2017年-_94NLW~A

Deloitte & Facebook: Digital Channels for Travel Companies

Core Content

This document explores the evolving role of digital channels in the travel industry, emphasizing the need for travel companies to shift their mindset from viewing these platforms as "social media" to recognizing them as essential business tools. It highlights the importance of integrating digital strategies into a company's overall marketing and operations plan, leveraging the unique capabilities of digital platforms to drive measurable business outcomes.

Main Points

• Digital Channels Are More Than Social Media: While "social media" is often associated with consumer interaction, it's more accurate to view these platforms as sophisticated digital channels. They offer powerful tools for marketing, operations, and customer engagement, not just social interaction.
• Consumer Behavior and Digital Influence: Consumers use digital channels throughout their travel journey—before, during, and after trips. These platforms are crucial for inspiration, research, and sharing experiences, and they can influence travel decisions significantly.
• The Need for a Cognitive and Operational Shift: Companies must move beyond a consumer-centric view of digital channels and treat them as business tools with clear metrics and strategies. This shift is essential for aligning digital efforts with broader business objectives.
• Targeting Capabilities: Digital channels allow for highly detailed and personalized targeting based on demographics, interests, behavior, location, and device usage. This level of precision is unmatched by traditional media.
• Integration and Strategy: Digital should be integrated across all departments, not isolated in a separate team. The structure of digital efforts should reflect the company's overall strategy and be aligned with its business goals.

Key Information

Digital Channels as Business Tools

• Digital channels have matured significantly over the years, offering more than just social interaction. They are powerful tools for marketing, operations, finance, and human resources.
• Businesses should focus on measurable outcomes rather than just "likes" or "shares." These metrics should be tied to clear business goals such as revenue growth, brand awareness, and customer retention.

Consumer Engagement with Digital

• Social media is a major source of travel inspiration, second only to friends and family. It plays a key role in shaping travel decisions and influencing bookings.
• Review sites and peer recommendations are highly trusted, but consumers still prefer recommendations from people they know. Digital platforms offer a convenient way to connect with such peers.
• After returning from a trip, consumers share photos, videos, and experiences, which can be leveraged for brand promotion and customer insights.

Digital Marketing Strategies

• Travel companies are using digital channels for various purposes, including social listening, customer engagement, and contests. However, many are not utilizing these tools effectively.
• Customized services and targeted campaigns are becoming more common, such as Hilton's @HiltonSuggests service and Best Western's "Be a Travel Hero" campaign.
• Data-driven targeting allows companies to reach specific audiences and measure the effectiveness of their campaigns. For example, BestDay.com used Facebook's Custom Audiences to improve sales at a lower cost per acquisition.

The Importance of a Semantic Shift

• Reframing "social media" as "digital channels" helps businesses think more strategically about their use. This shift encourages a more rigorous and business-focused approach to digital marketing.
• Digital is not a one-size-fits-all channel. It's a diverse set of tools that should be used based on specific business needs and goals.

Recommendations

Recommendation 1: Use Business Metrics, Not Social Ones

• Focus on business outcomes rather than social engagement metrics. Metrics such as brand awareness, sales, and customer retention should be the focus of digital campaigns.
• Align digital activities with traditional marketing goals. Use digital to enhance awareness, drive sales, and improve customer retention.

Recommendation 2: Leverage Detailed Targeting Capabilities

• Utilize the rich data available on digital platforms to create highly targeted campaigns. This includes demographic data, interests, behavior, and location.
• Examples: BestDay.com used Custom Audiences to target consumers who had visited its site but not completed purchases. Scandinavian Airlines used geo-targeting to significantly improve ad ROI.

Recommendation 3: Be Deliberate About Organizational Structure

• Digital marketing should be integrated across the organization, not confined to a single department. It should be a strategic tool that supports all business functions.
• Avoid silos by ensuring that digital efforts are aligned with the company's overall strategy. This can be achieved by having a centralized team or a "center of excellence" that reports to the C-suite.

Conclusion

The travel industry has made strides in using digital channels, but it still has a long way to go. By adopting a more strategic and business-focused approach, travel companies can harness the full potential of these platforms to drive growth, improve customer relationships, and enhance operational efficiency. The shift from "social" to "digital" is not just a semantic change—it's a fundamental transformation in how companies engage with consumers and measure the impact of their marketing efforts.