🤩  The Essence of Stellar Travel Content

Arguably, the biggest weakness of most small travel companies online is shallow, mundane content.

Much of it fits “best practices” in style or topics but doesn’t seem to build brand loyalty or captivate an audience enough to make a booking. Of course, the quality bar is much higher today, which is why we’re discussing quality and how to build it.

Let’s dive into this important topic of great content because online content is the customer’s pre-trip visualization experience, that always precedes a booking. If they’re not “feeling it” they’re not buying it.

Briefly, Great Content:

• makes people feel good – activating the feel-good brain chemicals
• is nicely woven into a moving, engaging emotional experience
• is authentic, credible and affirming
• is infused with positive vibes
• is helpful and informative
• builds a positive, clear message about your brand
• supports a narrative that makes your company relevant and valuable
• has personal stories that inspire
• helps travelers feel the joy of travel
• helps travelers achieve their goals of transformation, activation, etc.

And there’s so much more, explored below. Other posts which tie into this concept of excellent content include: why do people travel, what are the vibes travelers look for, and how to power up your travel content.

Great Content Sends Another Overlooked Message

Without an amazing content experience to enjoy, travelers get the impression you’re not into it. And they’re not feeling it. This matter of feelings is no trifling issue.  They expect us to create the good vibes that power their travel dream. If we can’t create the picture of satisfaction they seek, then why would they believe your trip packages could satisfy them?

Poorly targeted and low-quality content pieces undermine a DMO, tour company or travel agency’s trustworthiness, credibility and likability. And with no guiding content strategy, it’s even worse. And, as everyone discovers, weak content can affect your SEO success, social engagement, and brand power.

Here on the travel blog, I discuss emotions, benefits, and more that relate to this joy of travel thing that drives purchases.

Making the Shift to Great Content Experiences

By shifting your focus to Great Travel Content, you’re solving the key communication issues that all businesses face today. Most companies pursue current customers, never challenging themselves to work hard to capture new customers — those who know nothing about your company — and get a laser-clear message across to them wherever they find you.

And isn’t it great content articles, stories, product pages, videos, social posts, and images that grab their attention?  It’s the first touchpoint where a long-term customer is created. Sloppy, shallow content that delivers little value can push customers out the door.

Here’s some key questions we need to answer, before creating content:

• what is your brand/offer about?
• who is your ideal audience of one?
• why would travelers even care about your travel packages?
• why is your company a better choice than others?
• how is your content more interesting, useful, impactful, and likable?
• where do you need to show up online?
• are you the solution to customer’s needs and wants?

We need to create stellar travel content that answers those questions, while getting your clear message across. Great content feeds an enjoyable, personal human-to-human conversation, which creates preference and commitment to your brand.

With respect to the human connection between travelers and your agency, I mention in the “best types of content” list below, that content’s purpose is to deliver an irresistible message of significance to travelers — a personal message of satisfaction and belief that “we’re the only travel agency for you.”  Ultimately, great content makes you their best travel friend ever, thus the competition disappears.  And too, who cares if you’re not the ‘best’ if they just love you anyway?

Great content builds respect, adoration, and desire to have you as part of their travel experience.

Capturing and Activating Traveler’s Intent

Exceptional content has a richness that generates powerful feelings, activates travelers’ imaginations and raises their confidence and esteem. It stimulates their intent to travel thus makes their wishes real and immediate. Your content will make them believe in themselves and the value of their own experiences.

Beyond Exclusivity to Something More Powerful

Strategically for us as marketers, our material needs to reach audiences, impact visitors, engage them, and build your brand image as the only travel company for them.  Ultimately, for long-term value, it’s this “only one for me” exclusivity that builds our customer growth and loyalty over years. 

The Travelers Core Drive

It’s my belief that a core drive exists.  This is where all the key reasons/needs/wants they would like to travel are fused together and felt as though it’s one emotional impulse.

Consider the cluster of benefits they seek when they arrive at your site.  After a while, all the reasons they’d like to travel become fused as one — feeling good.  Psychologically, the details are replaced by a few emotions (desire, fear, excitement) that represent the value they think your brand provides.  In fact, by the time they’re ready to buy, what they feel might be described as one emotion: the confidence of certainty, contentment, anticipation and satisfaction.

Okay, great, but what is this mix of images, sounds, memories and more that evokes powerful urges to travel?

What might these Core Drivers be?

• the desire to feel good
• want to be re-energized and revitalized
• sense of accomplishment — I’m a world traveler!
• bored, want something interesting and exciting
• comfort, to escape cold unpleasant weather
• fun times with family or friends
• to share the joy of travel with others
• relaxing strolls through villages or on tropical beaches
• stress relief and no schedules or responsibilities
• spectacular scenery and locations
• experience adventure and challenge
• curiosity/explore the unknown – discover what other places are like
• relaxing times at the pool
• special concerts or events
• being part of a shared experience (tours, socializing)
• cultural immersion, food, drink, entertainment
• relaxing at a restaurant
• romantic getaway
• forget their miseries and the miseries of their own country
• dreaming of moving to investigate a future move there

 

The essence of stellar travel content might be in the resonance of your content to their core travel drive.

 

Travel brands that connect to this core drive will enjoy more success because they resolve more of their travel itch (via a coordinated, strategic mix of benefits and promises).  It’s not that travelers want it all. It’s that they have certain core needs that must be satisfied together. If one of them is not fulfilled, the trip may not happen — meaning no booking.

It’s not just the emotional drive of all of them, but that it’s a unique puzzle of influences where if some are missing the big picture just doesn’t make sense.  They leave your site and forget about it.

That’s why so many people have no interest in travel. Because it has never resonated enough to make them feel compelled, to be interested and believe travel might benefit them.

And stellar travel content too might be customized to suit the peculiar drivers of each traveler’s travel dream.

Working with a Smart Strategy: Sweeteners and Nutrition

My thoughts are that great travel content is a goal you work toward.

Because it doesn’t come easy, and is usually the result of exhaustive research, personal experiences, product strategy, strategic thought, and painful editing. Because it isn’t just a celebration of a travel idea, it’s a marketing vehicle that must make impact, hook the reader, and convert them into a customer. You’re not creating a library with no purpose. It has to generate leads.

I was just reading some fluffy phrasing on a Cruiseline website, and it was like all icing on a cake. I couldn’t tell if it was produced via Generative AI or not, but it read like a celebration of a whimsical idea. It was all saccharine without any nutrition.

My own travel writing style is far more nutrition than sugar, however it’s acknowledged that the right kind of sweeteners are needed in our recipe. Sugar is part of the adrenaline rush that keeps your visitor engaged, addicted to the thought of the journey, (capture them during their sugar high).

If we’re clever, have insight, and have an intense desire to give the reader/visitor the most intense emotional experience possible via digital media, then we can connect with them on a real, personal, action-based level.

Stimulating the Right NeuroTransmitters for Total Immersion

Science tells us that visuals, words, and stories stimulate memories and expectations which then causes the brain to produce feel-good chemicals.  And with that physiological mood boost, people pay more attention, are more aware of their own intent, and perhaps willing to be open-minded and investigate your offer.

By combining trust with excitement and relevance in our content, we might stimulate alpha brainwaves and cause the release of dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin and others. The 4 feel-good neurotransmitters (Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins) are integral to feelings of well-being, joy, and happiness. They increase blood flow and induce a warm, open-minded, and engaging frame of mind.

Every word and image paints a powerful message. Let’s not forget that photographs are powerful and videos can paint a great experience. And themed graphic design styles can help bring things together too.

And if you fail to make this marvelous physical response happen, then the prospect may not engage or buy your travel product.  Again, the matter of authenticity, trust and relevance come into play when building a personal emotional connection with a customer which drives a subscription, booking or phone call.  Without that, you get annoying low-quality leads.

And I believe the phone call is the most important action because it’s more active, informative, and involves a real person who can make things happen.

One agency has the top header section of their page black except for this:

Contact an advisor or call (xxx) yyy-zzz in large font.  As a CTA or just a nudge, it gets them ready to make that call.

A fillable form just doesn’t cut it and even a click-through to the e-commerce page is weak because they’re not ready to commit. Reaching one of your agents and hearing a real human voice that is eager to speak with them is priceless. Nothing is better for engagement and memory. Your agents are your best asset, wouldn’t you agree?

Your Content Should Exude the Joy of Travel

And a joy of travel, might also be a belief that it’s more important than buying a new car, major appliance, or a house one cannot afford.  I say this many times, that if you distill what travelers are buying, you’ll realize you’re actually selling the joy of travel.

That’s why so much travel content is spirited. Enthusiasm is great, whether quiet or loud.  Great content has it all built-in, just the way your ideal customer wants.

I think it’s about capturing the minds and trust of an audience who are ready to accept travel almost as a religion and live out their dreams of a more interesting life.

And we just went through the pandemic, where tens of millions of people burned out, starved of fun things in their lives. The good was stripped out because of Covid. Yet, that is our business opportunity.

Travel is the antidote, and always has been.  It’s the journey and uplift, but it’s also the mental and physical break from tired routines. And travelers know this. Which is why I always mention it. Because, that may be the number one basic core driver — “I need a long break to my favorite place.”

People think they need big change in their lives, but it’s likely what they actually might want is a break from the horrible, stifling monotony of their existence. Sorry, but that is a big driver of travel.

What is Great Travel Content? 

1. content pieces that stimulate the prospect’s own travel dream
2. blog posts with full exploration of specific destinations
3. content topics/words and stories that stimulate visions of their own travel dream
4. content that shows them how easy and fun it is to plan and execute their travel plans
5. topical travel blogs that focus on the destinations/trips they’re interested in
6. information guides with useful travel tips, advice, suggested itineraries, travel products, and destination info which they may print out
7. photos and videos that provide current proof of the state of your destinations and activities/venues
8. user-generated content including reviews, comments, and uploaded photos
9. immersive traveler stories and accounts of a travel experience (to validate their interest and calm their fears)
10. blogs videos on attractions, culture and food experiences

Creating stellar travel content isn’t easy. You’ll be glad to have someone who loves this stuff and can build it into high ranking, high-traffic and lead-generating strategy!

📞 Contact Gord at 416 998 6246 for a free review of your travel company’s digital marketing and how my affordable, powerful approach will work.