : Do NOT — I repeat — DO NOT only have this once or in one place . You never want someone to have to click more than once to get ahold of you . Please make it easy to hire you !
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