To meet assorted challenges, the ancient Greeks conceived of uber-mortals each with 50 heads and 100 arms. Today’s overstretched tour operators might well wish for the kinds of efficiencies these creatures could bring to their tables.

“Wish no longer,” says Nikki Desantis, Marketing Director for ResmarkWeb. “Today’s digital capabilities, especially those available through social media, may well be the 21st century’s version of multiple heads and arms.”

Learning how to navigate social media can be a game changer for a company’s business as she has outlined in a blog post: How to Leverage Social Media Marketing for Tour Operators.

Following are her guidelines for getting the most out of social media.

Know your audience. A well-understood audience is more likely to engage with your brand. To identify your audience, start by identifying the demographics of your customers. Some social media business pages can track data on users' age, location, interests, spending habits and other analytics to help understand your viewership and their online behavior.

Consider the type of content you want to post. Platforms like Instagram and Snapchat are ideal if your content is visually based. But there’s more space for engaging narratives or industry insights storytelling on Facebook and X. The key is to match your content's format and style with the platform that best amplifies its strengths.

Create captivating content. It’s difficult to gain attention from social media platforms if your content is uninteresting to your audience. Craft your posts around their interests. For example, are your Instagram followers young and single, or are they middle-aged and married with children? A younger audience may be more interested in party-like gatherings and tours and content; others may be looking for family-friendly posts. Use high-quality images and videos to display your products or services. Add variety with different formats, like behind-the-scenes glimpses, tutorials or customer testimonials. Keep content fresh and relevant, and don't be afraid to show your brand's personality!

Choose social media platforms best suited to your business. You don't need to use every single platform to grow your business. In fact, if you spread yourself too thin and try to grow a presence on every site, you may grow tired and fall into the trap of simply over-reposting content across multiple platforms. While it's okay to share content between pages, remember that each platform has its own purpose. For example, posting a tweet as an Instagram caption might not do your content justice.

Consider hashtags and collaborations. The main purpose of social media accounts for businesses is to increase sales. This can best be done with a strong online presence. Hashtags can act as a means to drive users to your content. Consider using both popular and niche hashtags to both reach a large audience and target specific interests. Similarly, collaborations open doors to new followers and fresh content. If you partner with other big names and industry influencers, you can introduce your business to new communities. These collaborations often result in cross-promotion, which benefits all parties involved.

Budget for social media advertising. Social media advertising can help even the smallest of companies reach a large audience beyond your existing followers. Platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, have targeted ad options where you can tailor your marketing campaign to specific demographics, interests and behaviors. This means your ads reach people most likely to be interested in your services. Effective social media ads combine compelling visuals, engaging copy and clear calls to action. They can drive website traffic, boost sales or increase brand awareness.

Desantis has studied the social media platform field and recommends that tour operators consider the following channels.
● Instagram: People purchase with their eyes; Instagram is all about photo sharing. Capture the essence of your tours in photography and videography; then share your results on Instagram to draw users in.
● Facebook: This global gathering space engaging with a diverse audience is great for sharing detailed travel itineraries and customer reviews utilizing Facebook Groups and targeted ads.
● Snapchat: By creating a profile, you can post stories that are public to all users, regardless of whether they follow you or not. Sharing quick, unscripted videos of your tours adds a sense of reality to your business and makes you more relatable.
● X (formerly known as Twitter): Within proscribed character limits you can share quick updates about your business, travel tips, fun stories, and witty remarks. Businesses frequently go viral on X for sharing engaging tweets, thus drawing more attention - and customers - to your company.

About ResmarkWeb
Founded in 2021 and based in Salt Lake City, Utah, ResmarkWeb’s mission is simple, “Helping Companies Succeed is in our DNA”. The company helps individuals and businesses find greater success in achieving their sales and growth goals. They believe that online presence is key to that success. They excel in creating beautiful websites and making sure the world not only sees them, but engages with them at a whole new level. For more information, visit https://www.resmarkweb.com/ or call 435-268-3747.