F is for Funnel: Social Media and the Path to Travel Purchase

Summary

Social media plays a pivotal role in influencing travel decisions, but converting social media engagement into actual bookings remains a challenge for marketers. The travel purchase journey on social platforms is non-linear, beginning with users collecting travel ideas long before planning. Research reveals that converters, who actively use social media to inform their travel choices, differ significantly from non-converters in their platform usage and trust levels. Despite the vast potential of social media as a marketing tool, many users feel under-targeted, with a lack of relevant content that aligns with their preferences and budgets. To optimize social media marketing, understanding audience motivations and improving targeting strategies are crucial.

Phocuswright’s F Is for Funnel: Social Media and the Path to Travel Purchase is part of a comprehensive consumer research study delving into the specifics of how social media platforms are used for travel. Key questions addressed include:

• What types of travel decisions is social media informing?
• Which demographics are completing travel conversions through social media?
• Why do some users feel more comfortable making travel conversions than others? How can this be leveraged to improve the effectiveness of social strategies?
• What account types, content formats, and tones are most associated with travel conversions through social media?
• At what points in the trip-planning journey can social content be most impactful?