When someone wants inspiration for how to spend their time – this weekend, next month, or on an upcoming trip – they’re not always starting with Google.
They go to TikTok and Instagram. They search #thingstodoinBoston, #weekendplansTampa, or #kidfriendlyDenver. And they begin to explore.
That’s not traditional search. It feels more like discovery.
That’s the moment when people are open – scrolling with intent, looking for inspiration, and in the mindset to plan their free time. That’s when we need to show up.
Here’s how cultural attractions can become more discoverable on TikTok and Instagram:
1. Hire influencers to create video content about your experience. The more video content the better. The goal is to flood the platform with content – so when someone searches: “family activities in St. Louis”, your experience is everywhere.
2. Include the location in the hashtags. This is what makes the content discoverable in the right moment. A great video without a location tag won’t reach someone planning their weekend in your city.
3. Pay them. When there’s real compensation and – not just ticket trade – expectations shift. If a creator doesn’t follow the brief (including the hashtags), they don’t get paid. Plus, when you’re paying, you can be clear about what message the video needs to deliver.
4. Amplify the content to rank. Posts with more views tend to rank higher in search results. Boosting the strongest pieces can push them to the top of the search results.
5. Shift “tourist” ad dollars to influencers. Before investing in billboards aimed at intercepting visitors to your city, invest in getting on the itinerary. Influencer content reaches trip planners at the moment they’re deciding what to do. And unlike paid ads, influencer content is evergreen – not just a one-time media buy.
I dive deeper into this in the episode “Influencers as Your Tourist Marketing Plan” on The Marketing Attractions Podcast.
