C14_24_digital | Page 70

CREATE CONTENT THAT OFFERS VALUE

Determining which social media platform is the best fit for your audience is a critical first step . But once you ’ re ready to execute and create content , where should you begin ?

First , be intentional about the value your account offers your audience . Each post should serve a purpose and have a specific job : Are you educating clients about a new destination ? Inspiring your audience by sharing a luxurious experience ? Offering a discount designed to drive leads ? For each post , set a tangible goal that you can use to measure success . You should also :
• Study your audience on an ongoing basis to understand their needs and questions . According to Prabhakar Raghavan , a senior vice president at Google who oversees Google Search , nearly 40 % of young people use social media platforms , such as Instagram and TikTok , as their preferred search engines . Create content that answers specific questions ( e . g ., “ best hotels in Paris ”), and use relevant keywords and hashtags to get more eyes on your profile .
• Start with your expertise . If you have a niche , like selling travel to a specific region or booking a certain style of accommodation , make that the focus of your content .
• Don ’ t be afraid to weave yourself into your content . That could mean showing your face on screen , or simply sharing personal perspectives on travel .
• Get specific . Not only do travelers want to know where to go and stay , but they also want to know why . Mention specific locations and travel tips ,
“ IT WAS DAUNTING TO START FROM SCRATCH , BUT I KNEW THAT SHARING TRAVEL CONTENT WAS GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF GROWING MY BUSINESS .”
@ TRIPSBYHANNAH
experiences that you can book for them and any potential perks that go along with it .
Pierce , who ’ s known as “ Alle Abroad ” to her followers , said she would not have a client base without social media . When she launched her first group trip online , it sold out immediately . She regularly dedicates time to observing trends and planning posts that she wants to create to provide value to her current audience and attract more followers . When she sees a trending video that she ’ d like to recreate , for example , she saves it to a reference folder and then creates a checklist of all the shots she ’ ll need to record and splice together . This can be particularly useful to do in advance of a trip so you can plan which days you ’ ll want to shoot content , and where .
“ When you start shooting travel footage with no advance plan , you wind up with a bunch of random shots that you don ’ t know what to do with ,” Pierce shared . “ It ’ s easy to get overwhelmed and , ultimately , not create anything .”

LEVERAGE TOOLS , RESOURCES AND SPECIALISTS TO SUPPORT YOUR STRATEGY

There are many resources that can help you share content and engage with your audience . One industry favorite is Travel Agent Collective ( TAC ), a tool that provides paying members with a vast library of social-media-ready images , videos and caption prompts that can be edited , customized and shared directly to your Facebook , Instagram or LinkedIn feeds . It ’ s a great option for advisors who may not be naturally savvy at social media but want to maintain a professional and high-quality

70 / THE COMPASS / SPRING 2024 vaxvacationaccess . com / thecompass