Why Travel Agents Need Their Own Website

Let's face it: gone are the times when travel agents were able to work entirely offline. Today's travelers are connected 24 hours a day with their mobile phones, laptops and other technological devices and they're looking for travel agents who are online, too, which is why it is imperative that a travel agent has their own website.

If you don't have a website, here are 9 reasons why you need to put "make a website" on your 2019 to-do list today.

You wouldn't book a flight with an airline that didn't have a website, so why would a traveler book a trip with a travel agent who lacks a website? They wouldn't. Having a website gives you credibility to potential clients. With so many travel scams in the world, having a professional website (not just a Facebook page!) will ease the minds of travelers and let them know that you're legitimate and worthy of working with.

Websites give you the opportunity to personalize your brand and share who you are with clients, and according to some studies, that's what they want. Think With Google found that 57% of U.S. travelers "feel that brands should tailor their information based on personal preferences or past behaviors. Furthermore, if a travel brand tailored its information and overall trip experience based on personal preferences or past behavior, 36% (over 1 in 3) would be likely to pay more for their services."

What does that mean? The better that travelers know you and the services you offer, the more likely they'll want to book with you.

Website-building programs, like Agent Studio, have the capability to express your personal brand through different layouts, colors and pages. Agent Studio is an easy-to-use website design platform specifically for travel agents and through a variety of functions you can personalize your travel agent brand and start attracting customers today.

If you're a travel agent with a niche, having a website can be tremendous in terms of potential sales. When you design your website, you'll want to share your travel niche whether it's honeymoon travel, cruises, accessible travel, family travel or even business travel bookings. When you include your niche into a page on your website, Google and SEO will make it easier for people who search for "honeymoon travel agent," or whatever your niche may be, to find you.

Many humans are visual creatures and websites offer an opportunity to showcase the destinations or tourism partners you work with through vivid photos. The higher the quality photos you use on your website, the better the experience a potential client will have, which might make them more likely to want to work with you.

Plus, a website gives you a chance to include sample itineraries you've created in the past so that travelers can get a clear sense on how detailed your services are and what they might expect when working with you.

You can't work with a client if they don't know how to contact you. With a website, you can share your e-mail, phone number and social media accounts so that clients can contact you quickly and efficiently. If you prefer to contact a client, you can even set up a contact form on your website that will allow users to submit their contact information to you so you can reach out to them at a convenient time.

Let your clients know that you stay up-to-date on travel news and the industry by adding a blog to your website. You can share your personal opinions or professional insight on travel through blogs that can be sent your clients or read by travelers who come across your site, further legitimizing your position as a knowledgeable and capable travel agent.

Give new clients an opportunity to see what your past clients think about your work by sharing reviews on your website. Small Biz Trends reported that positive comments and reviews from clients can produce an increase in sales by 18 percent, which can be huge for new travel agents or agents wanting to expand their business. Just ask your clients for a review following their trip and post it on your website for all to see.

Study after study shows that millennials are more tech-driven than Gen X or Baby Boomers, and they're quickly becoming the dominant market in the travel industry. If you want to connect with this large base of potential clients, it is imperative that you have a website. Millennials have grown up in a society where websites are a natural means by which to get to know a business, so prepare yourself to connect with this group and have a professional website in place.

Marketing yourself to new clients is a big part of the travel agent business. With a website, you have a quick and easy place that you can point customers to who want to learn more about you. You can share your website on social media like your Facebook or Twitter page and even place it on business cards and print-outs that you give out to potential clients at conferences and events.