As digital channels mature in scope and power, the industry needs to catch up.
The very name “social media” – including household names like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram – encourages businesses to think of these channels in the same way end users do. Consumers primarily consider them as fun and useful, but they are actually sophisticated media channels. Technology capabilities have evolved drastically, yet businesses have not kept up. The unique ability of digital channels to engage, measure, and create two-way dialogue is reason enough for businesses to take it seriously as a powerful tool.
A new paper by Deloitte and Facebook shows the findings from a survey commissioned by Facebook on how consumers view social media as it relates to leisure travel.
A few highlights:
- Over a third of people book vacations through online travel agents.
- A large majority of consumers believe online reviews provide important information that helps them feel more confident about the choices they make.
- 83% of people use the internet while on vacation, and most of them use their smartphone to do it.
- Most travelers start talking about their trip on social media the day they return, with many of them doing so before they’re even home from the airport.