Social media has become the modern travel guide. Studies show that 60% of travelers are inspired to visit a destination based on social media content alone (hello, Instagram-worthy sunsets and Pinterest boards!).
For travel brands, this is a golden opportunity. However, it’s not a secret—most travel services or products already use this strategy quite successfully. After all, if you’re a travel-interested user, your feed is full of gorgeous destination photos.
So brands have to make an extra effort to grab their audience’s attention. This is where engagement comes in. You want people to interact with your posts (through shares, comments, likes, and so on) and save them for later inspiration.
Social platforms also thrive on engagement-driven algorithms. The more users interact with your brand’s content, the more likely you are to appear in their feeds again and again.
Read on to discover how to build a data-driven social media strategy that maximizes engagement. We’ll teach you how to use analytics tools for maximum impact.
Understand Your Audience: Who’s Engaging With Your Travel Content?
Knowing your audience isn’t a guessing game; it’s an analytics game.
All major social media platforms provide built-in analytics tools that are easy to use.
On Instagram, Insights show you who’s engaging with your content by breaking down demographics like age, gender, and location. TikTok lets you use the Creator Dashboard or Business Suite to track engagement trends.
With these platforms, you can get a pretty good idea of who interacts with each type of content you put out. For example, if most of your comments on coastal cities content come from users aged 25-34, you’ve got a clear snapshot of who’s interested in beach getaways.
Still, it’s not good practice to rely solely on native analytics from social media platforms when shaping your social media strategy. These are useful, but only at the surface level. Third-party tools bring depth and cross-platform insights that most native analytics simply can’t match.
Here are a few tools to consider for extra insight:
- Keyhole – offers social listening features and historical insights to monitor online presence, track trends, and get into your audience’s mind. It also has a user-friendly interface and automatic reporting.
- Hootsuite – consolidates data across multiple social media accounts into one dashboard, making it easy to compare performance. Plus, it has robust reporting features that let you dive deeper into trends over time.
- Sprout Social – tracks competitor performance for context. You can see how similar companies perform in specific niches to refine your approach.
- Brandwatch or Meltwater – incorporate AI-driven sentiment analysis. They help you gauge customer moods around campaigns.
The real magic happens when data leads to strategy (which is the whole point, after all). If the data shows that millennials engage more with eco-friendly destinations, it’s time to craft a targeted campaign around green escapes, such as Costa Rica’s sustainable lodges and similar destinations.
Identify Trending Travel Topics and Hashtags
Online culture is complex and ever-changing. Plus, the digital space is crowded, and competitors constantly innovate to stand out. In a landscape as dynamic as this, new trends emerge rapidly – blink, and you’ll miss them!
Luckily, you can use social listening tools to keep your ear to the ground. These tools scan conversations, posts, and hashtags across platforms and can identify upcoming trends before they blow up on all platforms.
As a business in travel, you want to know what destinations or experiences will become trendy in the near future.
Say there’s a sudden uptick in tags like #NorthernLightsTour on Instagram or X. This may be a strong enough signal that the demand for Northern Lights tours in Iceland is rising. A smart brand would use that data to create timely posts featuring packages or itineraries tied to those dreamy experiences.
For a summer adventure, track discussions and hashtags related to your destinations. As soon as you see increased interest, you can post relevant content, such as when to visit Tanzania for safari adventures or how to prepare for a safari.
Measure Engagement: What Metrics Matter Most?
What metrics should I follow to measure the success of my social media strategy? This is a valid question, and the situation can vary from one niche to another.
In travel, these are the KPIs that tell you the most:
- Follower Growth Rate – a growing follower count indicates that your content resonates with your audience and attracts potential customers.
- Engagement Rate – likes, comments, shares, and other interactions with your content. A high engagement rate shows that your audience is actively connecting with your brand, which is essential for building loyalty and trust.
- Click-Through Rate (CTR) – tracks how often users click on links in your social media posts. A high CTR indicates that your content is compelling enough to drive traffic away from the social media platform.
- Conversion Rate – measures the percentage of users who take a desired action after engaging with your content, such as booking a trip or signing up for a newsletter.
- Reach and Impressions – indicate how many users see your content. High reach and impressions mean your brand is gaining visibility
Optimize Content for Maximum Engagement
The KPIs above are not just data; they tell a story.
For instance, if your post about the “best times to visit Bali” starts to gain more traction in off-season months, this may indicate that travelers want crowd-free and affordable trips.
Your social media strategy should include continuous content optimization to meet current market demands.
The good news is that now you have smart tools to help out. Say you want to test variations of headlines, captions, or images to see which performs better. A reliable A/B testing platform will tell you in a matter of minutes. No need to test this on your live audience!
You can also evaluate visuals. Curious if sunny beachscapes perform better than busy city shots? A testing platform will give you the answer right away.
There are also collaboration tools for online proofing that help your team quickly refine drafts together while working remotely. A faster workflow equals more timely posts that keep pace with ever-changing trends!
Lastly, remember that content is not one-size-fits-all across platforms. Instagram thrives on aspirational photos and reels; TikTok loves quirky trends and bite-sized storytelling; Facebook audiences may prefer shared blogs or tips.
Paid Ads and Influencer Collaborations
You don’t have to run paid ads or consider influencer collaborations, but let’s be real: They’re the express lane to visibility!
Paid ads deliver quick visibility and results, which makes them great for time-sensitive promotions or product launches. They also provide clear performance metrics, allowing you to adjust your strategy as needed.
Let’s take a European rail company as an example. This company paid for a Facebook ad campaign to promote Switzerland’s scenic train routes. Back in the day, you had to spend your entire budget on a campaign of this magnitude and wait for the results. Nowadays, the rail company can track results in real time and reallocate the budget based on click-through rates.
Proof of paid ad efficiency comes from the amount that goes into this niche annually. For instance, in 2022, paid ad spend on social media networks in the US surpassed $66 billion. For this year, it is expected to leap to $82 billion.
As for influencers, they do have their place in the grand scheme of advertising.
Influencer-led paid campaigns can be highly effective at the top of the funnel, aiming to educate, entertain, and inspire. Historically, these campaigns drive higher view-through rates (VTR) than brand-led ads.
Influencers enhance both credibility and reach. Since they have the trust of their followers, their recommendations feel more authentic and less commercial than traditional ads.
Partnering with someone whose followers align with your niche can expand your reach and strengthen your reputation in the field.
Adjust Your Strategy Based on Analytics Insights
If there’s only one thing you take away from everything we’ve discussed today, let it be this: a good social media strategy is dynamic and flexible.
Think of it like planning a road trip—you adjust based on traffic, weather, and new routes.
In any industry, you must continuously monitor your social media strategy. This is not a “set it and forget it” kind of situation! This is why analytics tools play such an important role. They provide real-time insights into engagement metrics and trends so you know when it’s time to change things around.
Let’s say you’re running a campaign for a Caribbean cruise line. If the data shows a rise in engagement on posts about off-season travel deals, it’s a clear sign that it’s time to push shoulder-season perks.
In travel marketing, seasonal trends are major drivers. During winter months, you’ll have a spike in searches for skiing trips, while summer vacationers will drive traffic for tropical destinations.
Bottom line? Your social strategy should always evolve.
Wrap Up
Data is your compass for navigating a high-performing social media strategy. Analytics tools help you design strategies that resonate, adapt to trends, and truly engage with the audience. With the right insights, you can turn clicks into bookings and make data-driven decisions today!
Author bio
Erika Rykun is an independent copywriter and content creator who believes in the power of networking. She is an avid reader who appreciates unread books more than read ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is social listening?
Social listening helps you monitor conversations about your brand, track emerging trends, and gauge public sentiment. This helps you stay informed about your brand's perception and make necessary strategic adjustments.
2. Can I use analytics tools for competitor analysis?
Yes, analytics tools help track competitor performance, content strategy, and engagement, allowing you to refine your own approach.
3. What are some key features of effective analytics tools for social media?
The right tools offer cross-channel analytics, automated reports, customizable dashboards, and the ability to track competitor activity. They should also provide insights into audience demographics, industry influencers, campaign performance, brand visibility, and consumer sentiment.
