TRAVEL INFLUENCERS: 5 WAYS TO KEEP CREATING
In a recent survey conducted in collaboration with Somewhere Magazine, Tagwalk found that more than half of participants (60%) preferred posts featuring nature and landscapes over urban scenes and people on their social media feeds. It’s an accurate representation of those of us who spent lockdown in cities as we’re certainly longing for a change of scene, but wherever you live, escapism through social media is tantalising – especially when your options are limited.
We have reached peak summer holiday season in the northern hemisphere, yet travel restrictions and updates on COVID-19 case numbers still dominate the headlines. We’re more aware than ever that escapism might be our best option for the time being.
However, regardless of what you had planned for the first half of 2020, the fact is that most people’s reality looked remarkably similar for the last few months. A lot of time at home, working from wherever you were able, no travel or socialising as we have come to know it. In recent months, the ways we consider travel have completely changed.
When asked about the future of travel in a COVID-19 age, Yolanda Edwards (founder of travel magazine YOLO Journal and ex-creative director of Condé Nast Traveler), made some predictions.
The way in which we travel, and think about travelling, has changed, and I’m sure this will be long-term. Leisure travel will most likely become less frequent, but more considered; the long weekend getaways to far flung locales, on flights that are cheaper than a bus fare – those will go away. I imagine, and hope, that travellers will take longer, but less frequent trips, and, in anticipation of the trip, will do much more research, and a deep dive into the destination, becoming more thoughtful citizens of the world.
So what does this mean for influencers? Well, just because they haven’t been able create their usual content, it doesn’t mean that their audiences disappeared. The stats around social media’s hunger for content since March 2020 (Statista reports a 44% increase in time spent on platforms worldwide) are still staggering. With that in mind, the question for the influencer community is how can content creators best set themselves up to be collaborators with travel brands, and continue (or even start) relationships that can grow and evolve with the current climate?
In the past, a property or PR agency invites an influencer to stay and create a review or content at the property, sharing tours, special features and the particular charms of a place. Influencers earn revenue for these paid trips, as well as affiliate commissions with booking websites, offers and bespoke codes that they bring to their audiences.
As COVID-19 swept the globe, countless influencers saw their brand partnerships cancelled, and despite full lockdown ending in many countries, the restrictions on travel are still evolving daily. For both brands and influencers, planning ahead becomes problematic when the rules for travel are in flux.
While an obvious solution for influencers has been to diversify into other content verticals, the question is: how can you keep your audience engaged and interested in travel when they would think twice about getting on a plane? Here are five places to start.
1. New Content Subjects
If you do choose to travel abroad, there is a huge appetite for information around necessary paperwork, health protocols, airport experiences and the like. It’s not for everyone, but worth considering if you are choosing to document a trip as practical considerations, rather than just the idyllic snapshots, might be the most valuable information to share.
If international travel isn’t on the radar, then look closer to home. Post-confinement, there’s a collective longing for the outdoors, so swapping city breaks for National Trust visits, hiking and wild swimming is the best bet for an influencer planning their local travel content.
Outdoor adventures still feel novel. However, as reports hit of UK beaches being busier than ever as restrictions ease, if influencers are feeling uncertain about planning travel, then it’s guaranteed that other people are too – don’t feel like you need to conceal this. Opening a conversation around how we feel about travelling while staying safe during a pandemic is a vital part of keeping our online communities connected.
A stellar example of this is Kate Hiscox of @wearsmymoney, who has been creating her usual content for her blog, but executed so it feels current and relevant for our times. Check out her post on Packing for a Summer Staycation here.
The key is finding ways to reproduce the feelings of wellbeing and exploration that planning trips and travel can bring.
2. New Content Types
Limitations beget creativity – freedom doesn’t, so embrace the new limitations! If influencers are seeking something out or feeling passionate about a new subject, it’s the time to tap into it. This is the perfect moment to share personal style and taste (which is how audiences are grown in the first place) with the value you can offer right now.
With that in mind, hotel room tours become interiors tips, home improvement, DIY tutorials. Family hotel reviews become activities to keep kids entertained at home. Big celebrations and get-away wedding inspo become how to make moments special when there are limits on travel, with remote gift guides for when you can’t be there in person. Check out Pinterest Trends for inspiration and to see what people are currently searching for.
Lastly don’t under value the importance of escapism. If you are an established travel influencer then finding ways to repurpose your content is both vital, and welcome for your audience. Post-lockdown, many people are filled with trepidation at the thought of just leaving the house regularly let along getting on a plane, so a little travel fantasy is an entirely harmless indulgence. (See Emma Hoareau’s Image Mirage.)
3. Giving Back
The travel industry is still in a state of shock. We are in a major recession, with a devastating amount of small businesses continuing to suffer following closures and lack of tourism revenue. Rather than thinking about the adventuring abroad that can’t be done, turning your sights locally and finding ways to contribute to your nearby area. SMEs are still suffering from the on-going crisis, so we can all look for ways to support the businesses missing out on new visitors and customers.
Remember that relatable content keeps audiences feel connected, so it’s not necessarily about finding ways to travel internationally. During lockdown, the craving for community and collective emotion reached a new high, and we’re still riding that wave. To ensure longevity, aim to create content that people will want to save and return to in the future. Just because travel is on the backburner for August, doesn’t mean they’re not planning and dreaming about when freedom returns.
4. Find New Clients
Be forewarned, this won’t apply to any and all travel brands. Budgets have never been tighter and resources more limited …but if you have a brilliant idea and a way to demonstrate your value as an influencer to a brand then you should do so – with sensitivity, naturally.
Be savvy about who you approach and look at the current landscape for tips to spot a good prospective client. For instance, national travel companies like train and coach networks are going to be busy as holidaymakers in the UK look for their next getaway.
As always, it’s about building relationships with longevity, not being opportunistic, but just as influencers are looking for new niches, so businesses and brands are looking for new ways to share their products and services. When approaching businesses, remember the difficult times they are in. Now isn’t the time for high payments for low deliverables. It may be that you start the relationship through you merely including them in their content, and build towards a formal partnership.
Look to travel influencer Beth Sandland, who has created travel guides, hotel reviews and itineraries for countless far flung destinations – but her recent post for NUII Ice Cream and their partnership with WildArk still shares her personal passion for travel and ethical values, this time from home.
5. Reconnect with past clients and contacts
Even if you have no plans to travel, if you have worked with a specific hotel or featured them in the past, then reach out to see what the current circumstances are. Have they reopened following COVID-19, and what changes have they made to welcome guests back? The travel industry is facing a long, hard struggle to earn back the trust of travellers and prove that they can keep people safe, and influencers can play a major role in sharing new initiatives launched to reassure customers.
For instance, Six Senses Hotels, Resorts and Spas have launched their Plan Now, Play Later Certificate scheme, where they promise match the certificate value by an additional 20% to encourage bookings, with the reassurance that it can be redeemed for up to three years from purchase. It’s something to shout about (if it suits an influencer’s audience).
As many people cancelled their plans for spring and summer 2020 and faced stress and financial losses, there will be some trepidation about booking while the future remains uncertain. Sharing useful, value-driven information can aid practical decision making (and who wouldn’t want a holiday to look forward to).
We’re all for looking local, but don’t forget about the wider world if there’s a cause close to your heart – initiatives such as those supporting sustainable tourism can still be shared and funded from afar.
Ultimately, just because plans have changed, doesn’t mean an influencer’s audiences have disappeared, or they’re no longer receptive to ideas and content. With the #PayingOurWay movement (started by influencer @MrsOAroundWorld) garnering headlines, when it comes to travel content, discounts and freebies are out, passion and perseverance are in. After all, as both mouthpiece and critic of the travel industry, influencers have the ability to contribute and support recovery as tourism comes back – hopefully stronger, more stable, and more sustainable than ever before.