Travel-Related Shares Drive 40% More Engagement Than Other Content [Study]

ShareThis’ new consumer sharing behavior report reveals that travel shares generate more click-backs than other types of content.

Marketers looking to boost engagement across social platforms may want to post something travel-related, as new research from ShareThis shows that on average, each travel share generates 18 click-backs. This is 40 percent more than other types of shares.

In its newly released consumer sharing behavior report, ShareThis collected data from its 52 million unique users registering more than 1.9 billion social signals. It found that 10 percent of users share content related to trips and vacations to their social networks, and 19 percent of users who are in the process of planning a trip share travel content.

"Travel is an expensive and time-consuming activity with a lot of variables and touch points, so we often tend to lean on other people's past experiences and recommendations when making travel plans," says Vivien Pillet, research manager at ShareThis. "These days, social networks present a highly compelling source of travel research, and a compelling channel through which brands can reach consumers."

Each social channel has a different influence on the travel-related content that users engage with, according to the report. Close to 70 percent of consumers use Facebook to share travel-related content, and 11 percent use Twitter. However, when consumers research and plan their trips, they are more likely to engage with (or click back on) the content shared through Pinterest, Blogger, and email.

Pillet explains this is likely because Facebook and Twitter are widely used to display personally curated content about a specific travel experience, such as photos and stories from a recent trip. In comparison, Pinterest and Blogger tend to be platforms for more informative content.

"To that end, marketers looking to reach a more engaged travel audience at critical moments in their planning phase should focus their strategies on these channels," he adds.

A deeper look at the sharers shows that Millennials generate 35 percent of total travel sharing, compared to only 22 percent of general sharing. This demographic also drives social conversations around budget travel.

"Travel would certainly be one of those expenses Millennials would cut back on, if possible," Pillet explains, adding that aside from budget travel, travel tips and business travel are popular topics for Millennials as well.

(VIA)