Using Digital Videos to Strengthen Your Tourism Marketing Strategy

June 17, 2019 – By #RSA

Right now, millions of people around the world are sitting in their offices, homes, or local coffee shops, day-dreaming about being somewhere else. Anywhere else. And do you know what a majority of those people are about to do? They’re about to get on their computer, tablet, or smartphone, and start watching videos related to travel and tourism. They are on Google and Bing, searching for destinations. What’s the majority?

How about 66%. That is the percentage of people that turn to the internet the moment they begin thinking about taking a trip, to check out videos about possible destinations. 45% of those people claim to book immediately after watching a travel activity video. And once they’ve done that, 63% of them are right back at it, looking for videos to guide them towards activities while at their destination. The Travel and Tourism industry is not like other industries when it comes to attracting and pleasing consumers. There’s no “if not fully satisfied, return in 30 days for a full refund” policy. These potential customers need to be sure when making their decisions, that they know exactly what they’re getting. Traditional marketing efforts can offer many benefits to a business, but none of these efforts can strike an emotional chord with consumers quite like video can.

Anybody that’s paid any attention to marketing over the last 100 years knows that the human attention span is notoriously short. How can we engage with our audience in a way that keeps our message in their minds after the fact? After all, consumers only retain about 10% of what they see in text or print, and within a week, information presented through spoken word is 90% forgotten. Sounds a bit discouraging, right? That’s where video comes into play. Research shows that viewers retain a staggering 95% of a message when they see it in a video. This is due in large part, to the emotional connection that viewers experience when watching video. At the core of all marketing efforts, is the need to connect with our audience on an emotional level. We have a very small window of opportunity to make that happen, so it’s crucial that we are using the best possible methods for delivering our message. Now, and going forward, video content is that method. When surveyed about their buyers’ journey and asked about their habits when seeking new products and services, 68% of consumers said they prefer short videos to any other type of content. That number is already huge, and it’s predicted to continue rising over the next several years. Our audience is no longer easily impressed with fancy words and colorful ads, they want to feel connected. Adding video marketing to your mix, is how you connect with them. Especially when it comes to showcasing your business as a potential destination for travelers.

Online giant HubSpot, reports that 81% of businesses are using video as a marketing tool in 2019, which is up 20% from 2018. What that means for you and your business, is that video is no longer a nice option to have, it’s a necessity. Simply put, in 2019 and into the future, your competitors are going to be attracting attention through online video, the question then becomes, where will you be? If the psychology behind all this talk about emotional attachment doesn’t interest you, or sounds a bit too new age, perhaps the numbers will. The biggest and most reliable names in marketing, analytics, and consumer behavior (including Google, AdAge, Amazon, Verizon) have compiled some statistics that paint a very clear picture about where video marketing is heading.

• By 2022, online video will account for 82% of all consumer internet traffic
  
• 92% of users watching a video on mobile, will share it with others (free advertising, anyone?)
  
• Users view more than 1 BILLION hours of video on YouTube every day
  
• Social media posts with video, have 48% more views than traditional posts
  
• Facebook users view 8 Billion videos every day. BILLION
  
• Social video generates 1200% more shares than text/image shares combined
  
• Your website is 53 times more likely to land on the first page of Google if it has video content
  
• Video increases organic search traffic on a website by 157%
  
• 87% of all consumers would like to see more video in their buyers’ journey

We could go on and on with these numbers all day, but we think the writing on the wall is clear. If you’re not using video in your marketing mix in 2019, our team at Robert Sharp and Associates is here to provide you with the guidance and expertise your business needs to propel you to success, now and in the future.

Last Modified: 12/30/2021 8:36:41 am MST

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