KEY

FINDINGS

Still, agents have a feel for what type of content

is most effective,

WITH PICTURES FROM

THEIR OWN TRAVELS, BEAUTIFUL TRAVEL

PHOTOGRAPHY

AND

SPECIAL

OFFERS

RANKING HIGHEST.

EIGHT IN 10 AGENTS SAY THEY GET AT LEAST ONE

BOOKING PER MONTH FROM FACEBOOK

compared

to just a third (33%) from Instagram, 20% from

LinkedIn, 16% from Twitter and 13% from YouTube.

Agents are still feeling their way – 62% said

they don’t know what SEO is or weren’t sure,

and most don’t use analytics, although they

are diving in –

OVER TWO-THIRDS USE

VIDEO IN THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA AND 80%

HAVE BUSINESS PROFILES ON FACEBOOK.

FACEBOOK IS THE PLACE AGENTS POST MOST

FREQUENTLY,

with 42% updating content at least 10 times

per month compared to 18% for Instagram, 10% for Twitter

and dropping off from there. At the same time 24% of

agents post at least one video to YouTube each month.

THE TOP REASON AGENTS ARE USING

SOCIAL MEDIA (87%) IS TO GET NEW

CUSTOMERS

while 77% say they use the

platforms to position themselves as experts

and 74% say it’s a tool to market to existing

customers.

ONLY HALF OF RESPONDENTS RUN PAID ADS, WITH

FACEBOOK BEING THE TOP CHOICE

by a five-to-one

margin over second place Instagram (50% to 10%).

While 35% of agents said they don’t or can’t

track sales from social media, those that do say

there is a big payoff with

11% REPORTING THEY

GENERATED OVER $100,000 IN BUSINESS

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS

and 29% saying

they realized sales of at least $25,000.

IN TERMS OF USAGE, FACEBOOK IS UBIQUITOUS

WITH 97% OF RESPONDENTS PARTAKING, WITH

INSTAGRAM (60%) AND LINKEDIN (59%), PERHAPS

SURPRISINGLY, ROUNDING OUT THE TOP THREE

SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS.

These three were also

rated as being the most important for their business.

FOR BUSINESS, ADVISORS AND AGENCIES

ARE MOST LIKELY TO FOLLOW SUPPLIERS

(81%),

followed by clients (70%), and trade

media (51%).

85% OF RESPONDENTS

(owner/managers and advisors)

SAID EITHER THEY OR THEIR AGENCIES USE SOCIAL

MEDIA FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES.

NEARLY 90% SAY SOCIAL MEDIA IS VERY/SOMEWHAT

IMPORTANT TO THEIR MARKETING PLANS,

with about

half saying it is very important. Over 40% have a formal

plan for social media marketing.

Key Findings

..........................................................................

4

Chart 1

Who Answered Our Survey?

.....................................................

7

Chart 2

Do You Or Does Your Agency Have A Formal Social Media Marketing Plan?

................

8

Chart 3

How Important Is Social Media To You/Your Agency’s Overall Marketing Plans?

.............

9

A Travel Advisor’s Guide To Social Media Success

.........................................

10-11

Chart 4

Compare Your Social Media Savvy

.............................................

12-16

A – Do You Incorporate Seo Into Your Social Media Strategy?

B – Do You Use And/Or Track Hashtags?

C – Do You Use Video In Your Social Marketing Efforts?

D – Do You Have A Business Profile On Facebook?

E – Do You Use The Analytics Provided By Social Media To Gather Information About

Your Target Audience?

Chart 5

What Type Of Social Media Content Posts Do You Find Most Effective?

..................

17

How to Protect Your Agency From Social Media Lawsuits

..................................

18-19

Chart 6

Who Do You Follow On Social Media?

............................................

20

Chart 7

In The Last 12 Months, How Much Sales Volume Have You Or Your Agency

Generated From Social Media Leads?

.............................................

22

Advertorial:

Royal Caribbean International

.................................................

23

Advertorial:

Celebrity Cruises

...........................................................

24

Advertorial:

Silversea Cruises

...........................................................

25

Advertorial:

Azamara Club Cruises

.......................................................

26

Chart 8

What Are Your Social Media Objectives?

...........................................

27

Chart 9

Which Social Media Platforms Do You Or Your Agency Use For Business?

.............

28-29

Chart 10

Which Social Media Platforms Are Most Important To Your Business Selling Travel?

.........

31

Chart 11

Which, If Any Social Media, Do You Use To Run Paid Advertising Or Posts?

...............

32

How To Make Big Money Using Social Media

...............................................

33

Chart 12

How Many Times A Month Do You Post On Each Platform?

.............................

34

Chart 13

How Many Bookings Per Month Do You Or Your Agency Generate From The

Following Social Media Platforms?

...............................................

36

Chart 14

What Were You Most Successful Social Media Campaigns?

...........................

38

Q&A Ryan McElroy° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° °

39

Chart 15

What Were Some Examples Of Things You Tried On Social Media Which Didn’t Work?

......

40

Social Media Glossary

.............................................................

42-43

TABLE OF CONTENTS