TripAdvisor for More than Just Reviews

TripAdvisor will no longer be just for reviews. It was announced that the site will soon be launching a new social media platform to compete with the likes of Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. With 20 million unique visitors a day, travelers may soon be spending much more time on the site.

One Network for The Traveler’s Journey

TripAdvisor’s social update is intended to be more personalized, helpful, and easier for travelers to use. Users will be able to follow friends, brands, and influencers to gain inspiration and get trip recommendations. Then, travelers can make reservations for hotels and tours on TripAdvisor. Finally, travelers can share photos and post about their own trips. TripAdvisor will be there for every step of a traveler’s journey.

Businesses will have the ability to create posts and special offers to entice customers, too. The new “nearby” push notifications help users find new restaurants and venues while at their destination. In addition to attracting travelers, this can also help businesses reach local audiences. We do not yet know if businesses will need to pay additional fees for featured placement in the social feeds.

Building a Community

While it’s always a risk to introduce a new social network when internet users are already committed to so many, TripAdvisor has a good chance of competing in the social space. By personalizing feeds based on the destination that a traveler is researching, TripAdvisor streamlines the research stage. With elements of Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Yelp working together, TripAdvisor may have built the social media site that travelers want.