Tips 4 Travel Marketing on Twitter

October 15, 5:54 PMTravel Marketing ExaminerRochelle Paul

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Locations such as St. Pete/Clearwater, use Twitter to reach their
guests.  (Twitter/vspc Photo provided by, "Visit St. Petersburg/
Clearwater")

You've decided to take the leap and get on Twitter.  You know that growing numbers of people and businesses around the world are using it to talk about and find out about sports, news, and travel.

So, you've got your page, put up a nice photo (that you can only see part of) and are ready.

Now what?

Here are a few tips to help you with your new adventure.

Tell people you're on Twitter.  Sounds easy enough.  Yet, it's something many forget to do.  Put up signs in your business.  Put it on your business cards, brochures and other marketing materials.  Let people know they can find out about our business if they follow.  The more people know, the more they follow, the more they use your deals, the more you can increase your bottom line.

Pick a name that makes sense.  You will find a range of names on Twitter, some that make sense in connection to the business, others that... well, not so much.  You will of course have to pick something not being used, but do try to come up with something that is easy for people to identify you, and will identify what you do.  RoriTravel - you get the idea of what I'm doing.

Use an 80/20 approach.  Being on Twitter isn't about you, it's about the community.  That means that while you want to tell people about your business, it's expected that you share other things as well... this is not self-promotion-city.  Join the conversation.  Share links, news information, photos, quotes, and thoughts, doing so at least 80% of the time.  The other 20% can be about your business.  Share information on the place, tips, deals and so on.

Robbies Marina (Twitter/RobbiesMarina) is home to a
load of freiendly tarpons. Letting people know they use
Twitter on their website helps let guests know they're
there, and to follow this Florida Keys Favorite (AP Photo/
Alan Diaz)

Stay within a range of your topic.  Some people will talk about anything while promoting their business, you should stick within your industry (this is my opinion and others may disagree).  But keep in mind, you are branding a product - you want to be identified within an industry and for something.  By sticking within an industry for the information you share, you are providing information that is useful, providing that 80/20 content, but remaining true to what you want to be identified with.

Number 4 has an asterisk.  I write about travel and travel marketing, and the vast majority of what I share on Twitter - @RoriTravel - will be related to that (my sub-topics within travel cover destinations, sports such as golf, SCUBA, auto racing, wine and wineries and "the finer things".)  I have on occasion shared something personal, I will Tweet about something I'm doing (travel related - will "take you with") and quotes I love.  But for the most part, you will find that I stick to the topic of my business.  This allows me to know and trust they will find related information whenever they come to my page.  It builds the brand, the trust, the reliability of what I provide.

When you start something, finish.  Certainly if all you wanted to do was get on and test the waters, okay, but if you don't want to continue, at least "sign off".  Otherwise, if you're on Twitter, use it.  Don't go days between postings.  Post every day, a few times a day.  Again, this is about the community, and you are a part of that.  Building relationships is a great way to build followers and customers.

Choose a photo that represents your business well.  If it's your own picture, or something of your business (love the ocean ones!) pick a photo that will represent your business in the best light - then carry it through to all your marketing - Facebook, brochures, website.  Yep, branding my friend! (I will discuss in a future article)

If you have a business, Twitter can help as a great, free marketing
tool, but you must make the commitment, or risk a negative
response. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Learn the codes, use them, but not too much.  Okay, so in the world of Tweeting and ReTweeting, just like many places of modern communication, "codes" are in great use.  From the familiar LOL (laugh out loud) and OMG (oh my god/gosh), folks are talking in shorthand.  With only 140 characters (including spaces and punctuation) you've got to get the message in fast.  Using things like U, 4, R, and so on, will help... but don't go nuts.  Remember, everyone needs to be able to understand what UR saying.

DMing.  Direct Messages are what people use for "private" communications.  From thanking someone for the RT (retweet) to asking them to contact U, the DM is a great way to continue the conversation and develop "relationships" that can help UR business. 

If U can't, find someone who can.  Some of U may be thinking is still 2 much 4 U.  That's okay.  There are ways to get around that.  First, read a book about Twitter and get going.  Second, find someone in UR business who can take it on, or take the leap and hire someone who can take on UR social media marketing program.  As this grows in popularity, more and more people are getting involved, you'll really want to look at getting UR business involved, if 4 no other reason - revenue increase.  If U do decide to hire someone, do not go looking 4 someone with "5 or more years of experience".  That's a marketing person who's likely not equipped with the ideologies behind social marketing.  Find someone who's new to the marketing world, or has less than 4 years experience since they are going to B much more open to the ways of and methods behind social media marketing.

Thank you for reading. I hope you take a look at my other articles, and I invite you to join me on Twitter/RoriTravel and at RoriTravel - a blog about Traveling Florida -  I am a Freelance Writer - available for hire - plus, experience the Rantings of a Social Media Marketer - as a Consultant in Florida, I will be able to help travel businesses/businesses set up and understand how to incorporate Social Media Marketing into their Marketing Plans. Please contact me for further details and service area.