Brand differentiation for travel companies can be challenging especially in a crowded field. By embracing innovative technology that bridges the gap between providers and customers, travel firms can deliver tailored and seamless online experiences, as well as develop compelling content that showcases distinctive travel services and experiences.
This also means that travel firms can hone their brand strength, which is a critical factor in business success as it allows them to effortlessly command their presence in the market. At the end of the day, strong brands possess distinct characteristics that set them apart from competitors: they are easily recognisable, highly regarded, and boast a dedicated and loyal following.
Uri Snyder, senior vice president, APAC, Similarweb, shared that while loyalty programmes have their benefits, they should be supplemented with a strong, well thought out digital strategy.
He said: “Typically, this will equip the business to research competitors, understand their product offerings, marketing, and differentiation, and identify threats. Travel firms can then analyse trends and their impact on market forces and customer experience.
“As a result, this will help them better understand audience motivation and digital behaviour, identify attractive features, and consider enhancing their lives through digital technology. All this amounts to a more intimate relationship with the customer, which can make them feel seen and heard, positioning the business to retain customers – and even win new ones.”
His advice to travel companies keen on crafting their brand strategy is to understand the ‘connected’ digital traveller. To do this successfully, Snyder stated that travel and hospitality companies need to be able to analyse traffic and engagement metrics. This rests on optimising the company’s digital strategy so that travel providers possess a deep understanding of consumer behaviour as well as their search and planning patterns.
He elaborated: “Through detailed analysis of consumer demographics, frequently visited sites can be identified, which then allows the business to pinpoint customers’ browsing behaviours and anticipate emerging trends. This can then be used to examine visitation and booking metrics such as conversion rates and converted visits, to meet customers where they are; allowing the business to identify the most effective channels for driving revenue.
“Additionally, this level of granularity allows businesses to isolate specific information about key business lines to unpack and track performance over time. As a result, travel firms can confidently spot and explore strategic market opportunities such as high-demand offerings by area. This knowledge will facilitate informed decision-making that capitalises on consumer trends and maximises brand performance.”
A successful brand campaign will include clear, achievable Key Performance Indicators based on web metrics that can be measured and tracked.
According to Snyder, the most successful data-driven organisations will compare their campaigns with competitor brands to understand how successful their strategies are when compared to the market benchmark.
Third party data providers such as Similarweb provide a meaningful boost to measuring marketing performance – it provides a better understanding on the campaign’s success and how the organisation relates to competitors, so that resources can be allocated accordingly.
