We will always recommend a diverse marketing strategy to maximize results.

Although you may be using Instagram or Youtube already, a LinkedIn profile can also be a great tool for marketing if used effectively. 

This guide will cover why you should utilize LinkedIn to build a better marketing strategy as well as three strategies to start building your presence! 

Benefits of LinkedIn

Builds Trust

Having an active LinkedIn profile builds trust with your customer base — as well as with other businesses. If you plan on using services like the FareHarbor Distribution Network to work with other FareHarbor clients (and gain more revenue!), you will want to add LinkedIn to your marketing tool box. 

From 2017 to 2021, LinkedIn has ranked in the top spot for digital trust when compared to nine other major social platforms (eMarketer’s Digital Trust Benchmark Report 2021).

High Number of Users

You put a lot of time and effort into your marketing campaigns, so you want them to reach as many users as possible. On LinkedIn, you don’t have to worry about your content reaching the wrong people. With such a high number of users, your content can go the distance.

LinkedIn has over 750 million users total and over 310 million daily active users. Over 55 million businesses have a page on Linkedin.

LinkedIn users love to travel

Travel can be an important part of business (hello workations!) as well as a personal interest for your potential customers. Since LinkedIn users enjoy travel and tourism, it is a great platform to promote your business and share industry related content. 

28% of LinkedIn users take 5+ leisure trips per year, 20% take more than 3+ business trips per year, and 18% take 1+ international trips per year (Gartner Online Benchmark Survey [2018]).

LinkedIn Marketing for Tour and Activity Operators

Include Employee Profiles on Your Business Page

The tourism industry is very people oriented and you want to build meaningful relationships from the start. Linking your personal profile and employee profiles to your business page can help you accomplish this.

If potential customers head to your LinkedIn page, they want to know who is running the business they are about to visit to give themselves confidence in booking. LinkedIn is a great way to show your customers the key members of your team.

Furthermore, adding employee profiles to your page can help with hiring goals. Seeing a high retention rate as well as who currently works at your company will provide insight to your company culture. 

Pro Tip: Make sure your business page is 100% complete. LinkedIn gives you a percentage and will show you what steps are still needed to have a full profile. This can include adding photos, providing industry related skills, achievements and more. Follow their guidance to make a lasting impression on your customers. 

Use LinkedIn’s Publishing Platform

To help customers feel confident booking with your business, use LinkedIn to establish your company as a thought leader. You are an expert on your tour or activity, and you should show it! Many social platforms limit your character count, but on LinkedIn you can write, edit, and publish long-form content.

For example, you can create blog posts that feature customer experiences, travel reviews, your local area, and anything else that will be exciting for potential readers. 

Fortunately, unlike most social platforms, LinkedIn users are willing to read long-form copy and have meaningful conversations about the content. This makes it the perfect platform to post on.

If you do not have time to write your own copy, LinkedIn also makes it simple to share third party articles you find interesting. Just be sure to credit your source. Check out all of LinkedIn’s Publishing Platform guidelines.

Join Tourism/Travel Discussion Groups (or Create Your Own!)

There are millions of LinkedIn discussion groups on the platform ranging in a wide variety of industry topics. Participation in these groups will expand your networking connections, bring exposure to your brand, and help you be seen as a thought leader.

Join and comment in groups that are relevant to your business, or those that will help you learn something new. You can only join 100 LinkedIn discussion groups, so be sure to choose wisely. 

When adding your two cents to a conversation, read all of the comments and try to offer a fresh perspective. This will help you gain views on your profile, become an industry influencer, and build your business’s reputation. 

If you do not see a discussion group that works for your business needs, you can also create your own. You can invite potential customers, employees, and other industry professionals. To note, LinkedIn allows you to make up to 30 groups of your own. 

You can establish yourself as an industry expert, build business awareness, and attract new customers and strategic partners. To learn about other out-of-the-box social marketing strategies, check out the related guides below!