If internet is king, then social media is its power. Travel industry had, and will be always influenced by word of mouth. People would see your pictures later, and first ask about your experience. Though beauty of a destination cannot always be well described and also it is subjective, still people seem to trust more the other people or their counterparts. Where there is significance of word of mouth, there will be Social Media. We bet that it can ease your next trip, only if you use it wisely. How to do that? We have created a list that will sure come in handy.
1 – Not able to decide where to go. Check out Instagram for that destination. Plethora of hashtags will help you sort the images out. You will probably get a real and ground level picture that will clearly show you around before you even land down. This will help you decide if the destination matches your vibe and expectation or not. You will also get to see plenty of social media stories about the place that will help you figure what kind of experience is awaiting you.
2 – To increase engagement on social channels, companies nowadays are flooding their social accounts with exclusive deals and coupons. Most of the times these coupons and deals are exclusively for people that are connected to the brand’s social media account. Make use of it. Check top hotels on your radar, and you might win a night free, or maybe ticket to super bowl finals. If its free then there is no harm.
3 – Apart from giving voices to brands and individuals, Social media is also emerging as a great platform for customer service. Yes every brand is on social media, and they take their online reputation very seriously. We wish you not, but if you do find a bug in your airplane food pack, post it on social media, tag airline & see how promptly you will be addressed. Same applies with eating in a food joint, any problem, post it on social media, and the owners will come for your rescue.
4 – Not sure about a hotel, or a restaurant, or a car you are about to rent. Ask a question on social media about honest views. Remember social media is full of people that are willing to help and give their expertise wherever possible. Also add some hashtags. I bet you will be flooded with personal experiences that will help you decide. There is nothing better than knowing the first hand experience of a past customer.
5 – Want to see how a destination looks like in motion, before you plan a visit. Youtube is a great resource for that, and you will stumble upon many rich videos about local culture, popular streets. You can also observe the behavior of locals, how friendly they are. You can even take a video tour of the tourist spots that you are going to visit.
6 – Once you are back from trip, you will probably get tired of telling same experience of travel to many people. Here comes social media. Post pictures with text describing any story behind it, and voila all your loved ones will get to see it. Remember that people love social media posts about travel and especially when there are some pictures along with it.
7 – While Social Media can be lot of fun, it also has shortfalls. To avoid a dangerous situation, never share your flight information on social media. Do not check in to places far from your home. You never know who might be stalking you on social media. You will never want a thief to know that you are away from home. Its recommended that you share pictures once you have returned.
8 – When not sure what sightseeing spots to pick, simply turn over to TripAdvisor and start asking travelers who have been there and done that. There are tons of people that will open heartedly help you. It is better to learn from their mistakes than committing it again. They will be in much better position to give an unbiased view than what your tour guide can give. Always remember that a tour guide will never say a bad thing about a place that he knows and is going to show you around.
9 – Regular travelers should always follow travel bloggers on websites and even social media. Yes we are also one of them. This will make you open to come across some amazing place you have never heard of but visiting it is worth the thrill. There are so many hidden destinations that are less talked about but are sure worth your time. You will also come across the ins and outs of various destinations.
10 – If you are a creative folk and regular traveler. Social media platforms like Youtube give you an opportunity to make all exclusive travel channel with clips of popular destinations. Yes uploading clips from personal life might not suit everyone but you can always share the generic ones which will only but help other travelers like you. This could also embark your journey to become a micro celebrity.
11 – Good Alert – Social media is a great platform that exposes you to breaking news. If you are on a travel, and a riot breaks in nearby neighborhood, you will get to know if you are regularly checking social media. Breaking news are viral and they make space in feeds. You can avoid a major highway that is being blocked for some construction purpose, or you can skip a spot in your itinerary where its been raining heavily. You just need to tap on the right and local social media channels.
12 – Traveling solo or with a group, everyone would like a day or two with a new made friend. Here comes social media. Join traveling groups on Facebook, or various dedicated portals and find a buddy traveler who will there with you in the destination. There are many portals and social media sites that connect you with like minded travelers. But you just need to be a little cautious while doing so.
13 – Sharing experiences can be rewarding – Don’t be shy of sharing your experience of hotel, restaurant, rental car, or a theme park with relevant hashtag to be addressed to official accounts. This way you will only help other travelers and share good word about genuinely good places. You can also get eligible for free goodies like a dinner on us, and free night for you, if your experience catches the eye of the social media team of such establishments.
14 – Social media is a great place to meet new people. You will find people from various backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicity. Knowing these people can be a lot of fun and exciting. But never completely trust on a person whom you have met on social media. If it is someone from a destination you are about to travel to, then be cautious. Do not share all your details and if they insist on meeting with you then chose public place.
15 – Social media can also make your dining experience fabulous. You just have to sign in to your Instagram account and search for local food bloggers in the region and voila you will get hundreds of post about the local food joints. Most of these posts are accompanied with the address of the establishment. If you already have researched about restaurants you are going to eat in, then you can cross check with these social media posts and filter out the best ones.
Be a Social Bee!
