What Travel Advisors Can Learn from Social Media Influencers

TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube … wherever your clients are looking online for inspiration about travel, you need to be there, too. But staying current on social media is demanding, and every travel advisor can use a few new tips on managing it all.

During a recent ALG Vacations 10-day FAM in Spain and Portugal promoting their City & Sea packages (which pair a few days exploring a vibrant European city with a few days at a sea destination to relax and rejuvenate before returning home), the 10 hand-selected travel advisors participating worked closely with ALGV’s social media experts and two independent social media influencers to practice curating social media content.

Here are some of the key takeaways they learned while actively engaged in gathering content throughout the trip.

1. Use prompts to create engaging Reels.

“During the FAM trip, I gained invaluable knowledge about social media, which has given me the confidence to start posting consistently. One of the key things I learned was how to create engaging Reels by using prompts like ‘save this for later’ or ‘here are 10 things to do in this destination.’ This strategy is designed to boost interaction, leading to more likes and saves on my posts.” [Note: Reels are user-created, short-form videos on Instagram or Facebook that can include music, text overlays, filters, stickers, and augmented reality effects.]

– Kimberlin Arnold, independent travel advisor, Peacock Travel Group, a member of Frosch Travel

2. Learn to speak in your brand’s voice.

“I learned how to make better Reels for my Instagram, where I can speak in my brand voice better. We went through and cleaned up my Instagram, looked for ways to improve my messaging, and then focused on what stories I wanted to tell. I really liked using Reels to story tell … I am hopeful that I can be more disciplined in telling my brand story through the places I visit in my social media. I also learned that not everything has to be live. I don’t have to post from today where I went today, I can save content for later.”

– David M. Petlin, MCC, managing director, Flair Travel

3. Use emotional branding to catch the viewer’s attention.

“I learned about emotional branding, which is basically the emotions people feel when viewing your content. Also emotional branding is playing with the senses when marketing a property. For example, talking about how a property smells, feels, sounds, etc. Evoking emotions in the viewer to help them feel a connection to either me or the product/destination I am selling. Not only does it help my clients trust me and see me as an expert in travel, but it helps my future clients feel more comfortable with booking their trip with me. When I create eye-catching, emotion-evoking content, that is more likely to convert to sales, compared to a post that doesn’t catch the viewer’s attention and/or doesn’t evoke emotions.”

– Kelli Bertram, travel advisor, Come and See Travel

4. Video everything.

“The one-on-ones I had with [the social media influencers] have been priceless. Bernice’s approach of videoing everything may change the way I do everything ─ it seems more natural to me. Steph’s approach with the camera is inspiring and I hope to one day feel comfortable enough to use my voice and speak directly to my audience.”
– Lynnette Peña Kelly, independent travel advisor, CS Travel

5. Use different recording techniques to stay on top of social media trends.

“I’ve always felt pretty overwhelmed when it comes to social media for my business. It was really helpful for me to take a glimpse into the life of someone who does this full-time and learn all of the tricks they’d recommend. One of the things I learned was different techniques for recording videos and how to implement them to stay on top of social media trends … Examples include learning how to create transitions in Reels, how to record a video in a way that it directs the viewer’s eye from me to the subject, creating content that is trending to gain more viewers, etc.
– Heather Huber, travel advisor, Vincent Vacations

6. Make your photos and videos intriguing.

“I learned about posting the right pictures and to make it look intriguing, and the difference between still photos and videos makes a huge difference in presentation. I loved that [social media lifestyle influencer] Steph was assertive to say, ‘Hey, let’s do this, let me take your camera.’ She definitely made sure that I got the shots she envisioned.”
– Michele P. Duquaine, owner, Dream Vacations

7. Remember to use Pinterest, too.

“I learned the importance of utilizing Pinterest to drive traffic back to my travel agent page and generate leads. As one of the largest social media search engines, Pinterest has significant potential to expand my reach.”
– Kimberlin Arnold, independent travel advisor, Peacock Travel Group, a member of Frosch Travel

8. Done is better than perfect.

“I learned to be personable and to post consistently. It’s better to post something, even if it’s not perfect than to never post at all. [A common theme throughout the FAM was to follow the adage, “Done is better than perfect.”]
– Tonya Matthews, travel advisor, Starstuff Travel

Whatever your level of social media savvy and posting consistency, consider trying at least one of these tips from social media experts and influencers that other travel advisors picked up. Upping your game and enhancing your presence on social can only increase your ability to find more clients and inspire them to book with you. And remember to have some fun curating your content – it shows in the posts.