Travel Brands Are Spending More to Advertise on Social Media
Photo Credit: Visit Adirondacks says its Facebook ads have helped increase brand awareness in out-of-state markets. Pictured is a screenshot of the ad content on the brand's site. Visit Adirondacks
Skift Take
Travelers should settle in to see lot more advertising from travel brands on social media than they probably already do. That's not necessarily a bad thing provided the ads aren't stoic and connect with content marketing plans both on and off social.
Many travel brands are loading their social media channels with user-generated content and influencers to inspire conversations with travelers, but they're also putting weight behind advertising on social — something becoming more common in general across those platforms.
Some 46 percent of travel brands are advertising on social media this year, a 12.1 percent increase over 2015, according to market research company eMarketer, and many that do say social media ads are effective at reaching the right travelers. Facebook updated its ad preferences last month to give travelers more control over what kinds of ads they see and five-year-old Snapchat is expected to net more than $366 million in ad revenue this year and nearly $1 billion next year. It's evident that travel brands value both social advertising and user-generated and organic content and that travelers are encountering more ads on social channels once reserved for friends and family.
The CEOs of Expedia, Commune Hote
