For as long as humans have experienced wanderlust, travel has been made all the sweeter by the tales we get to recount for family and friends. That off-the-beaten path local market in Thailand. That time you caught the 12-, no 15-, no 18-inch marlin. But in today’s image-obsessed world, we’ve traded oral history for Insta-worthy.
“60% of millennials turn to Instagram for travel inspiration” – Facebook for Business
Instagram is now the fastest growing social network in history, with over 1 billion monthly users—among these, millennials who consider it vital to be seen as a “traveler” rather than a “tourist.” That’s why 60% of millennials turn to Instagram for inspiration on where to go and what to see. And for millennials, it’s even more important that their trip is an experience worth sharing.
“40% of millennials prioritize ‘Instagrammability’ when choosing a destination” – Travolution
Beyond using Instagram as a window into the unknown to investigate places of interest, millennials are thinking about how their future trip will look in their feed—and indirectly, how that will affect their social currency. Over 40% of millennials reportedly prioritize ‘Instagrammability’ when choosing a destination, meaning the places where they’ll have the highest likelihood of garnering likes and comments.
Source: Bored Panda “Truth Behind Instagram Photos”
So how do you make sure your brand stands out for consumers looking for the trip that’ll look the best to their friends and followers?
1. Make “Instagrammability” a Top Selling Point:
Before travelers actually get to tan on the best beaches, sip the craftiest beers or unroll the biggest ball of yarn, help them envision how the experience will look when they’re posting it to their Instagram feeds.
2. Create “Insta-worthy” Moments:
Turn any location into an Insta-worthy location with special backdrops, art installations, or photobooth style setups that allow users to show off—only available at your destination, of course. Visit Scottsdale recently engaged local artists to create three “Instagrammable” murals that garnered attention near popular, high-traffic locations around the city.
It’s an old adage, with a new twist—travelers seek authenticity, and they believe the best online source for authenticity is Instagram.
Users see Instagram suggestions from peers as more genuine than travel guides. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. After all, millennials are known for trusting peers more so than brands or celebrity endorsements.
Not only will this connect the post to your destination, but posts tagged with a location get 79% more engagement than those without.
– IGTV: New to Instagram this July, you can now broadcast longer-format videos to highlight your destination.
– Stories: With over 300 million accounts using Instagram Stories every day, develop a purpose for each Story and plan how creative will get there.
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