6 Ways to Capitalize on Your TripAdvisor Profile
TripAdvisor is the number one travel website and is trusted by millions of users (400 million each month to be exact) to plan the perfect trip. Destinations listed on TripAdvisor are able to create profiles, promote attractions, respond to reviews, participate in forums, and more! Utilizing this travel website is essential since it helps visitors gain in-depth insight of what your destination offers from an established source. Most importantly, you’re able to build a relationship with your followers as a part of the TripAdvisor platform. Check out these 6 ways to capitalize on your TripAdvisor Profile to increase web traffic, engage visitors, and more!
1.) Amplify Your Profile with As Much Info As Possible
If you don’t have one already, create a TripAdvisor Profile – it’s free! You can sign-up using Facebook, Google, or your email. This profile is where users and followers can gain knowledge of your destination or business. You’re able to add a variety of information in the ‘About You’ section. There’s only room for 160 characters here – so be sure to make every word count! It’s key to have every section completely filled out on your profile – no blank spaces!
You’re able to add as many as photos as you’d like on your profile. When photos are posted, like other social platform feeds, they are posted under the “Photos” tab on your profile. You can tag any company or listing on the platform in the photo and their TripAdvisor profile link will be “tagged” and listed below. It’s important to add partner listing links wherever you can within your profile. This will not only help enhance your own destination profile, but it will also provide great exposure for your partners!
2.) Utilize All Posting Abilities
Similar to other social channels, users are able to create posts that are compiled on their profile. On TripAdvisor, posts are categorized between Videos, Photos, Trips, and Forums. This is another perfect place to promote your partners! You’re able to tag partner profiles on any given post. Posting on your profile is also a great place to add in new blog posts, and promoting landing pages. Users can label these posts to say it’s “Helpful”, “Save” the post, or “Share” it!
3.) Plan Day(s) Trips for Users With Specific Interests
The Trips feature your profile is scarcely used on the platform. Here, you are able to create an itinerary that includes a variety of stops along the way. You can promote different attractions, places to stay, shops, and restaurants that relate to the type of trip. An excellent, interactive way to share your knowledge with visitors! For example, Traverse City compiled a list of exotic shops in the area. The shop listings are linked to the trip that directly links to their TripAdvisor page. Utilizing this feature gives you the ability to promote different partners in your area and provide direction for travelers with those specific interests!
4.) Capitalize On Reviews
TripAdvisor is one of those platforms that rely heavily on customer reviewers on businesses and destinations. As a destination, responding to not only negative, but positive reviews as well showcases your destination as being engaged with visitor opinions. Interaction can generate positive brand awareness, even if the original comment was negative. Not only can you use these reviews to promote engagement by replying, but you can embed them on your website, too! These reviews can be promoted as social media posts or as testimonials on your website to build credibility.
Note: As the owner of a destination profile, your account should not be self-reviewing any listings that you own or manage. This profile should only be used to reply to reviews, not generate reviews.
Travel Forums are available for users to ask specific questions related to a destination or nearby areas. The questions asked are typically about something that cannot be found on the TripAdvisor page. Fortunately, any user on the platform can answer questions asked on the forum. Unfortunately, users may not always answer the questions correctly, which makes it imperative to stay on top of the forums directly related to your destination.
TripAdvisor makes it quite easy to find Travel Forums related to your destination. Simply type in a destination in the search feature and related forums will be listed. Forums are categorized into [City Name] Forum. This is a quick way to keep all visitor’s destination questions all in one place!
TripAdvisor Advice: As a destination, you should also be surveying your State’s forums as well, since not all posts are related to a specific city.
Note From TripAdvisor: “DMOs should NOT reply to forum posts specifically about another destination”
There is nothing more frustrating to a consumer than not being able to find you on a social media platform (yes, it happens). The best way to ensure that users can easily find your TripAdvisor profile is to place a widget on your site next to your other social media platforms.
It’s also a great idea to promote each of your partners’ TripAdvisor profile on their listing and embed reviews. Don’t have partner listings on your site? No problem! Check out How To Make an Effective Partner Listing.
The best part about TripAdvisor is this platform is completely free. Free to make and free to use. However, you are able to ‘sponsor’ your destination for a fee. Visit TripAdvisor for more information. Even the free account gives your destination the ability to increase web traffic, maybe even gain more social followers, and grow your brand awareness! As a Destination Marketing Organization or a Convention and Visitors Bureau, you’re able to create a listing for any local attractions you own or manage – such as your visitor’s center.
TripAdvisor Advise: DMOs can create listings for areas that are indicative of a portion of their town and not owned by any one single party – such as a Historic District or town square.
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