Do you remember your first day at your job? Starting at a new company can be an intimidating process, right? For me, my first day at Wallop was from behind a desk in my living room – because, well, 2021.
My six month anniversary has now come and passed, and I’ve been reflecting on my first stint working in digital marketing for the hospitality industry. Being introduced to the backend of the travel industry during a time of limited international travel has been interesting, but if I can learn how to help clients succeed during a global pandemic, surely the rest of my career will be smooth sailing?
Before Wallop, the bulk of my marketing experience was in social media. But I’m a passionate learner, and I’ve been able to grow alongside an impressive group of people.
So what exactly have I learnt?
One size does not fit all
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the luxury travel industry has a rulebook that wasn’t covered in my Communications classes at school! However, within that rulebook is certainly not a one-size-fits-all set of rules.
While many frequent or affluent travellers plan and book their own trips online, there are many who merely use the web to conduct their own research before booking over the phone or through an agent. Developing strategies that accommodate both types of bookers is of the utmost importance, so as not to alienate any prospective guests. There are many ways to accomplish this, from a properly functioning website (with a clickable phone number!) to ads that are optimized for the most relevant conversion event, whether that be bookings or awareness.
Working alongside seasoned marketers, I’ve seen how user journey information is transferred into actionable, result-driven strategies.
Digital decision making
I began to understand that the booking process is laden with micro-moments of intent-driven interaction. Guests look for personalized content that translates across platforms and devices, which can become increasingly hard to keep up with. Digital marketers are able to track this complex booking process across different platforms with precision and focus, using the most accurate consumer data to inform ads, content and more. Are pop-ups the best way to help users navigate a website, or should keyword-optimized content with linking be the focus? These are the types of questions I hear posited at Wallop. This expertise is what allows Wallop’s clients to feel comforted, knowing that they can focus on what they do best while Wallop drives results.
Expanding skill sets
Digital marketing requires a niche set of skills. New trends emerge, new technology is applied, and platforms evolve constantly. I’ve begun to understand the (sometimes subtle) differences between advertising platforms, from Google to Microsoft, Facebook to Instagram, and how and when to make best use of them with the data available. Through listening, I’ve grown more confident in explaining the intricacies of a campaign to clients, and understand that each presents an opportunity to improve.
I’ve learned so much from listening and engaging with my coworkers. The great thing about Wallop is the collaboration between Wallopers, to produce the best results for clients and for each other.
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