So, you’re looking to book more destination wedding clients. While working within your existing network of travelers is always a great option, social media can be a powerful tool to help you gain new customers and get your name out there.
However, between the ever-changing algorithm and various platforms to juggle, getting started can be intimidating. Here are a few quick tips to help you use your digital presence to capture the hearts (and gain the business) of soon-to-be-wed paramours.
Know Your Audience (and Where to Find Them)
The first step to booking more destination wedding clients is knowing who they are and where to find them. According to a January 2022 press release circulated by social media management platform Hootsuite and creative agency We Are Social, more than 4.62 billion people use social media worldwide. And while for many of us, social media is a normal part of our day-to-day life, Hootsuite and We Are Social found that 424 million people logged in for the first time in 2022 representing a 10 percent jump in users since the duo’s last findings in 2021. That’s nearly 60 percent of the global population.
Image from DATAREPORTAL
When it comes to the most popular platforms, a July 2022 report from DATAREPORTAL found that Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, WeChat and TikTok represent the world’s six most-used platforms. However, don’t let Facebook’s standing as number one trick you into thinking that’s where you should focus all your marketing efforts. According to the stats, the average age people are looking to tie the knot in 2022 ranges anywhere from 28 to 30 years old. All this is to say that to target potential destination wedding clients you need to think like potential destination wedding clients. That means meeting them where they’re at on the most popular apps for 28 to 30-year-olds — 1) Instagram, 2) Facebook and 3) TikTok.
Know What to Post
While every social media platform has its own special bag of tricks to help one master the algorithm (which is a whole different article), there are a few standard practices that work across the board.
Consistency is Key
Ask any social media guru what their secret is and they’ll tell you that consistency is key. Not only will posting regularly to any platform help get more eyes on your profile — and therefore your business — it can also improve your chances of showing up in search results and help showcase your services.
That being said, it’s ok if the thought of posting every day has you a bit intimidated. There’s a reason that ‘Social Media Manager’ is a full-time job, creating good content is work. If posting seven days a week is too much, start off easy and build your way up from there by committing to two or three days each week that you can dedicate to posting on your account. Additionally, for ultimate reach, consider researching which times of day are the best times to post for optimal engagement.
CoSchedule Blog's suggestions for the best times to post
Don’t know what to post? As a member of the travel industry, your job lends you to some pretty incredible photo ops — perfect for nearly any social media platform. Try asking previous destination wedding clients if you can share a photo or two from their big day (this is also a great opportunity to share client testimonials), post pictures of potential venues and destinations, or give travelers a behind-the-scenes look at what you do to make their dreams come true.
Engage, Engage, Engage
Think of your content strategy as two halves of a friendship necklace, if consistency is the first half, engagement is the other. In addition to creating great content, you also need to engage with other users (and your followers) to reap the best results.
To connect with the followers you already have, consider posting more interactive content like Stories or Reels. Something cool about Stories — on both Facebook and Instagram — is the ability to create polls or ask questions of your audience. Instagram gets even more into the weeds with the option to add quizzes, slide bars and links to your Stories. P.S., it doesn’t have to be deep, it just needs to get people talking.
Example of a travel-focused Instagram Story from Rate Hawk
Engagement is also a valuable tool for finding new people to connect with. Try searching by a specific hashtag or location to find travelers who might fit your target audience. Then, once you’ve found people you’re interested in connecting with, try ‘liking’ and commenting on a few of their posts to pique their interest. If all goes to plan, you’ll have a new ‘friend’ or ‘follower’, and, most importantly, a potential new client.
Show Them What’s in It for Them
There’s a reason couples turn to travel advisors to help them plan their big day — you’re the expert. You have the insider knowledge to help lovebirds make sure that their wedding in a land far far away goes off without a hitch. And to show travelers why they should turn to you to make their big day happen you need to flaunt your stuff. Tell them how you can help narrow down the perfect venue. Share some of the sweet hookups you can provide at the resort or the destination. Remind them how good it will feel to not have to stress about coordinating flights and accommodations for all their family and friends — you’ve got it covered. Toot your own horn, you’re the expert for a reason!
View this post on Instagram
If you’re open to it, you could also consider promoting a special discount for new destination wedding clients. Everyone loves a deal and it’s sure to stir up some extra interest.
Know What Works
Finally, once you get the ball rolling, take some time to reflect on what’s working and what’s not. Did you have a post that performed particularly well? Consider what kind of content you shared and what you did to promote it to try to replicate the result. Have something that didn’t perform well? The algorithm is a tricky beast. Don’t be afraid to give yourself a little boost by experimenting with sponsored post options. Alternatively, switch up your strategy and experiment with different types of imagery, videos, articles and captions until you find something that sticks.
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