Aviation Content Marketing – 10 Tips and Insights

With the aviation market size estimated to reach $396.15 billion by 2029, the demand for flights is greater than ever.

And as the demand for air travel rises, so does the need for companies to invest in quality aviation content marketing strategies to keep up with competitors and drive growth.

Aviation content marketing is a strategy that involves creating and sharing valuable content, whether in the form of articles, videos, or industry updates, that is of interest to travelers and other industry professionals. With the right approach, companies can use a content strategy to build trust, differentiate themselves in the crowded market, and drive sales.

Let’s take a look at how the top 10 best practices professionals use when it comes to content marketing for aviation and explore why having an innovative strategy is so crucial.

10 Best Practices for Aviation Content Marketing

Excelling in today’s airspace means employing the right aviation marketing strategies and taking advantage of time-tested best practices.

1. Identify Your Target Audience

Identifying your target audience is arguably one of the most important aspects of any great marketing strategy. In fact, more than 82% of marketers note that having high-quality target audience data is crucial for success.

In the aviation industry, this could mean the difference between those who travel for business, those who travel for leisure, or those who are simply interested in industry insights.

Each of these segments requires a unique approach. Once you understand your audience’s desires, pain points, and travel behaviors, you can shape your content to meet their needs.

2. Conduct Industry and Competitor Research

By researching competitors and keeping your finger on the pulse of the industry, you can see what’s working well for successful companies and what isn’t

Consider analyzing the types of content your competitors are using, what kinds of distribution channels they’re focused on, and what sorts of engagement tactics.

If you’re creating content focused on industry insight and growth, and your research shows that the aviation industry has a compounded annual growth rate of 3.4% over the next two decades, it might be worth dissecting why and writing a blog for interested industry personnel.

3. Develop a Compelling Brand Story

A brand story is what creates an emotional connection between a company and its audience.

With a strong, cohesive narrative that outlines your brand’s vision, history, or what sets you apart from the competition, you come across as more authentic, which is a very powerful asset in building long-term loyalty.

For example, Virgin Atlantic has a compelling brand story that outlines its unique history, its innovative spirit, and its desire to become a leader in aviation sustainability.

4. Create High-Quality and Valuable Content

High-quality content has the ability to set your brand apart from the competition and provide your audience with true value.

The question is, “What kind of content do you want to create?”

Some airlines, such as KLM Royal Dutch, have found success in their aviation content marketing by writing meticulously crafted travel guides that avid flyers can use to decide on their next destination.

On the other hand, Turkish Airlines opted for a video content marketing campaign, which they labeled their “Five Senses” campaign. The cinematic advertisement featured an immersive sense of what it’s like to travel with Turkish Airlines, all with the narration of none other than Morgan Freeman.

The idea here is to create content that you can use to keep your audience engaged and encourage them to travel with you.

5. Leverage Storytelling to Connect with Audiences

Brand storytelling is one of the most powerful best practices in content marketing, as it’s the narrative that weaves together everything a company stands for, from its history to its values and its current mission.

With the right story, you can create a form of travel for your customers that feels less solely functional and more emotional.

Singapore Airlines has long used the slogan “A Great Way to Fly,” accompanied by stories that highlight the dedication of the cabin crews and the luxuriously high standards they seek to maintain.

6. Optimize for Search Engines (SEO)

Over 60% of flyers start their journey with a search engine, whether they’re looking for flights, accommodations, or travel tips. Having a strong presence on the SERP is the best way to ensure that when travelers decide they’re ready to start planning, your site is the first one that comes up.

A strong SEO strategy makes your company more visible and accessible online. In aviation content marketing, that means optimizing your website copy and blogs with keyword research and optimizing for local search terms, such as “flights from [City]” or “direct flights to [Destination].”

7. Promote Your Content Across Social Media

Social media has an incredible impact on the way leisure travelers find their next destinations. In fact, in 2023, 75% of travelers said posts on social media inspired them to take trips.

Whether you’re sharing breathtaking shots of popular destinations via Instagram, collaborating with influences to create brand credibility, or hosting live Q&As via LinkedIn, there are infinite ways to promote your content on social media and boost your engagement.

8. Incorporate Customer Testimonials and Success Stories

Smaller aviation companies looking to attract a long-term, loyal customer base can utilize customer testimonials and success stories to build their credibility.

Take it from the success of larger companies, such as Southwest, which shares numerous customer stories to highlight the success their customers have had using their services throughout the years.

Consider showcasing authentic testimonials via social media with everyday travelers sharing their travel experiences with your company.

9. Focus on Educational Content

Many airlines focus on providing educational content in the form of travel guides, service updates, and insider tips.

Delta Airlines’ News Hub is an excellent example of a diverse educational content strategy, as consumers can gain insight into new airline operations, travel tips, and the latest in lifestyle, technology, and business relevant to travel.

With valuable educational content, you can inform and assist travelers while building a deeper engagement.

10. Regularly Analyze and Adjust Your Strategy

It’s difficult to know whether your aviation content marketing strategy is optimal if you haven’t measured it.

Luckily, there are numerous tools for measuring and analyzing the results and performance of content campaigns in real time. Some, such as Google Analytics, are free, allowing you to track consumer behavior, website traffic, and conversion rates, all relevant to specific campaigns.

With data in hand, you can make adjustments and use A/B testing to determine the most effective approach.

Why Content Marketing Is Crucial for the Aviation Industry

While some see content marketing as a simple tool for engagement, it’s so much more. In the aviation industry, it’s a key aspect of staying connected with the modern traveler in a meaningful way.

Let’s look at a few reasons why adopting an aviation content marketing strategy is a must.

Building Brand Awareness and Loyalty

With a compelling brand story, insightful and educational articles, and engaging personalized content, you can establish a strong brand identity that resonates with your audience. The key is consistency.

You want customers to develop a consistent perception of your airline, as when they go to book a trip based on a specific offering, whether low-cost flights, luxurious amenities, or a commitment to sustainability, your airline is top of mind.

As this familiarity grows, so do trust and loyalty.

Engaging with a Global Audience

Digital marketing is key for expanding and maintaining reach with a global audience. In this regard, it’s critical to understand how your content is perceived across different cultures, languages, and contexts.

When you look at a company like Emirates, for example, which tailors its services and marketing campaigns to a wide range of cultural sensitivities, it’s easy to see just how successful and relevant a company can become on a global scale with the right strategy.

Educating Customers on Services and Innovations

Content marketing should be about enhancing the customer experience.

With detailed content that looks at new technologies, sustainability initiatives, or freshly implemented safety measures, you can keep customers up to date and show your commitment to responsibility and improvement.

The CEO of Lufthansa recently created a video detailing the future of travel with his airline, showcasing how the company is improving its services for the future.

Strengthening Customer Relationships

The right approach to content can strengthen relationships with your customers. It’s about being empathetic and engaging. Social media provides an excellent platform for this, as airlines can engage with and respond to their customers’ comments, questions, or concerns.

With instant connectivity, travelers can make better decisions about their upcoming trips while you foster a better sense of trust and reliability with them.

Enhancing Online Visibility

Visibility is key to the success of any business.

With an SEO-optimized aviation content strategy, you can rank higher in the search results for aviation-related inquiries. The more intentional you are with your SEO, including keyword research, link building, and auditing, the more potential you’ll have to reach new customers.

Supporting Direct Sales and Promotions

Content is an excellent tool for supporting your direct sales and driving bookings.

For example, you might create a detailed blog post about a trip to Dubai and couple it with a promotional offer for upcoming flights there. The same can be done for seasonal sales or special discount events, which can be crucial to take advantage of in a highly competitive space.

Differentiating in a Competitive Market

The aviation industry is looking at peak competition in 2024, forcing many airlines to recalibrate their marketing plans.

Highlighting the exclusive services, innovative tech, or stellar customer service that your airline offers are just a few of the ways that you can differentiate yourself from competitors.

Assessing the Effectiveness of Your Aviation Content Marketing Strategy

It’s important to make sure that your content marketing strategy is not only reaching your target audience but helping your company reach its goals. This is where carefully anlayzing the results of your strategy comes into play.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to Track

With your digital marketing goals intact, you’ll need to have key performance indicators (KPIs) that you track and measure as your campaigns progress.

These KPIs can include anything from how much time a customer spends on your blog to how well a specific social media post is converting. We have a more in-depth list of key metrics to measure, which you can explore here.

SEO Rankings and Organic Traffic

If you want to know how effective a particular content marketing campaign is, your SEO rankings and organic traffic show tell-tale signs.

Content with higher rankings in the SERPs will have better visibility, while organic traffic shows that not only are people finding your content but that your target audience deems it relevant to their search inquiries.

By regularly monitoring these metrics, you’ll be able to determine what style of content is best meeting the needs of your audience.

Analyzing Engagement Metrics

On social media, we show our appreciation for value with unique types of engagement, including shares, likes, and comments. Even the number of seconds we spend engaging with a particular piece of content is a sign of how compelling it is.

By analyzing and comparing these metrics across your content, you can gain insight into what engages your viewers and visitors most, and use that information to refine your content strategies in the future.

Evaluating Conversion Rates

Most marketers have the ultimate goal of conversion in mind when creating content. After all, even something as simple as writing a blog takes time and resources.

Your conversion rates are how effectively your content drives specific actions, whether that entails a customer booking a flight or enrolling in a loyalty program.

Creating highly targeted and persuasive content that directly contributes to your overall goals while keeping note of what characteristics that content possesses is the key.

Social Media Performance Analysis

Finally, we come to social media analytics, which is a world all its own. There are a few key metrics we can follow across platforms, such as post reach, engagement rate, and follower growth.

However, just like creating a Facebook ad campaign is very different from creating a viral video campaign on Tiktok, so is the analysis to determine whether each campaign was a success.

The goal is to see whether or not the content you released onto a particular platform aligns with the interests of your audience on those platforms and whether or not you need to adjust your strategy.

Current Challenges in the Aviation Sector

The aviation sector has its own set of unique challenges that require creative solutions and insights to manage and overcome. Some of the most prominent modern-day challenges include:

• Rebuilding Customer Trust Post-Pandemic: Many flyers still have concerns regarding safety and hygiene during the travel experience, and airlines must be able to effectively communicate and address the actions their taking to mitigate health risks.
• Adapting to Changing Travel Behavior: More and more travelers want better flexibility. In order to adapt, airlines have to market their changes in regards to flexibility and service offerings to reflect those travel patterns.
• Reconnecting with Past Clients and Attracting New Ones: There are several key strategies airlines can use to reconnect with past clients while attracting new ones, such as personalized email campaigns and enhanced loyalty programs.

Future Trends in Aviation Content Marketing

Just like the aviation industry is in a rapidly evolving state itself, so is the type of content marketing success demands.

Incorporating Augmented and Virtual Reality

Augmented and virtual reality are set to be explored over the next decade, and some experts say this niche market alone will grow at a stunning 60.5% CAGR from now until 2027.

These new experiences provide customers with a uniquely immersive form of content, where they can explore exotic destinations or test out the cabin of an aircraft without leaving the comfort of their living rooms.

Leveraging AI for Personalized Content

AI seems to be everywhere we turn these days, and its ability to deliver highly personalized content and messaging is stronger than ever.

Many aviation companies are using artificial intelligence to generate relevant content for their audiences, from destination guides to travel itineraries and beyond.

The Rise of Interactive Content

Interactive content has taken a huge leap in the aviation industry over the past few years, from mediums like polls and quizzes to 360-degree videos.

Not only can this type of content be informative and educational, but it can also give your potential customers a more hands-on approach.

Plus, considering the fact that its 70% better at generating conversions than passive content, it’s worth investing in.

Voice Search Optimization

Voice searches are more prevalent than ever, which is exactly why your aviation content marketing strategy should be optimized for voice search.

Focus on long-tail keywords and natural language that travelers might use when speaking into their devices, such as “how much, which flight, etc.”

Case Study: Guardian Jet

Mediaboom partnered with Guardian Jet to revamp their Vault 3.0, significantly enhancing user experience and functionality.

Additionally, we redesigned Guardian Jet’s website, further improving the overall online experience.

This aviation content marketing strategy led to a 732% increase in online leads and a 1,409% rise in website traffic.

Key features included real-time access to fleet data and interactive tools, boosting client engagement and satisfaction.

Conclusion

The strategies for aviation content marketing are ever-changing, though by adopting the best practices above, you’ll be able to connect better with your audience and stay competitive in the industry.

If you’re ready to revolutionize your marketing, subscribe to our newsletter for more insights, or get in touch with us here at Mediaboom to see how we can help you soar above the competition with a top-tier content marketing strategy.