If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a good video is probably worth one million - in the travel industry video is playing an important role attracting and converting tourists.

A holiday generally evokes all kinds of pleasant emotions and when people are researching their next holiday it's these emotions that help 'sell' the journey.  Video helps people get immersed in the dream.

YouTube is King of Video

At the moment, YouTube is the king of video.  It's actually the second largest search engine on the Internet which means videos get high rankings in Google search results.

And, surprisingly, YouTube has become the travel-hack hub. This is because tourists don't just use the Internet to get inspiration and to book a holiday but they are also using it to make sure they get their holiday right. Just Google "travel hack videos" and you will see how many there are. 

Travel content on YouTube also includes vlogs (video blogs), reviews, tips and how tos, travel tours and footage as well as official travel brand videos.

User Generated Videos are 'Gold'

We shouldn't dismiss the impact of user generated videos - they are actually marketing 'gold'. User generated videos about a business get 10x more views than content created and uploaded by that business.  Also, 70% of consumers trust online peer reviews and recommendations more than professional content and copy.

To take advantage of video for your brand you should be encouraging user generated content - read this article to find out how.

How to Create Video Content

The key to delivering great video content is to make sure it's fast to upload (should load in 2 seconds or less) and engaging to your target market (in the customer language). Check out How to Create Video Content to learn more. 

A Word on Ads

You could also consider advertising on YouTube to generate interest in your business. One of the easiest and most cost effective ways to create a YouTube ad campaign is by using Google TrueView. It lets you target your ads to certain categories such as location, age, topic etc. Learn more about advertising on YouTube.

Want to know more?

If you have any questions or need advice, you can get in touch with the Digital Journey team at hello@digitaljourney.org.

Digital Journey works with individuals, businesses and organisations of all types across New Zealand. We provide FREE online digital assessments and resources, as well as training, coaching and project management services.

Our vision is to help everyone get the most out of the Internet, online tools and digital technology. Find out more at www.digitaljourney.org.