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Marketing Your Farm Stay: The Five Stages of Travel

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This information was originally published in a newsletter to our farm and ranch members in October, 2012. 

I recently came across a great infographic over at thinkwithgoogle.com, all about the five stages of travel and how travelers “move from dreaming to sharing”.

(infographic link no longer available)

It contains some interesting information that highlights why it’s so important for us have a presence online. In part:

  • 49% of leisure travelers report that they researched online after seeing an online ad in 2011
  • 85% of leisure travelers consider the internet their main source for planning travel
  • 43% of affluent leisure travelers report that the internet prompted them to book
  • 53% of leisure travelers use mobile devices for travel related information — travelers “expect a more informed and collaborative travel experience”
  • 53% of leisure travelers say they share photos of their vacations online
  • 49% of leisure travelers enjoy reading about experiences, reviews, and information online from others who travel(Source: Google/IPSOS OTX Media CT, US, July 2011)

According to Compete, Inc., the average traveler visits ~22 travel-related sites during 9.5 research sessions prior to booking. When we at Farm Stay USA talk about aligning yourself with the farm stay travel niche, even if you are listed on other travel sites, this is why!
Appeal to the Five Stages
Your online presence should facilitate an easy travel choice for travelers!Dreaming: Tell your story with words and images that evoke an atmosphere. The three highlights to hit are the area you are in, what you do, and what you offer.

Planning: Make sure people can tell where you are located, give some examples of other nearby activities, and the transportation options you know of. If you are three hours by car from the nearest airport, travelers will want to know that.

Booking: Make booking and paying simple and easy to understand. Have clear contact information and include your name for a more personal experience. Consider adding online booking, not only to your website, but you can include a link to it in your Farm Stay USA listing.

Experiencing: The Google infographic talks about mobile devices, but for our business, we think this is the perfect opportunity for travelers to interact with our lives.

Sharing: Encourage your guests to share their experience online — give them  your Facebook page, tell them about your guestbook on Farm Stay U.S., ask them to share their photographs with you.

Maximize Your Online Presence
Think about the places you are represented online and make sure you are putting your best foot forward.

  • Use all the benefits of your Farm Stay U.S. listing. Use all your photo spaces (photography will be a topic of a future marketing newsletter!), ask your guests to leave notes in your guestbook, and make sure your summary is accurate and concise. Use the check-boxes for Features, Activities & Animals, and Allowed, and make sure you have at least some of your lodging info in the Units tab. Finally, respond to customer contact requests as quickly as you can.
  • If you are on Facebook, don’t let your page stagnate, and be sure you are responding when people post on your wall or send you messages.
  • The Google infographic above delves a bit into the topic of video. Consider posting videos on YouTube or your own website to show off your beautiful locations, animals, or even highlight a past special event.
  • Watch what people are saying about you on other travel sites, such as TripAdvisor, Yelp, etc. Respond to any criticism in a positive way — travelers doing research will respect that.
  • Check out our guide to Marketing your Farm Stay on the Internet — designed to help those just getting started promoting their business online with the basics.
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