5 Digital Growth Hacks Every Kiwi Tourism Operator Should Know Before The Border Reopens
International tourists will soon return to New Zealand - Image by Queenstown Airport
Us Kiwis have enjoyed some pretty decent freedoms for the past two years, all things considered. Meanwhile, a firmly closed border has all but decimated our international tourism industry.
Operators have been resilient and quick to adapt their offerings for the domestic market, while New Zealanders have enthusiastically explored their own backyard.
However, Tourism New Zealand research shows it takes twelve Kiwis to spend the same level as one international visitor and that foreign tourists spend up to three times as much as locals.
Now, we’re not calling Kiwi travellers “cheap and cheerful”, but the lack of international markets is obviously taking a toll.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel. The government has announced its border reopening blueprint, so the time is now for tourism businesses to prepare.
So, here are five digital hacks every tourism business should know before the borders open, to ensure they are ready to attract visitors.
Create deliciously snackable content
Apparently goldfish have longer attention spans than your average internet user - Image by Sharron Sperry Bloom
Internet users have been steadily losing their attention spans for a while now. Some pretty shocking research from Microsoft a few years back suggested the average internet user has an attention span of just eight seconds.
That’s right, a modern internet user basically has the attention span of a goldfish. For the record, the internet seems to agree that goldfish actually have an attention span of nine seconds. An entire second longer than us. Go figure.
On that note, content that is ‘snackable’ is straightforward, short, easily digestible, and ideally suited to being passively consumed and shared on social media. This type of content is visually appealing, can be posted regularly, and usually supports overarching marketing campaigns.
So remember, a good meme, GIF, or infographic can instantly entertain or enlighten an audience, prompt social sharing, and improve engagement.
Wait. What were we talking about, again?
Respond to every (yes, every) online review
Now, I know how much you love dealing with the… let’s call them “opinionated”, reviews. But this one’s a biggy and something you can jump on straight away. And, there are a couple of pretty good reasons why.
Firstly, Google says so, and who are we to question our digital overlords?
They say businesses should “interact with customers by responding to reviews that they leave about your business. Responding to reviews shows that you value your customers and the feedback that they leave about your business.”
Responding to reviews not only earns you street-cred with the algorithms, it actually drives buying behaviour directly.
A 2019 TripAdvisor study found travellers are more likely to make a booking when property owners leave personalised responses to reviews.
A whopping 77% of respondents said they are more likely to book - even among respondents who claimed to not really care about online reviews.
Meanwhile, 67% agreed that they find it helpful when they can see the context of negative reviews and apologies to guests from management where appropriate.
So basically, if you don’t have something nice to say - it’s best just to suck it up and say something nice, anyway.
By the way, if you’re keen to give your TripAdvisor game a once over, this one’s for you…
Alright stop, collaborate, and listen
Collaborate and blend your audience with other brands that compliment your own.
Collabs are so hot right now. We get all warm and fuzzy when two of our favourite brands join forces. We also love to discover new brands that are associated with the ones we already know and trust.
These kinds of content marketing partnerships can help operators expand their reach, elevate their messaging, and get in front of new audiences.
Rather than a direct competitor, seek to partner with businesses that complement your own. For example, a sightseeing tour operator could collaborate with a local boutique coffee roaster for their morning tea refreshments.
You might discover ways to blend your audiences naturally, such as tagging each other's social media, offering bundles combining your products, or even simply cross-posting on each other's sites.
If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, consider it hostile
When you visit a website on your mobile device and the content goes all wonky, it’s infuriating, right?
And when you consider half of all internet traffic globally originates from mobile devices, it’s pretty obvious why your website needs ready to receive traffic from everywhere.
Responsive web design offers an optimised browsing experience because it caters to all screen sizes and provides a fluid and flexible layout. That means your website will look great on a desktop (or laptop), a tablet, and a smartphone.
We’re pretty good at responsive web design, by the way. Just saying.
Learn to love your data
In 2022, there really is no excuse not to be data-driven. A data-driven operator makes strategic decisions based on real-time data analysis and interpretation.
While Google Analytics is a great starting point, there are loads of others to help you understand your current and historical data and ensure you're earning the highest possible ROI from your marketing spend.
We know how tricky it can be to figure out which tools you need for the job. Feel free to ask us for suggestions for your business.
The tourists are coming - it’s time to get ready
So, as we count down the seconds until tourists return to Aotearoa, use your time wisely to prepare. If you’re unsure where to start, talk to us!
