Are your social marketing results beginning to plateau?
Some savvy marketers study their fan interests and page analytics daily.
Others just don’t have the time! Yet we all need a quick way to figure out what’s valuable to fans. What really inspires your fans to travel. Which topics really matter to your followers. If this is keeping you up at night, here’s some easy ways to get to know your fans better.
Understand Your Fans Better
Did you know this: “79% of consumers ages 18-65 in the US say brands must actively demonstrate “they understand and care about me” before they consider purchasing.” Research by Wunderman found this to be true.
Polls & questions are the fastest way to understand what your clients really, really want and to show you care about them.
Socially, there are so many options to ask your fans opinions and learn more about how you can best serve them. Whether you’re using polling features on your social sites, surveys or simply asking great questions that beg to be answered, you’re building your knowledge and understanding your fan’s needs. Asking relevant questions will grow your engagement and ultimately your reach.
Facebook Polls
Polls on Facebook have evolved over the years and are now even more interactive. While they’re not new, they have some great features that are often overlooked. And that’s the reason to start using them again. Since not many people are taking advantage of their power, your Polls will stand out in our noisy newsfeed world.
Starting a Facebook poll on your business page is easy. The hardest part is composing a question that begs to be answered and that will help you know what to market. Whether your goal is to generate interaction or to understand your fans better, pose your open-ended question to inspire conversation and choose photos that are easy to see on a mobile
Figure 1- Start a poll from your business page or in a group
Figure 2- You’ll have a maximum of 25 characters for each poll option answer.
Do you want your poll seen only for a day? No problem! You can adjust the length of time it’s visible to 1 day, 1 week, never or custom. This works great if you have an opportunity to promote 2 very different travel products and you want to gauge your audience’s interest in each. Perhaps you’re debating whether to promote a beach destination or a European tour. Take a poll and based on the results then target your ad accordingly.
Setting up News Feed Targeting is helpful if you want to reach people in specific locations or demographics. Here are the options:
Figure 3- Adding News Feed Targeting to your poll question boosts the potential for response.
The coolest feature is that your fans can vote as well as leave a comment. You’ll be inspiring conversations and will have a chance to chime in, answer and connect easily and quickly.
Figure 4 – To vote, a viewer simply clicks on the photo. A viewer is allowed only 1 vote.
Creating a poll within a Facebook group is a great way to stimulate conversations and learn more about your group members.
While the polling feature looks a bit different you’re still able to add an image. The best part is that you’re able to add more options. Plus, you can set up the poll so that group members can also add options. Another great way to learn from your group members and inspire engagement.
How might you use this?
- Understand your fans better. For example, you may ask why your fans use a travel consultant. This will help you rephrase your value proposition.
- Conversely you could also ask why readers do NOT use a travel consultant.
- Market research. For example you may ask which of 4 destinations they’ve traveled to. This will help you understand what not to emphasize in your marketing. Or conversely, what to emphasize if you feel the majority of your fans have similar interests.
- Marketing event options. For example you may ask if people would rather join you on a live stream video or in person to learn more about hot travel destinations.
Instagram Polls
Do you find that you’re getting great traction on Instagram, but wonder if asking a question is the only way to get responses? The polling feature is available only for Stories. You’ll find Instagram has some fun polling features that will inspire your followers to respond and share their opinions.
Figure 5 – Start a Story on Instagram and tap the ‘sticker’ icon at the top
You can customized your poll responses, but you’re limited to just 2 possible responses. Before you finalize your poll, you can slide the text around on your screen as well as pinch to change the size.
How might you use this?
- Ask for feedback. For example, you may want to know what’s on people’s travel bucket list.
- Plan your next consumer event. For example you could ask people which venue they’d prefer.
- Market research. For example, maybe you’re putting together a group tour and would like to know how many nights people would be interested in staying in a particular destination.
Figure 6 – Tap the ‘Poll’ button to begin your Instagram Poll.
Twitter Polls
Since Twitter moves at lightening speed, it’s probably the quickest way to ask questions and get the scoop.
Using the Polls feature on Twitter is a unique way for your questions to stand out in a busy Twitter feed. Starting a poll is as simple as starting a new Tweet and then tapping the Poll icon.
Figure 7 – It’s easy to set up a poll on Twitter
You have the option to add up to 4 answers as well as set the number of days your poll is visible. While you can’t add an image to represent each answer, you can add emoji to your question.
Figure 8 – add up to 4 answers to your Twitter poll
How might you use this?
- Market research. Gain insight into preferred method of travel; cruise or all inclusive. Air or Rail!
- Opinion survey. For example you may ask where people spend most of their social time; Twitter or Facebook.
People LOVE to offer their opinions and share their experiences, that’s why surveys never go out of fashion. Whether you use Survey Monkey or a survey tool in your e-blast platform, the key is to keep it short and simple. 3 quick questions!
Content is King and Queen!
Based on the questions and polls you’ve launched you now have a whole collection of:
- Video topics
- Blog topics
- Podcast topics
- Advertising ideas
- Marketing tidbits
- New relationships
Just think, your fans will believe you’re reading their minds and speaking directly to them. Who wouldn’t want to work with such a pro!
Have you noticed how some travel pros just make it look natural? We all know that a lot more strategizing went into it than meets the eye. Creating your own questions and polls is a great way to get into the social spotlight. Whether you’re writing a blog or an article for a print publication or creating video your unique story will help you take the lead in our noisy, crowded world of social marketing.
Polling Take Aways
What you learn from your polling exercise can be used immediately to influence your social editorial and advertising calendars. Driving future marketing decisions is easier when you understand your fan interests.
The reality is most travel pros face some tough competition and they find the need to get a little creative. These tips will ensure that your social efforts stand out.
The other upside of polling is that it increases your social engagement as it’s a 2-way interaction between your fans and your business.
If you have been working away using the same social strategy you’ve always used, it might be time for a social facelift. Sometimes what’s old is new again.
Which questioning styles are bringing you the most success?
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About Catherine Heeg
Catherine Heeg is a recognized social media trail blazer passionate about social media and marketing in the tourism and hospitality industry. She takes the mystery out of marketing!
She creates and delivers meaningful, dynamic workshops that meet your unique needs in the Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Industry.
Catherine and her team help travel, tourism and hospitality pros design and implement social media marketing strategies and tactics that drive traffic to their social and web sites. Learn more…
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