Social networks have dramatically changed the way companies interact with their audiences.
Today, advertising campaigns to reach as many fans as possible have become commonplace for increase your online presence and grow your community.
But this is no longer necessarily the right solution.
There are other levers and tools to build loyalty and guarantee authentic, lasting engagement.
💡 Travel-Insight takes stock of this new era, here we go!
The race for subscribers is over
It’s a reality that many companies have been facing for several years now: being visible for free on social networks is becoming a major challenge.
And even with a substantial subscriber base, brands struggle to generate significant organic engagement on their publications, especially on Facebook.
On the other hand, advertising campaigns aimed at expanding the fan base are becoming increasingly expensive and don’t always guarantee satisfactory results.
Today, the cost per (qualified) Fan is around €1.50 on Instagram and €0.70 on Facebook. That’s huge! 😶So what to do? Today, quality of engagement must take precedence over quantity. Brands must seek to build authentic, engaged and passionate communities, where every member feels appreciated and listened to.
Building and maintaining a community: an essential objective
Although recruiting new subscribers is no longer a priority, it remains indispensable, as Internet users consider a high number of fans on a page to be a legitimacy and credibility.. Subscribing to a brand is no longer a simple gesture, but a genuine demonstration of users’ commitment to authentic, inspiring content. Brands must therefore focus on the creation of quality content, capable of arousing interest and interaction within their community. 👥
Your subscribers need to become true ambassadors for your brand, who will not only be loyal to your company but also willing to actively recommend it to their network through word-of-mouth.
So how do you arouse the curiosity of Internet users and make them want not only to join your community, but also to stay?
☀️ Creating a positive, memorable experience
Offer your subscribers positive, memorable experiences.
This can involve excellent customer service, quality products, engaging interactions on social networks, etc.
💬 Encouraging involvement and participation
Encourage your subscribers to actively participate in your community by asking them questions, launching surveys, organizing contests or sharing their experiences with your products or services.
The more involved they feel, the more likely they are to become your brand ambassadors!
🔍 Communicating with transparency and authenticity
Be transparent and authentic in your interactions with your subscribers.
Answer their questions and concerns honestly and openly, and show them that you appreciate their support and contributions.
In search of creative, engaging content
Beyond the simple number of followers, brands need to focus on more meaningful performance indicators such as engagement, conversion rate and loyalty.
Creativity, proximity and originality These are the signs of quality content that today encourage users to follow a brand on social networks.
It’s no longer enough to have a good reputation or established notoriety, as web users have become selective and cautious in their choice of subscriptions, avoiding encumbering themselves with unengaging brands likely to waste their precious time (indeed, many practice a monthly update of followed accounts 🔥).
Levers for attracting and retaining communities
A good social networking strategy also involves the use of tools to increase brand awareness and engagement.
Traffic advertising campaigns
The point of implementing traffic advertising campaigns is to strategically direct users to platforms where engagement can be maximized.
Unlike older methods focused primarily on recruiting new subscribers, these campaigns create meaningful touchpoints that encourage deep, lasting interactions.
For non-subscribers, the creativity deployed in these campaigns is an indirect incentive to follow the brand.
Let’s take the example of a carousel designed to generate traffic.
Be sure to produce a colorful layout with product pushes on each screen.
To compare the performance of these links, don’t hesitate to place different URLs on each card.
Indeed, when users see an attractive or relevant ad, it can spark their interest and encourage them to discover more about the brand by following it on its social networks.
These campaigns can take various forms, such as sponsored ads on social networks, sponsored publications, partnerships with influencers, etc.
There are so many ways to drive engagement and traffic, and we’re here to help. 😄
Case study: a tourist destination’s social networks for 1 week.
We can’t stress it enough: in this new era of social networking, user engagement is more important than simply recruiting new subscribers.
To illustrate this concept, let’s imagine a tourist destination – let’s call it “Wonderland” – that implements a content strategy on its social networks (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok) for one week.
Day 1: Sharing UGC (User-Generated Content) in Instagram Stories
By re-sharing user-generated content 📲, the destination shows that it values the real experiences of its visitors.
This encourages subscribers to create and share their own content, increasing organic engagement.
Day 2: Publication of an Instagram Reel on must-do activities This Reel could include snippets of different activities (diving, hiking, local gastronomy, etc.) to do in Wonderland and be accompanied by trendy music to maximize engagement.
Users are invited to comment on their favorite activities or those they’d like to try.
Day 3: Facebook/Instagram Live with a local guide answering subscribers’ questions in real time.
Lives allow direct, personal interaction with the audience.
The guide shares anecdotes, travel tips and hidden recommendations.
Subscribers can ask questions and receive instant answers, creating a sense of community and proximity.
Day 4: Publication of a carousel of images highlighting the most beautiful landscapes.Carousels are an excellent way of capturing users’ attention by offering them rich and varied content in a single post. Each image in the carousel can highlight different aspects of the destination. This is one of the most popular formats on Instagram, which now offers up to 15 screens to make you stand out, let’s go! 📸Day 5: Publication of an article on LinkedIn describing the sustainable development efforts of Wonderland.
LinkedIn is an ideal platform for sharing more professional and informative content.
✍🏼 The article can detail the green initiatives undertaken by the destination.
This type of content attracts a professional and engaged audience, and can also generate discussion and sharing among tourism industry professionals.
Day 6: TikTok Challenges and a pretty photo on Instagram
Using TikTok to create viral challenges can dramatically increase engagement.
It’s THE social network for showcasing your creativity.
We remind you that TikTok has become the new playground for travel lovers.
Selon la plateforme, “77 % des utilisateurs se disent susceptibles de réserver des vacances sur la base de recommandations qu’ils ont vues sur TikTok”.
C’est donc l’occasion de saisir cette opportunité pour mettre en avant Wonderland. Day 7: Reuse and reformat the week’s most engaging content
The aim here is to reuse the week’s best-performing content by changing the format to make it attractive on other platforms.
For example, live excerpts with the local guide can be edited into short videos for Instagram, in Stories or with a Reel.
The activity Reel can be turned into a series of images for a Facebook post.
This strategy maximizes the reach of content by adapting its format to suit different platforms and audiences.
As you can see, social networks have completely revolutionized the way companies talk to their audiences. The race for subscribers is over! 🏃🏻♂️ Make way for a new era in which authentic, lasting commitment is the key to success. Costly and often ineffective fan recruitment campaigns are gradually giving way to more targeted and engaging strategies. However, we mustn’t underestimate the power of organic reach, which can generate extraordinary engagement and foster the creation and expansion of authentic, passionate communities. 💙
Need help transforming your digital strategy? Contact us 😉
