Social media and digital influencers are not only a staple of our online lives – they have become an important part of doing business. Especially tourism business.
Working with the right influencers can add tremendous value to any brand by exponentially boosting brand awareness and engendering brand loyalty, especially in the important youth demographic.
“With users consuming content across different platforms, influencers typically reach a very wide audience,” says Oyanga Ngalika, ECPTA’s Communication Manager.
“In the new digital age, social media is more popular and has more users than ever before. As a result, social media influencers are potentially more impactful and valuable than ever before.
“Due to their popularity and following, they serve as trusted voices for consumers and have built lifestyles online that many people want to mimic. Influencers truly are a marketing game changer.”
To tap into this important new trend, ECPTA is launching a new influencer marketing campaign, which is set to kick off during Tourism Month.
“For this campaign, we are looking at showcase various itineraries of provincial gems ready to accept visitors during and after COVID-19,” Oyanga says.
“A number of South African influencers have been chosen due to their reach on various platforms, including social media, online media and personal blogs, as well as travel writers who share their tourism experiences on national media platforms.”
The challenge, as with any new marketing initiative, is to maximise the benefits, while avoiding any potential pitfalls. To this end, ECPTA will scrupulously study best practice in the use of social media influencers, and develop a well-rounded plan around how best to identify , acquire and maintain the right social media influencers.
“We understand that it’s intimidating to broach a type of social media advertising that has endured some fumbles in the past, but we are confident that influencer content can be an extremely effective tool in our marketing arsenal.”
