Digital Marketing Trends in Kerala Tourism Industry
Kerala is one of India’s most popular tourist destinations. Its serene backwaters, misty hills, pristine beaches, food, and culture attract a lot of tourists from around the world. Tourism is a popular industry in Kerala. Nowadays, travellers rely on digital platforms to search and plan their trips. Therefore, the tourism industry needs to transition to digital platforms to attract more tourists. Since the pandemic, every business is shifting to online spaces, and the tourism industry is no exception. Online platforms like Instagram and Facebook are extensively used by people to make their travel decisions. A Digital Marketing Agency in Kerala helps tourism businesses leverage these platforms effectively. Thus, staying updated with the latest trends in digital marketing is a necessity to stay relevant in the competitive tourism industry. In this blog, we will explore some of the digital marketing trends in the Kerala tourism industry.
Local SEO and “Near Me” Searches
The rise of local search in digital marketing is one of the most popular trends. Nowadays, tourists use local searches to find hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions in the place. They search for queries like ‘best resorts in Wayanad’ or ‘best tourist attractions in Trivandrum’. It is important to optimize your business for local SEO in order to pop up in these local searches. Local SEO for Small Businesses is especially important in the tourism industry to attract travellers searching for nearby options. Having a Google My Business profile could help with local search visibility.
Why Local SEO Matters?-Image Source: sekel.tech
Updating Google My Business profile with contact details, working hours, photos, and address can help travellers when they search online and also enhance the visibility online. Another factor that can help local searches is the reviews that satisfied customers leave on your website or Google. This not only helps in building trust but also improves the search result rankings. Most people rely on reviews before booking a hotel. If you are in the tourist industry, it would be better if you encourage satisfied customers to leave their reviews on Google or your website.
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Contact UsInfluencer and Visual Marketing
In social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube, travel influencers are gaining popularity. Travel influencers inspire the audience through visually pleasing travel content. This content attracts the audience’s attention easily and also goes viral on these platforms. Influencer content feels more genuine than traditional advertisements. Collaborating with travel influencers can help travel-related businesses immensely. Visual marketing is a powerful way to showcase the tourism industry. Influencer Marketing Benefits include reaching specific audiences such as adventure enthusiasts, travellers seeking wellness, or those looking for a romantic getaway.
Also Read: How to Build Successful Digital Marketing Strategies for Startups in Kerala
Short-Form Video Content
Short-form video content is gaining popularity on social media platforms. This form of content is highly engaging. Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts capture the attention of the audience easily, as these are short-form video content, and it does not take up much time of the audience. These short videos give you a glimpse of the travel content. Short-form video content creation is comparatively low-cost in comparison to long-form video content. Yet, these are highly effective in capturing the attention of travellers.
Voice Search Optimization
Number of Digital Voice Assistants in Use Worldwide- Image Source: Semrush
The convenience of voice search has been attracting more and more people to use this mode while searching. According to statistics, globally, 20.5% people use voice search. Voice search assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant are gaining more popularity among people. The convenience of speaking the query rather than typing makes them popular. Unlike text-based search queries, voice queries are conversational in nature. Thus, travel businesses must focus on conversational-type keywords and those that respond to FAQ-style questions. By doing so, Kerala tourism businesses can increase their chance of being discovered in search results. Searches like ‘How do I reach Wayanad?’ or ‘What are the most popular tourist destinations in Wayanad?’ These conversational kinds of keywords should be incorporated into the content.
Chatbots and AI in Travel Booking
In recent years, AI and chatbots have gained popularity among people. Instant replies and ease of use make them popular among people. Many businesses, including the tourism industry, are incorporating chatbots into their websites or apps. Unlike manual customer support, these chatbots provide 24/7 support, which makes it convenient for the guest to know about the details regarding room booking, such as pricing and availability. Another important aspect of chatbots is that they can support multiple languages. These multilingual chatbots help bridge the language gap for visitors from other states or other countries. Apart from answering queries and processing the bookings, these chatbots can also recommend fun activities to do and provide details about the most popular attractions in the area. This improves customer satisfaction.
Personalization and Retargeting Ads
Audiences are most likely to respond to personalized marketing messages rather than random advertisements. Using analytics tools, tourism businesses understand user behavior, browsing patterns, and target potential customers using personalized offers such as discounts or customized packages. Retargeting ads also play a major role in bringing back travelers who have yet to make a decision. For example, if a tourist visits a hotel’s website but does not book, by retargeting, this visitor will come across an ad of the hotel through social media or while browsing another website. This improves the chances of conversion.
Also Read: Key Differences Between Traditional and Digital Marketing in Kerala
WhatsApp and Conversational Marketing
WhatsApp is not only used for sending personal messages; it’s also a business tool. WhatsApp is widely used by the tourism industry to communicate directly with travellers. You can use WhatsApp to send booking confirmations, to respond to queries, or to share promotional offers. Conversing via WhatsApp adds a personal touch. Promotional emails often go unnoticed. However, WhatsApp messages have a greater chance of being noticed. WhatsApp can also be used to answer queries in real-time, which improves customer satisfaction.
User-Generated Content
Benefits of User -Generated Content (UGC)-Image Source: Scontentstudio
Usage-generated content, such as reviews, testimonials, or photos of them travelling or visiting a resort, can come across as genuine content. In this modern age, Usage-generated content adds more value than boring advertising campaigns. An Instagram Reel, YouTube Shorts, or YouTube Vlog of the trip to a particular place, a resort, or a hotel can have more influence on the audience. This kind of content also creates a sense of connection with the audience. The Kerala tourism industry can encourage visitors to share their stories via social media platforms, which increases trust among the audience.
Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Travel Messaging
Nowadays, travelers are more conscious about sustainability, emphasizing eco-friendly tourism initiatives such as plastic-free zones, organic food tours, etc. This will be appealing to tourists who are environmentally aware. By incorporating sustainability into their marketing efforts, businesses can stand apart.
Analytics and Performance Tracking
Analytics tools like Google Analytics or SEMrush provide information on the performance of advertising campaigns. This data can be used to analyse the campaigns and also make necessary improvements to them. For tourism businesses, data such as website visits, booking conversions, and social media engagement is essential to understand the return on investment. By using analytics, businesses in the travel industry can stay current in the digital landscape.
Conclusion
Kerala tourism businesses find it a necessity to use the latest digital marketing trends as travellers are relying on digital platforms to plan their journeys. There are various trends in digital marketing, such as local SEO, visual marketing, voice search optimisation, chatbots and AI, conversational marketing, user-generated content, etc. By incorporating these trends into your digital marketing efforts, you can connect with travellers in a meaningful way. By leveraging these trends in digital marketing, the Kerala tourism business can attract more and more travellers and enhance the tourism industry.
dExito Branding is a Performance Marketing Agency in Kerala, delivering expert digital marketing and SEO services tailored to your business goals. As a trusted SEO Company in Kerala, we help brands grow online through innovative, data-driven strategies. Contact us today to drive measurable results and elevate your digital presence. For further information, please contact us today.
Salmanul Faris, Founder of dExito Branding, is a seasoned Performance Marketing Expert with over 8 years of experience in Google Ads and Meta Ads. He specializes in helping businesses across India and the GCC achieve measurable growth through data-driven marketing strategies. Amidst his dynamic role at dExito, he shares insights on the latest trends in digital marketing and performance marketing, helping brands stay ahead in the competitive digital landscape