Travel Copywriting 101: Why your marketing material butters no parsnips
January 16, 2009
Yesterday this page on the Aruba tourism website got me thinking - worrying, actually - about travel copywriting.
Consumer marketing copy has to be two things: first, it has to be aspirational (to make you want a product of this kind); second, and much harder, it has to be persuasive (to make you want this product).
If you fail at the second, you fail to inspire a purchase decision. It's here that much of the travel marketing copy I read is falling down.
It handles aspiration - to be blunt, some of it reads like the writer was handed a trowel and a bucket marked 'POSITIVE ADJECTIVES' - but it stops short of telling readers why this paradise/gem/hideaway and not another.
I'm conscious that not everyone can afford specialist copywriters, so for anyone tasked with filling a brochure or media pack, here's one big tip that will help firm your stuff up:
For every value or attribute you want to get across, provide at least one proof point that is rooted in the destination or product.
Say we're selling whale-watching in Madeira. Yes, the whales are majestic. Yes, the sun is gleaming on the water. But more interestingly, Madeira's volcanic landform means its waters get very deep very quickly, meaning you can get your cetacean fix without going too far from the harbour.
If you can't think of one, do some desk research or make some calls. If you still can't find one, you're trying to push the wrong attribute. Ditch it, move on to the next one, rinse and repeat.
Happy writing...
Nathan Midgley
Comments (7)
Hi Nathan
Nice post... so true.
Why do companies spend loads on other elements of websites (technical stuff) but then think they can chuck any old junk up there as content. Maybe because the content is the last bit to get sorted and by then the techie stuff has eaten up all their budget?
Of course to write meaningful content that's actually rooted in the destination and genuinely useful rather than just full of waffley adjectives... you need to have actually BEEN THERE!
Do you reckon the writer of that Aruba page could even show you where it is on a map?
Jeremy
Posted by Jeremy Head | January 19, 2009 4:42 PM
Posted on January 19, 2009 16:42
That's a classic example - I wonder about the so-called professional writers - lets face it the only real difference is that they are getting the trip for free!
Posted by Lis -travel for the over 30s | January 20, 2009 12:49 PM
Posted on January 20, 2009 12:49
Well... I'm a professional writer who has written up free trips.
IMO neither the cost of the trip nor the professional status of the writer enter into it. There's good writing and bad writing, and that's all.
Posted by Nathan Midgley
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January 21, 2009 12:17 PM
Posted on January 21, 2009 12:17
Hehe. Thanks Jeremy. Heresy in 3, 2, 1...
I think you can write good generalist copy without having been there.
The Madeira example I give could easily come from decent desk research.
There's no way you could do an in-depth feature without visiting, but what I'm talking about - just improving brochure copy as an office-based marketing person - I firmly believe is doable from the desk. You just need to be assiduous about tracking down proof points and checking your facts.
Discuss...
Posted by Nathan Midgley
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January 21, 2009 12:35 PM
Posted on January 21, 2009 12:35
Hi Nathan
Sure... decent desk research with some meaningful detail is at least useful compared to a page of hyperbole!
I've just created destination guides for a large UK airline... and we did the whole lot - even really obscure places using travel writers who had been to each destination recently. It cost a bit more I guess, but it will be worth its weight in gold for good links and bookmarks... On the net there's far more to content than just writing good stuff... it needs to be unique too - then Google ranks it well and more people read it and etc etc etc
Jeremy
Posted by Jeremy Head | January 22, 2009 4:47 PM
Posted on January 22, 2009 16:47
I like the advice from Nathan. Every piece or destination needs validity. There are a thousands of destinations, hundreds of hills - not millions of mountains, but I'm sure you get the point. To convince anyone to book a holiday you need a little differentiation. Greek islands have white-washed houses, Croatia has large forested areas; saying that the waters off Madagascar are crystal clear, is little different than noting that the river Rhine is wide, or the sky is blue. Ask yourself: So What? The answer should point you to the context you are looking for. "Croatia has large forested areas within short distances of its main airports. So if you are a mountain biker on an adventurous sports weekend, it's off the plane, onto the saddle, and into the hills."
Posted by Mark Pawlak | March 8, 2010 7:22 PM
Posted on March 8, 2010 19:22
Jeremy has got it here. There is so much travel copy around that can only have been knocked out between writing for Caravan World and blogging for pet beauty products.com. We are only using writers who have been there, or done it. It's not easy to source such hardy folk, but we are getting there.
Posted by Mark Pawlak | March 8, 2010 7:31 PM
Posted on March 8, 2010 19:31