10 Ways Video Marketing is Enriching Travel Experiences in This Digital Age

Have you ever watched a video on the beaches of Bahamas and felt like being there? In a new study released by eMarketer digital video consumers will grow by 8.2% in 2017. We’re amid a digital age when visual communication, especially video, has the power to not only impact the way we see things but also influence our decisions about everything from work to vacation. Mystery and surprise is the most wonderful part of traveling but hoteliers, travel planners, airlines and vloggers such as Fun for Louis, Lost LeBlanc, Casey Neistat among the many give us a glimpse of what’s out there and what we’re missing out on. They entertain us and also inspire us to make informed travel plans that consequently enriches our experiences by knowing what to do and where to go.

Here are ten questions we’re on the constant lookout when it comes to the ways in which video marketing is constantly polishing our travel experiences in this digital age.

• What are the new innovative video recording techniques?
• What ideas are most popular among vloggers?
• How is video helping parents travel with kids?
• How to do brand and influencer collaboration?
• What are the new ways of traveling?
• How is artificial intelligence changing video marketing?
• What new emotions are evoked from videos?
• What are the must-have video gadgets for travelers?
• How to edit and share videos online?

Want to know what this means? Read on.

1. New Pro Video Recording Techniques Are Emerging

You remember the VHS video tapes? Well, the internet changed that long ago. We’re continually being introduced to new ways of video-recording techniques like 360 degree to show people a location or object from all sides. With virtual reality headsets videographers aspire to create 3D videos, and with technologies like drone aerial views have become popular. Improved camera resolutions have made close-up shots super-cool plus stop-motion is another way to entice millennials, especially. In fact cinematic travel videos have gained momentum since 2016 because they’re considered to be more dramatic and vivid.

We’ve seen trends like forced perspective, slow-mo and time-lapse videos in the past. Last month at the VidCon in California where around 30K videographers met, YouTube announced its VR180 format with which you can share 180 degree 3D videos made from complementary cameras offered by Lenovo or LG.

2. Rise Of Creativity For Airline Safety Videos

Things have been changing ever since video became a part of airline safety. Air-hostesses no longer stand in planes to give a boring demo. Today with the help of video sharing platforms like YouTube, Vimeo and Reddit airlines have found new ways to reach their audiences. CEO of Air New Zealand Christopher Luxon at a summit in Sydney highlighted how it is tricky for companies to balance commercialism with improved customer experience and engagement. Not only do airlines have attract and retain people but educate them as well. All this has to be done with top-notch level of creativity. From two-dimensional drawings, animation and mascots to celebrities – all are being used by various airlines to make traveling entertaining. British Airways collaborated with stars like Gordon Ramsay, Rowan Atkinson and Thandie Newton among others to create a fun learning safety video sprinkled with humor. Turkish Airline on the other hand joined hands with Zach King to add his Vine effects to their safety videos.

Explore: Airline Travel Just Got Better – Unconventional Marketing Gimmicks

3. Innovative Problem-Solving Ideas Via Travel Vloggers

Traveling isn’t just about seeing new places and eating good food, it’s also about several other things like how to survive on your adventure trip looking beautiful. Vloggers like Ann Le make videos nearly every week to give travel tips and hacks to help make traveling easy-peasy and worth it. The aim is to provide value to the audience and give them something different each time. While some videographers use the 10-point trick, others spend 10 to 15 minutes explaining everything in detail with creative storytelling techniques, funny antics and visual shots. A great content strategy leads to increased traffic and social engagement. It also eventually builds your authority in the industry; and of course helps people travel better.

4. Inspiring Others To Travel With Kids

One thing most people dreaded was to travel with children. It was a pure chaos. Nevertheless, lately have you seen travel videos in which mother travels the world with her kid documenting their adventure? Children amused people on Twitter and Facebook until dogs took over, and now travel vloggers have an adorable alibi to gain viewership and inspire young families, millennial moms and single dads to go on a voyage with their little ones. From ‘how to pack for kids’ to ‘ways to entertain toddlers on the plane’ – everything that could possibly go wrong is either truly shown or made right in these videos.

5. Branded Travel Videos For Recommendations

The power of YouTubers is not exaggerated. Marketers from Britain are willing to pay YouTube influencers £67,000 per video! Realizing the potential of travel videos on social media sites, brands want to be there where travelers are. Travel Vloggers are getting paid via brand sponsorships and collaborations.  Nevertheless you can’t “advertise” to a digital audience because they’re in favor of inbound marketing. You need to create value (as I’ve mentioned before). Travel blogger Raphael Alexander shares you need to figure out the unique selling point and be transparent. If the vlogger is honest, it is good news for his/her followers since they can easily find truthful product recommendations for traveling. Instead of betting their luck on let’s say a particular airline or hotel, travelers simply refer to these videos for advice.

Also explore: 8 Digital Marketing Tips for your Local Travel Business

6. Introducing New Ways To Travel

A point of travel videos is to motivate existing and potential travelers to experiment with new ways. While car and plane are traditional and popular ways to roam around the world, videographers are introducing new ways that’ll make life simpler for anyone on a trip. There was once a trend of recreational vehicle (RV) for traveling across cities, but now tiny homes are the thing if you’re traveling from one state to the other in America or Europe. Jenna Spesard’s channel Tiny House Giant Journey is a perfect example of this. She lives in a self-built tiny house that she can attach to her vehicle to travel to places while being at home simultaneously. Such ideas are super-effective for those who a) want to travel yet have their own space, b) can’t constantly afford plane and train tickets, c) like to carry their stuff around wherever they go within the same country or continent at least.

7. Personalization Of Video Marketing With AI

Travel experiences can truly be enriched when the right content reaches the correct audience. The key here is personalization. This is possible by deciphering big data, which can efficiently be gathered and analyzed with the help of algorithms powered by artificial intelligence. Predictive intelligence helps marketers and brands to pinpoint travelers and present travel videos to them in the form of ads on websites or content in emails and social networking sites.

8. Kindling Countless Emotional Responses

What was your reaction to the Facebook video of a cat in a hammock by the car’s window enjoying the city streets? Perhaps you were surprised or you thought it was adorable and some may have even hated the idea (trolls of course). The travel industry isn’t only about a romantic package for two in Switzerland but about how bizarre, adventurous, entertaining and inventive people can be on their trips. Travel is a holistic word I am using here. It includes many things from exotic food (alligator feet and beer claws in China) to extreme sports. While Andrew Zimmern creeps you out, Wil Dasovich thrills you. With such travel videos there is always something for everyone.

9. Video Gadgets for Travelers

The travel industry, as I see it now is about sharing experiences. Although everyone is not a professional videographer, they are on social media and love to share stuff online unless they’re still living in the Stone Age. Clip-on cameras have entered the market to improve the resolution of mobile phone videos. I traveled to Europe in July this year and every one had a phone and selfie stick in hand. While the stick is cliché, the clip on camera is not. Companies like Huawei, Samsung and iPhone are investing in dual camera for more detailed and vivid outcomes for Vines, GIFs and Live videos.

10. Travel Video Editing and Sharing Apps

We’re seeing an influx of new apps to edit and share videos online simply because travel isn’t about keeping it to yourself. It is about sharing your experience with others, personal branding and getting a response for your efforts. At a point only professional video makers could edit scenes and add effects but with smart phone and iOS apps everyone has become a producer, director, editor and marketer. While Adobe Premiere Clip lets you edit professionally on your phone, apps like Vloggi help journal user-generated videos. There are way too many video editing trends lined up to keep track of but it’s fun to know how the travel industry is transforming experiences with this mode of communication.

One thing is for sure: we’re not living in a stagnant world. Both travel and marketing is changing independently and together. The bottom line is to avail opportunities and overcome challenges to provide the best experience to travelers before, during and after their trips.

How are you using videos to enrich travel experiences?