Social Network sites represent a new dynamic in communication for web design.
Web Marketing is more that getting viewers to your site, it&s a trend that aims to facilitate creativity, information sharing, and collaboration among your viewers.
Customers can now help build relationships on your site(s) and you can interact with the viewers on social networks sites like YouTube, FaceBook and MySpace.
Travel companies can now leverage social networking sites and apply Web 2.0 services to their own sites.
Social Networks
There are:
- Large social networks like Google+, YouTube and FaceBook.
- Specialty sites like Flickr or Picasa that specialize in photography
- Travel related networks like TravelTube, TripAdvisor, or Cruise Critic
These offer an array of networking services for the viewer to interact with friends and for companies to market to them.
Some Examples:
- Sunset Resorts
- Club Med here is a group on Flickr started by 1 customer that blossomed into other visitors, ( of different languages) sharing what they like, photography and Club Med.
Using Social Networks
Travel Companies now have the power to own and control their own content instead of relying on the large social networks for offering interactions with their customers and viewers.
A good example is Nesbit They have a good email service and a photo contest for their customers to keeps customers coming back again and again.
Other examples:
- Photo Gallery
- Blog
- Contests
- RSVP & group registration
- Wedding plans & album blog
- Updates to services, property or product
- Special deals
Using a combination of social Networking sites and marketing services should be part of every travel marketing plan.
