TikTok has become one of the most popular social networks worldwide, in full expansion. The platform allows companies to communicate differently with their targets. Travel, one of the five most popular themes on this network, starts taking advantage of this opportunity – tourism marketing.
In Europe, 100 million people already use the application dedicated to the publication of short videos, accompanied by current music. A huge market to be discovered by tourism professionals, pushing them to take a close look at it to address their (potential) customers.
"Don't make ads, make TikToks", says the new campaign launched in September by TikTok For Business, the commercial branch of the social network. It proposes a new way for brands and companies to communicate.
According to a 2021 study by Walnut Unlimited, 77% of the platform's users say they were inspired to go to a destination or purchase a travel-related product because of content they saw on TikTok, and 49% of them have booked a trip or purchased a product.
The Particularities of TikTok
The social network differs from other networks in particular by its format which varies. These are short videos lasting between 15 seconds and 1 minute, which run in a loop until you decide to change the programming.
The platform's algorithm selects popular videos for each user that might be of interest to them, based on their interests. Like Instagram, it is possible to follow and be followed.
Using TikTok for Tourism Marketing
There are three ways to use TikTok for travel businesses:
- Creating a company-specific channel and uploading relevant videos about the specific business.
- Using influencers to open up the company's content to a wider audience, without necessarily having a TikTok account.
- Paying to advertise using the TikTok marketing options.
Creativity Becomes Profitable
The TikTok application allows users to get wide visibility for free, without necessarily using a large sponsorship budget. The algorithm rewards creativity and content value, rather than the number of subscribers or the financial means of the company. A single video can influence the sales of large companies and the behavior of thousands of followers, without having to invest in a large marketing budget. On TikTok, posts are public and can go around the world in a few hours.
TikTok allows reaching a young clientele. The 15-24 years old represent 42% of the users. These customers appear to be an interesting target for travel agencies and tourism marketing companies since they are future vacation consumers with a thirst for escape. However, the age range of the social network will evolve as it develops. In 2020, there were already 65% of users over 25 years old registered on this social network. This way, the social network attracts many travelers looking for new destinations to travel to.