According to eMarketer, in 2016 about 51 percent of consumers used their phone or mobile device to book travel or vacation plans, which is a spike of eight percent from the previous year. More people these days use their mobile devices to research and book their travel plans.
If you’re in the travel and vacation rental business, it is best to amp up your efforts where mobile marketing is concerned. Check out this quick list of ways you can supercharge your mobile marketing efforts as a business owner in the vacation rental business.
Email Marketing Tips
Did you know in 2016, the number of opened emails on mobile devices was up to an astounding 68 percent? Open rates for the travel and rental industry are great also, and 30 percent are being converted to a sale or website visit. If you’re marketing through email, follow these tips to be successful.
1. Keep your email copy short and to the point
An email doesn’t have to tell a subscriber or prospect the whole story. According to MarketingSherpa, you only have about 15 to 20 seconds to say what needs to be said, which boils down to about 50 words. So be brief with what you have to say and minimize text to around that number.
2. Sell with images first
In travel and vacation rental, a picture truly is worth a thousand words. You can say a lot without text just by including the right images in your email. The Content Marketing Institute says 55 percent of marketing pros make images a huge part of every marketing plan, and it is because images grab attention where the text does not.
3. Layout emails in the right format
Emails that make every one of those 50 words you use valuable are more likely to be seen. Break up the text into headers, bold print, and subheads. Get points across in as few words as possible. For example:
- Instead of writing a paragraph, make a bulleted list of the important points.
- Instead of describing the view, post a picture among the text.
- Instead of giving all details about a special price, post the price and include a link to find out more.
Social Media Marketing Tips
More people use mobile devices to scroll through social media than they use other devices. In fact, 80 percent of the entire time spent on social media is done on a mobile phone, tablet, or similar device. Plus, a lot of people go to social sites to find out about travel destinations, 47 percent to be exact. Here are three tips to keep your mobile social media marketing efforts on point.
1. Create posts that are shareworthy
You want what you post to generate such a buzz that it gets shared across the social platform. Make sure your posts are set to share, and post things people would be likely to share. Some ideas would be:
- Beautiful pictures of destinations.
- Posts about price promotions and giveaways.
- Videos of customer experiences at certain places.
2. Invite customers to post their travel experiences
People will be more likely to have faith in the words of other customers than they will your words, so it is always great if you can get some valuable customer input on your social media pages. Do this by:
- Posting prompts for customers to share their images after using your services.
- Inviting customer reviews of your service.
- Allowing customers to create guest posts for social sharing.
3. Gear your posts toward traveler experience, not sales
People on social media don’t like to be spammed with sales-oriented posts. They appreciate experience and insight more than anything, and in the end, this will be what draws people to you. For example, you could create a post about how you intend to make a customer experience better or how you improve your overall communication with SMS during an emergency instead of making a post about your current promotions.
To keep travelers coming to you to complete their travel plans, a good mobile marketing strategy simply fits into the process in the modern age. By implementing these actionable tips, you will know you are getting your message out in the right way and at the right time.
Author Biography:
Joel Lee is the marketing specialist at Trumpia, which earned a reputation as the most complete SMS solution including user-friendly user interface and API for mobile engagement, Smart Targeting, and advanced automation. Jumpstart your business by grabbing your free copy of this powerful Mobile Marketing Success Kit.
Guesty’s talented marketing team is comprised of passionate professionals who share insightful industry knowledge and shape brand narratives. By bringing a diverse blend of expertise to the table, we are the visionary architects behind the Guesty brand and innovative campaigns that help people understand our product.
