When I search online for travel agencies, I’m looking for the best deal. We all are. But that is not the only deciding factor. We tend to do business on the sites that meet our needs in the fastest and easiest way. We know this because the average user visits 3.6 sites before making a travel purchase. Aside from offering a good deal, the site that gets our business must be user friendly. A good web designer can create a user friendly site that will increase your agency’s revenue. However, you need to have a starting point.
5 tips to help your travel agency during the web design process.
-
Keep it Simple
There is something called the “grandma rule.” This web design law states your website should be simple enough that your grandma could use it. Don’t force people to have to click on a hundred tabs to book a trip. Even if your site has the best deal, people will leave for your competitor’s because their site is easier to use.
-
Content is King!
Post valuable information. This gives your site credibility. One way to do this is write a daily or weekly blog. Your company’s blog should offer news on travel and other related information. Quality content will help you become a respected source in the travel community. People will comment on your posts and forward them on their favorite social media networks. Valuable information circulates to new customers and creates word-of-mouth. Plus, it’s FREE MARKETING!
-
24 Hour Service
You may not be able to work the graveyard shift, but your website can! A good web designer will be able to create a backend to your site. This will handle all the administrative duties you don’t have the time to do. It also allows people to place orders for your services at any time of day.
-
Increase Your Reach
The Internet give you access to millions of people. Traditional advertisement is far too expensive and has a limited amount of viewers. A website, however, gives you the ability to market your travel agency to the entire online world!
-
The Customer is Always Right
Your travel agency’s website can improve your customer service. No one wants to wait for a reply e-mail. By adding a “Live Chat” to your site, people can speak with a travel agent whenever they need. The faster you can tend to an online browser’s needs, the more likely you are to get them as a customer.
So there you have it! You don’t need to know HTML or Java to understand the importance of good web design. I know when I had my website designed for my content marketing business it was helpful to write an outline. This made it easier to collaborate with my web designer. Once we had a shared vision of what I wanted, he built the site I needed in one try.
Remember, your travel agency’s website should be user friendly and offer great content. A good web designer will be able to make this happen. You just need to know where to start!
Related Blog Post:
The I’Sole Story – Building A Luxury Travel Website From The Ground Up