Travel brands killing it on TikTok in 2022
TikTok stole the hearts of the world in 2018. It’s therefore no surprise that businesses have taken the platform by storm – and travel brands have been no exception to the rule.
Social media has been a key source of travel inspiration over the years, and TikTok has only fuelled that with #travel receiving more than 125 billion views to date on the platform.
It’s no secret that TikTok has Gen Z (& millennials) eating out the palm of their hand, and travel brands across the globe have used their TikTok personas to reach a new, younger target audience.
TikTok has the promise of a global reach, making it the perfect platform for travel companies to show consumers exactly what they offer, with a twist of their personality thrown in too.
Let’s look at some of the travel brands that have killed it on TikTok in 2022. And if you’re not yet convinced that TikTok is the best place to go to for your 2023 holiday inspiration, keep reading…
Ryan Air (@ryanair)
Ryanair has a well-defined USP – offering low cost, budget flights to destinations across the world. That alone is a popular selling point for Gen Z, a generation who are keen to see the world without breaking the bank.
1.9 million TikTok followers later, Ryanair has created a whole new brand legacy and is now one of the most successful travel brands on TikTok.
They have blown up on social media by including the next generation of customers in a way that is relevant and exciting. Customers have even openly said “I’m only flying Ryanair because of their TikTok admin.”
Much of Ryanair’s success has come from their quick reactions to viral trends.
The most iconic Ryanair movement came in the form of imposing eyes and a mouth onto a Ryanair aircraft; an idea that is regularly used amongst Gen Z users of TikTok, but less so by corporations. The idea was made far more humorous when the airline used the trend to take a tongue-in-cheek mocking stance even making fun of their own services.
A brand that doesn’t take themselves too seriously is a brand that knows how to successfully market themselves on TikTok.
Ryanair is a classic example that budget isn’t everything, but creativity with a dash of wit is a must.
By loosening up the corporate tone of voice, any brand can become popular amongst the TikTok generation; the key here is staying relevant. Gone is the idea that social media is a platform for dispersing information quickly and frivolously. Relevance, innovation and originality are the way forward.
Disney Parks (@disneyparks)
Much like Ryanair, Disney had to do very little to gain traction on social media – it’s Disney, right?!
Where Disney-related content used to find itself a firm home in the realms of YouTube, TikTok has quickly become a new fan favourite.
Their page boasts of a staggering 5.2 million followers: the largest of all their social media follower count. So, what is it about Disney TikTok that audiences love so much?
Disney have used their TikTok account to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the happiest place on earth, lifting the veil on what audiences would see on a usual visit, and giving avid Disney-goers that extra sprinkling of Disney magic. They invested in TikTok during the pandemic and quickly realised how important it was to give people a way to connect to the things they love.
Research has shown that some of the most invested-in videos on TikTok are those that tell stories authentically.
Disney itself is built on the concept of stories; it’s a creative, imaginative place to visit, where fairy tales are the main event. So it is only natural that TikTok and Disney would work in perfect harmony.
Disney put people at the heart of their content; both those making the videos and the people watching them. Real people speaking to real people.
Booking.com
Booking.com has taken TikTok by storm, raking in an impressive 1.4 million followers through authentic, people-centred content.
With a tag line “Making it easier for everyone to experience the world one TikTok at a time.”, Booking.com has used TikTok to give bitesize, immersive clips of beautiful destinations, give useful hints and tips for when travelling, and – as with most successful brands – jumped on relevant viral trends to add personal flare to their content.
But the thing that has really helped Booking.com to boom is its engagement with influencers and content creators.
Influencers are asked to tell their Booking.com experiences. Content creators are partnered with to help promote material directly onto the Booking.com TikTok channel, leveraging them as content producers and in turn helping boost the algorithms bumps for Booking.com itself. A sort of “scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”, kind of thing.
Booking.com also ran a hugely successful campaign in 2022 through TikTok aimed at those who didn’t have travel plans locked into place for the year. Their #TikTokMadeMeBookIt hashtag campaign included a competition offering a trip of a lifetime up to the value of $10,000. All consumers had to do was throw their name into a hat (by engaging in the comments) to be entered into the competition. The hashtag received over 119 million views: a huge success.
Cue the nation setting up Booking.com notifications to find out if it’ll be a 2023 thing too
Final Thoughts
So, what can we take away from the winning strategies these travel brands have used to get their name out there on TikTok?
It’s fair to say that appealing to the consumer is what is key.
By speaking in the right tone of voice for a newer target audience brands like those mentioned have been able to use this on-the-rise platform to shout about how great they are.
Our assessment. Being flexible in their approach and adopting a willingness to learn and roll with the trends is vital.
I said it before, and I’ll say it again – it’s about real people talking to real people. It is clear to see that TikTok rewards the efforts of genuine folk talking in an authentic way to real people like you and me. That’s the best way to get your message across on TikTok.
Need help with getting set up on TikTok, or want to talk more about support with your wider social media strategy? Get in touch at [email protected]
