Tourism is one of the vibrant sectors in Nashville, TN – it attracts thousands of visitors every year. E-commerce is critical in convincing tourists to visit the city and helps to generate monetary growth in the area. It’s all about targeting the right customers and creating a winning marketing strategy. Here is what Nashville, TN does successfully in Ecommerce to promote tourism.
Creating a strong social media presence
We can’t deny the fact that social media influences the world around us – and this is what boosts Nashville tourism. Most tourist companies utilize Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to explain to travel companies about their upcoming travel plans. But considering that 89% of millennials post activities based on what they see online, this is an area that gives Nashville an edge.
People browse the internet through social sites like Tripadvisor for inspiration. For example, did you know Nashville is leading the country in Nashville Recycling?
Besides retaining real guests, they can get feedback that serves as an in-person experience. Also, they can easily find information on check-ins, ratings, photos, and more.
Tourism companies post useful content that inspires users instead of putting them off. And because the industry is quite competitive, companies use different strategies to boost their social media presence like:
- Engaging content
- Enhanced customer service
- Changing royal programs
Countless tourists are now turning to social media to plan their trips. They also get a massive following by planting a seed that can eventually lead to a full-blown vacation.
To stay relevant, tourism companies showcase their abilities to create unique experiences. Rather than host guests in accommodations, they liaise with the locals to show them unique locations.
Another way e-commerce boosts tourism is using social sharing programs. Those travelers who share details online expect to receive some form of compensation. And because such people are familiar with hashtagging, posting, or sharing with a hotel. Since the benefits of the program outweigh the costs, visitors have nothing to lose. Some of the tips tourists companies use to ensure they get the most include:
- Seeking out shares
- Preparing for negative feedback
- Using social media tools to make marketing more effective
Utilizing online booking
Online booking is crucial in today’s tourism industry. As more customers use mobile devices to search and book travel information, you should ensure customers have all they need. All Nashville tourism companies utilize live online booking services to:
Satisfy their customers
Potential customers who want to book their trip can draw up an itinerary, explore information on the web, and make reservations. And this is something travelers can do at the comfort of their homes. People want to create experiences with an automated online booking system.
Reach more travelers
When travel companies go online, they raise awareness of their services. If customers check availability online, the property can be listed on websites such as trip advisor. Since online booking is available 24/7, customers can access the services at any time.
As soon as the information is received, customers can get information immediately. The tourism industry continues to be tech-savvy and guarantees professional service.
Save time and money
Nashville tourism companies ensure that customers don’t have to enter their bookings into the database. And because it updates automatically, customers can enter their details and pay safely. That way, customers have the confidence that their information is secure.
Apart from that, the Nashville tourism industry uses proven methods to ensure more bookings and build a loyal customer base. They utilize strategies like:
Regular update of blogs
Tour companies update their blogs with fresh content to maintain a strong online presence. But they don’t just limit themselves to blog posts – they post informative details that include a link to the tour activity.
Run an email Campaign
The email includes deals on certain tours. This ensures the recipient takes advantage of a specific offer for a limited time. It’s what drives sales during a slow month.
Other strategies include:
- Hosting a contest
- Developing YouTube contest
- Ensuring websites are mobile-friendly
- Taking advantage of dynamic remarketing
Cross-selling with hotels and resorts
Many tourism companies use e-commerce as their base strategy to look for new customers. A tourist establishment can reach out to hotels and resorts and come up with a package. If you live in a rural area, there could be much to offer with nice excursions around. Cross-selling comes with several advantages like:
- Provides more information for the customer
- Tourists don’t have to visit other sites to find what they need
- Satisfies customers’ needs
- Tourism companies can supplement their income
Cross-selling is a strong term used in e-commerce for a more powerful booking engine.
Best practices in cross-selling
Preparing the market
Every travel business in the Nashville tourism industry offers products and services that complement each other. If you’re on the lookout, companies sensibly put complementary services. Secondly, they position their marketing efforts correctly online.
Positioning
When customers visit websites, they see ad-on when browsing online. And once the guests book a tour, they capitalize on their experience.
Nashville tourism companies will also place an advert at a front desk that offers sunset cocktail hour, in-room massage, etc. Tired visitors will often go for these services once they arrive.
That’s not all – tour companies give a confirmation email and welcome text message.
Gearing up the website
Tour companies care about cross-selling and that’s what keeps Nashville tourism ahead of the game. Visitors can capitalize on cross-selling opportunities.
Capitalize on big data
Any tour operator or online airline hotel uses big data to ensure customers have an unmatched experience.
Local celebrities share their online experience
Celebrities play a key role in promoting Nashville tourism – travelers are now craving unique experiences. Tourist companies leverage platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and blog posts for celebrities to share their experiences.
Investing in Google Mobile display advertising
Google ads help to get more guests on the SERPs. And as you put yourself on the first page, the keyword appears on the website – this is what the Nashville tourism industry depends on. But the biggest advantage with Adwords is that tour companies are shown on the search results pages. Any company that wants to get the best of Nashville tourism, must capitalize on this.
Google ads ensure the message reaches the right audience at the right time. They target travelers by:
- Keywords – it involves showing your business to people who want to search for particular keywords
- Choosing the target group based on age, language, or location
- Deciding on the frequency of appearance of the ad
- Setting a budget – deciding on the amount you intend to spend daily or monthly
Following the efficiency of your campaign
Every time someone clicks on your ad, you’ll receive a notification. Also, tour companies can tell if a client made a reservation, applied for the newsletter, or downloaded a catalog. Furthermore, it’s easy to tell the ads that got the most clicks and the keywords that respond better for visitors. After all, companies want to invest in keywords that give the most bookings.
This means that the owners can calculate how many bookings they received and whether the ads were profitable or not. Some of the Google ad trends for the travel and tourism industry include:
- Bidding on brand names – lots of travel agents bids on names to increase the cost per click
- Tight location targeting – ads can show people in the specific area looking for services
- Remarketing your ads – remarketing lists show the number of people familiar with the brand
- Long-tail keywords – they are more specific and don’t include generic terms like `tourist activities’ or `hotel’
- Mobile-friendly
Creating destination videos that appeal to tourists
We can’t dispute the fact that the online world is moving towards conveying messages through videos. And Nashville tourism industry is no exception. The videos show the services a specific company offers, local secrets, and fun facts.
Nashville tourism sector sells experiences, emotions, and passions. And video marketing is the best way to show the visitors the kind of adventure they can have. In addition to that, the audiovisual content shows the kind of experience tourists should expect.
Unlike other forms of communication, videos are more engaging to customers and will propose a scenario in terms of previous generation expectations. But it’s not just about the art of storytelling – it’s creating an atmosphere for connecting with customers. This is a reason why the Nashville tourism industry keeps thriving.
Contextual adverting
Nashville tourism marketing has changed the way companies reach the audience. Initially, it was a one-man conversation that changed the way people communicate. But with the extraordinary advances in technology, people can interact in a meaningful way across different platforms.
You can look at this from a different angle – people spend about 3 hours consuming mobile data every day. This means a more fleeting attention span.
Most Nashville tourism companies use promotional tactics to give captivating information. And this is the case in the travel industry. People don’t just learn about destinations online but try to make the most out of their plans.
Contextual marketing helps to build a connection with the audience. You can incorporate messaging and focus on campaigns that work for them. Other benefits of contextual marketing in the tourism industry include:
- Building brand trust
- Organic search ranking
- Standing on top of the crowd
But given the ever-changing tourism sector, companies work hard to deliver the best to the target audience. Some of the tips the Nashville tourism industry uses include:
- Being relevant
- Sending emails at the right time
- Prioritizing on objectives
- Choosing the right platform to market
Using apps to promote events
Most tour companies in Nashville have partnered with developers of several apps to promote local events. The apps are programmed to show restaurants, shopping areas, events, and other important tourism attractions.
Nashville tourism is a constantly growing sector. It’s no wonder, tourists use the best tools to ensure they have an unmatched experience. And because most bookings are done by travelers themselves, mobile bookings will keep rising.
The other reason why the use of mobile apps is great in Nashville is 75% of adults use smartphones. It’s practical if visitors use this kind of technology. Tourists can access all kind of information like:
- Maps and guides
- Mobile offices
- Ticket offices
- Leave comment
- Evaluate services
Why Nashville tourism industry uses apps to promote local tourism
It’s a new way to attract visitors
When travel agents provide lots of information on the app, they gain more visibility and exposes a specific number of visitors to the target audience.
Improves customer experience
Travelers can get a better experience when local companies promote local products and services. By using tourism apps, visitors can discover places like:
- Zoos
- Museums
- Restaurants
- Parks and gardens
Provides access to information, timetables, and maps
Tourists can provide information related to real-time route diversions, promotions, and schedule changes. In addition to that, visitors can access real-time information and reorganize traveling plans for a cost-effective experience.
Helps visitors know their preferences
Nashville tourism sector helps visitors access lots of information on important statistics like interests and preferences, demographics, and reports.
Gives feedback from customers
Mobile apps will give immediate feedback to customers and address questions and problems they may have. An app helps to monitor reviews and comments.
Local map listing
While most people think that Google maps help users to reach from point A to B, it offers more than that. Travelers can use them to discover local attractions, places to eat, among other things. So why does the Nashville tourism industry recommend the listing of travel agencies on Google maps?
To promote tour activities
It involves optimizing Google my listing and ensuring customers can search for a product that relates to their business. If you’ve been observant, Google offers maps on the first page. You can zoom directly on the map and browse the points of interest.
Almost every Nashville tourism business has claimed a place in Google my business listing. When optimized correctly, a tour operator will optimize the results on the SERPs. To ensure that a specific business is delivered in the results, you should optimize the website with:
- Keywords
- Images
- Reviews
- Details of the offering
With this approach, listed adverts appear on the sidebar. The ads are displayed on mobile devices, desktops, and mobile devices.
Hosting a blogger trip
A travel blog is filled with great information. Most Nashville tourism companies promote travel blogs through:
- Sharing of social media buttons
- Being consistent on what you post
- Putting URL on social media channels
- Promoting blog posts on social media pages
- Building an email list with a social following