7 Steps to Successful Travel Marketing Content

One of the most common questions we get at Wanderlust Social is: “How do I know when to promote a destination?” We get it, the struggle is real, and every travel marketer out there asks themselves how they can best create travel marketing content.

One way that we at Wanderlust Social aim to be of service to you is to help streamline the process of working through this very topic. And we want to help you grow more confident in understanding the answer. Let’s dive into a few common questions we get about content planning, as well as a few tips and tricks for growing more efficient in planning your content.

Q: Why is it important to plan out my travel marketing content?

Time is money! Without a plan, your marketing will most likely be ineffective. (It’s not having a plan has brought you some success, then you’re lucky.) You want to put the right information in front of your clients at the right time.

Q: Shouldn’t I just promote something when people are most likely to travel there?

Short answer: NO. Don’t do this. Rarely, is the time to promote something equal to the time with which to promote it. There may be specific instances where those two things line up, but that’s the exception, not the rule. The question to ask yourself is ‘how far in advance should I be talking about this place so that people will be ready to book with me at the most ideal time?’ There is a sweet spot for every destination, your job is to know when that is.

Q: What happens if I promote something at the wrong time?

It happens! You’ll know it’s not the right time if your engagement is down. Low engagement means it’s not working for your followers. Rather than be defeated by it, take notes, think about what you could have done differently, and try again! Great marketing includes reflection and great reporting. Part of your planning should also include a quick recap of what you have been doing- what’s been working, what hasn’t and what can I improve.

Q: How do I figure out what the best time is to promote a certain destination?

There are many resources available to you in this industry! There are travel advisor-specific training programs for destinations worldwide – typically that training information will include this information for you, things like the destination’s high and low seasons, weather trends, and so on. Take note! Add this to your travel marketing content planner! Another great way to figure this out? Wanderlust Social! We release bundles and talk about destinations around the ideal time they should be promoted! The general rule of thumb is to market 6-9 months prior to high season. As an example: Spring Break travel is really popular, so if Spring break is in March, you’d want to promote that late summer the year prior to fall in that sweet spot.

Q: Can I promote something at a different time than other agencies?

Absolutely! The other factor to planning your content is your clients! Maybe your clients are planners. Perhaps they like to be prepared and plan in advance- in which case, you may want to promote things a little earlier than others. All that to say: it’s always important to keep your ideal client in mind- they will be your biggest influencer on when (and what!) to promote.

Q: What should I consider when planning my content?

As mentioned, your ideal client. Additionally, your niche! There’s no reason to promote Alaska if you sell the Caribbean. Consider trends and lead times and promotions! If a destination is really hot (popular), it may be worth your while to promote further out than is typical for other destinations. For example, the US Virgin Islands are one of the most on-trend destinations this year- due to incredibly high demand, it’s near impossible to book it 6-9 months out- there’s nothing left! It would be more worth-while to promote that specific destination closer to 12 months prior.

Q: Are there any tools or resources to help me more easily plan my travel marketing content?

Oh yes! This is a big reason why Wanderlust Social exists, is to help travel advisors like yourself be more successful with planning your marketing. Our team is committed to learning as well as educating- what is working? What’s on trend? What do our fellow advisors need to know? As mentioned, we do our best to get content to you at the appropriate time for you to market it. Additionally, if you haven’t already, give our marketing planner a try! It’s there to be a valuable resource for you. Each bundle has some of this information within it as well- high season, low season, etc.

When it’s time to plan your travel marketing content, remember, YOU’VE GOT THIS!

In the moments that you don’t feel like you do, you’ve got Wanderlust Social as well as this great community here for support!

Drop us a comment, we’d love to know how you tackle your marketing plan. What wins have you had in your marketing this year?