Why Video Marketing for Travel Helps Brands Sell

Perhaps no industry is as experience-oriented as the travel and hospitality industry. A beach in the Caribbean, a snowy mountain slope in Colorado, or a relaxing spa treatment at a premiere resort. These experiences beg to be felt, seen, and touched. And video marketing is the next best thing to being there.

In fact, that last sentence might be a bit off. Video marketing for the travel industry isn’t the next best thing to being there. It’s the BEST way to get your clients to want to be there. In an industry that thrives on exciting imagery, there’s no better way to entice your customers than with beautiful, professional quality video marketing content.

Let’s Talk Numbers

If you’re in the travel industry, you’ve no doubt seen your colleagues and competitors making effective use of video. There’s a reason for that and it isn’t by chance. The data on video marketing for travel is massive and points in this direction.

• 64% of people interested in taking a trip will seek out and watch video content
• 45% of would-be travelers will book a trip immediately after watching a travel activity video. That number is insane!

As the use of video continues to rise, each and every industry is taking notice. Travel and hospitality? You may be in a better position than most to get the full benefit of a video marketing strategy.

Creating A Strategy That Works

There are a few different ways to get the most out of your video marketing efforts. When these methods are combined, you’ll create a powerful strategy that can improve your brand standing, attract more customers, and of course, help you sell!

Online Video Ads

Advertising with video is perhaps the most effective way to use video. Facebook is a great place to start because their ad targeting system is the best of all social platforms.

If you’re selling a skip trip, you can target people who like skiing. A culinary tour of Italy? Find people who love Italian food, etc. There’s no end to the targeting options with Facebook so you’ll be able to precisely target your ideal customer demographic based on the travel package.

This is great because there is rarely a one-size-fits-all option when it comes to how we like to vacation. Some of us are more slow and relaxed while others prefer to be on the go. The great thing about video marketing content is you can tailor each ad to suit the personality type.

For example, a relaxing beach vacation video would look different than that exciting ski trip. With multiple vacation types, there’s a video to suit each specific need. Travel videos are inherently happy and joyful so be sure to showcase your brand or the destination in a positive light. Use fun music and really try to capture the essence of what the trip will feel, sound, or even taste like to your customers!

Brand Benefit Video

Let’s face it, there’s a lot of ways to book a trip these days. Whether you’re a travel agency, a hotel, or an activities coordinator, there are plenty of options for customers to choose from. One of the best initial videos to create is a brand benefit or brand story video.

This video briefly highlights your business and lets customers know who you are! You will also showcase your brand personality as well as outline the benefits a customer can expect by going with you.

Brand videos are short, around 60 seconds, and are not meant to outright sell any particular product. Just yourself!

Specific Service Videos

In the consumer product space, we would just call these “product videos.” These videos are highly specific and are meant to showcase the benefits of a particular product or service you offer. That may be a specific hotel, a popular vacation package, or something entirely different altogether.

Like a combination of your brand story and an advertisement, this is an opportunity to highlight a specific area. These videos work well when targeted to a specific audience or boosted in a Facebook post.

Another great way to use this type of video marketing content is in a targeted email campaign. If you have built an email list of contacts (and why haven’t you?), it’s always a great idea to segment that list for more specific marketing purposes.

For example, let’s say you’re a travel agency that sells specific packages based on interest. The animal lover might not be as enthusiastic about a Vegas trip as they would an African safari. What’s more, if you inundate your contacts with marketing emails they have no interest in, what do you think will happen?

That’s right. The dreaded “unsubscribe.” However, if you segment your list and keep the safari lovers and the gambling folks separate, you can ensure that when you do send them a marketing email, it’s relevant to their interests.

Email is a great place to use video marketing. Did you know that emails with videos may increase click through rates by up to 98%?

Don’t Neglect YouTube!

Running video ads should be the bulk of your video marketing efforts. However, there’s nothing wrong with placing your videos on YouTube as well. In fact, you probably should! Travel content is one of the most popular video types on Youtube. What’s more, agencies are seeing increased traffic from YouTube videos that link to them.

So whether you plan on building a YouTube channel (a great idea!) or are simply looking for a place to host your video content, YouTube is a great option. By linking to your website within your video descriptions, you also create a valuable backlink which can help boost your SEO.

Video Marketing Is A Winner

No matter what type of business you run, if you swim in the travel and hospitality waters, video marketing has enormous benefits for you to take advantage of. There’s no end to the experiences you can share with your audience when you say it with eye-popping, professional quality video content. It’s the best way to let your potential customers know what it’s like to touch, taste, and feel that trip without having to leave their home.