Does your agency deal with a large number of business travelers? Are you a content marketer looking for the perfect niche to really draw in your audience and get the revenues flowing? In either event, you have a great opportunity to tap into a new market, expand, or adjust your engagement with your current audience by providing optimized, targeted blog content.
At Beez, we help business owners and professionals boost their image with great content. If you like some of the ideas below, contact us and let us know what we can do to assist with your travel copywriting needs. Now that my shameless plug is out of the way, here are five ideas for blog content or niche blogs that can help you gauge audience interest and expand your reach.
Destination Blogging
Some companies like fanfare and exotic destinations for corporate events. Do some research on popular destinations and blog about destinations that are friendly to business travelers. Be familiar with the available facilities and amenities, and match the estimated cost to what your research tells you about what your target reader is willing to spend.
Always talk up the amenities and local activities. Business conventions aren’t all work. They’re largely play, especially in exotic locations. Boost the benefits of providing or offering access to fun activities.
Be certain that services, venues, and activities are current and be sure to mention anything seasonal in your blog. Don’t disappoint a client who wants to book a corporate trip by blogging about destinations in January that won’t be able to accommodate the company’s agenda until summer. Conversely, don’t wait until June to start posting summer destination content.
Venue Blogging
Different venues offer different opportunities and vary in size, availability, and accessibility. Do your research thoroughly before suggesting facilities for specific purposes. For content marketers, be sure all your information about the venue is correct, accurate, and up-to-date. Add to that an extensive knowledge about the venue (number of bad reviews, ability to maintain communication, responsiveness, etc.) when dealing with travel clients.
Make sure images of the venue, inside and out, provide an attractive and accurate depiction of what visitors can expect. You might even want to contact the venue and see if they have a PR kit for online marketers that includes things like images and videos to augment your blog content. Never just insert copyrighted material into your blog; be sure you have the proper permissions and licenses in place first.
Deals and Packages Blogging
There isn’t a single business out there that doesn’t like the idea of saving money. If your angle is value, try dedicating your blog to money-saving deals and tips that appeal to corporate travelers. Develop content around both individual and group travel and segment your email lists to ensure that the right readers see content that is likely to convert (lead to bookings, ad clicks, etc.).
Since I mentioned email, this strategy especially applies to time-sensitive content. Having an email campaign that runs in tandem with your blog publishing schedule is essential for maximizing your reach. Take full advantage of the urgency to book and the scarcity of available openings. Convey that urgency well in your content, particularly in email subject lines and ads.
Event-Specific Blogging
Local cultural and social events are great tie-ins to business travel. Is there an industry event coming up in an exotic or exciting location you want to tell people about (or get some bookings)?
This is another option that has urgency and scarcity built in, which makes it a great one for a business travel blog. The content needs to drive the notion of acting quickly. It should also include a concise, easy-to-follow call to action (CTA) to click through to book, contact, or whatever it is you want them to do as a result of reading your post.
Business Travel Blog Don’ts
While there are loads of things you should do to make your blog successful, there are plenty of land mines out there waiting to blow your blog off the Information Superhighway. Here are a few things to avoid:
Hyperbole and Overstatement — Too many travel blogs descend quickly into an ocean of cliches and overused adjectives. Especially in the case of a business-oriented blog, it is important to focus on delivering consistently level, fact-based messaging with just enough description and detail to whet the interest of the reader. Don’t overstate. Do inform in an entertaining way.
The “Getaway” Angle — People already know the purpose of their trip and what they intend to get out of it in terms of both business and pleasure. Again, do your research on the marketer you wish to reach and launch a blog that pairs desirable destinations with the facilities. Write objectively and just give a good written and visual account of what people can expect.
Worn-Out Adjectives — Business travelers aren’t looking for “amazing” and “breathtaking.” Just like my last point, your readers aren’t likely to want to trudge through an excess of descriptive language to get the information they want. Be descriptive but also take a minimalist approach with it.
Split Test and Zero In
The best course of action with this kind of blog is to experiment with some or all of the ideas above and see which one appeals most to your audience. Remember that you are running a professional blog, so keep the tone conversational but professional.
Looking for help developing great travel content? BeezContent works with a network of in-house and freelance talent to make your brand stand out. Our travel copywriters have extensive experience developing top-quality content for our clients. Contact us today to learn more.
