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Five destination marketers paving the way for impactful content marketing

Five destination marketers paving the way for impactful content marketing

November 11, 2021 | By Carol Walter

Travel has shifted greatly since the pandemic began. And now in the hesitant wake of an oh so subtle ebb in the Delta variant, folks are beginning to travel again. What are the factors that are influencing them to take the set sail?

In an article by Think with Google, the audience that will reignite the travel industry in 2021/2022 are the “Next Gen.”

  • Millennials and Gen Z people combined make up the group called “Next Gen” (born between 1981-2012).
  • Next Gen people total 151 million in the U.S.
  • They command about $350 billion dollars in spending power in the U.S.
  • 65% of Next Gen travelers are inspired by digital content to plan a trip.

Therefore, when you create and publish content marketing, you are going to be appealing to more than half of all Next Gen travelers. And nearly half of them seek the following when traveling: “comfort, convenience and good reviews,” “value” (financially), “authenticity” and “uniqueness.”

Now the question is, how do you COMMUNICATE this? By helping your audience experience your brand through content marketing, where people spend 4-8 minutes with your brand, you’ll be helping them see how unique, authentic, comfortable, convenient, etc. your brand is. Here are a few statistics about the power of Branded Content (which you can also see referenced in our Lunch & Learn on Branded Content):

  • Branded content is 22x more engaging than display ads (Pressboard Media, 2019).
  • The Branded Content articles on SeattleTimes.com, for instance, have a 4–8-minute average read time – a very long time for an audience to experience your brand and for you to make a lasting impression.

Who’s doing this best? Here are some great examples:

  1. – Great example of:
    1. Engaging audiences that are typically less receptive to traditional advertising
    2. Aligning a brand with topics, themes or issues that it wants to stand for
  2. Qatar AirwaysGreat example of:
    1. Engaging audiences that are typically less receptive to traditional advertising
    2. Building relationships with audiences by providing them something of value
  3. Bellingham/Whatcom County Tourism – Great example of:
    1. Demonstrating the value of a brand’s products or services without a direct sales pitch
    2. Building relationships with audiences by providing them something of value
  4. Visit Philly & Bon Appetit – Great example of:
    1. Telling a nuanced or complex story about something a brand does
    2. Aligning a brand with topics, themes or issues that it wants to stand for
  5. Seaside Oregon – Great example of:
    1. ​Demonstrating the value of a brand’s products or services without a direct sales pitch
    2. Building relationships with audiences by providing them something of value

If you decide to embark upon the journey of content marketing, keeping your audience in mind and what they value about travel will make all the difference for your brand. For more information and tips on taking advantage of content marketing, download a free recording of the webinar For a free content marketing consultation with The Seattle Times Media Solutions, please contact us by clicking here and filling out the form on the page. We look forward to connecting with you!

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