Hard Brexit. Soft Brexit. No Deal. Some Deal. Happy Meal. Who even knows what we’re in for any more?
Brexit has been shaping the lives of UK businesses for a while now. No particular shape, obviously, and it’s shifting all the time, but it has led to conversations about the possible outcomes of a no-deal Brexit… not least in the travel sector, where EU law and benefits play a huge role in the success of a company.
The uncertain outcome of Brexit has UK holidaymakers and inbound tourists worried. Nothing is more telling than the search terms listed on Google Trends, and no time is more crucial than now for travel brands to reassure customers that they’re ready to weather this turbulent time.
Brexit video marketing: Why do it?
If you’re a travel sector marketer and wondering why you should dedicate time to something that’s probably taken up far too much space in your life, here’s how we see things:
- Whichever way you voted on Brexit – and whether you personally prefer we leave with a deal or without one – bears no impact as to the best next steps for your business. You need to pay attention to your customer’s needs. So focusing on this for a moment should be top of your priority list whatever your political beliefs.
- This is an opportunity for you to build customer trust. Your customers have questions – don’t leave them unanswered. It affects purchasing decisions.
- Video marketing done well creates a specific and special kind of connection with the viewer. Consumers are viewing Brexit as a risk when it comes to putting their money down for a holiday or tourism experience, not to mention a confusing one. Distil everything they need to know into a short, watchable video to forge a faster bond with them. Gain their trust, and help them make the right decision with the facts. You can’t fail to win them over with that kind of timely, topical video marketing in tow.
Brexit video marketing guided by search queries
To inform your Brexit video marketing content, we’ve gone right to the source of your customer’s worries and clinched a list of Brexit/travel search terms trending on Google right now.
Depending on what type of travel brand you’re working on and how much time you feel like you want to dedicate to this, we have pointers as to who is most likely to be Googling that term and what you may want to include in your video to address their specific fears.
We’ll provide a list of related search terms for each too, so you can build further search queries into your storyboard.
Search term: “Brexit and holidays”
Related searches:
will my 2019 holiday be affected by brexit
how will brexit affect package holidays
should i book a holiday for after brexit
will brexit affect my holiday in 2019
Audience: British people who like holidaying in Europe.
Brexit marketing videos around this search term will want to speak to British families who are worried that their European holiday will cost more, or be cancelled if they book one now.
To guide your video, the line ABTA are using is:
“There is nothing to suggest that you will not be able to continue with your holiday plans after 29 March. Even in a no-deal scenario, the European Commission has said flights to and from the UK will still be able to operate.”
Reassurance is key here, and citing this professional opinion early in your video to achieve that will go a long way.
When it comes to talking about your own brand, it’d be a good idea to touch on the procedure for any of the following items that apply to you:
- Customer protection if anything goes wrong (insurance, guarantees, refund periods, etc).
- Flight operation.
- From 2021, British people travelling to Europe will need to apply for and purchase an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System). These are valid for three years once obtained, and cost £6.30. Read up on them here.
- The possibility of requiring a new passport in the event of a no-deal.
- The likelihood that Ehics (European Health Insurance Cards) are likely to cease to exist post-Brexit. If a deal is reached, these will be valid during the transition period, which lasts into 2020.
- Your customers should check if a change in legislation changes anything in the T&Cs of their travel insurance.
- Mobile phone rates may be subject to change when travelling abroad after we leave the EU.
- Airline delay compensation procedures, ferry and Eurostar operation will not be affected by Brexit.
- Driving licenses may not be valid as a standalone document after Brexit. British travellers in Europe may need to apply for an International Driving Permit, but this is not yet confirmed.
Search term: “travelling to uk after brexit”
Related searches:
Will my EU passport still be valid after Brexit?
Can I travel to UK with EU ID card?
How long can I stay in Europe after Brexit?
Can I stay in the UK after Brexit?
Can I work in the UK with a British passport?
Will my current UK passport be valid after Brexit?
Will you need a visa after Brexit?
Audience: European and overseas travellers wishing to visit the UK.
Our investigations into non-British queries about travelling to the UK reveals that, in contrast to the above, concern lies less in the price of visiting the UK and more about the continuation of free movement.
This is a big and tricky subject for travel brands. But the baseline you can work from is that EU citizens are unlikely to need visas to enter the UK. Long-term stays and rights to work, however, may change quite dramatically as it appears that new migration systems will be put in place.
The direction you take your Brexit marketing video on this subject very much depends on which side of things your business is affected by. If you’re a tourist site welcoming day visitors, then you’ll have an easier time explaining that there don’t appear to be many major changes happening for EU citizens taking short holidays in Britain.
If, however, your business focuses on long-term travellers or concerns helping international travellers to find jobs, you’ll need to guide your viewers carefully around possible outcomes. Checking out this Channel 4 News article would be a good starting point for further research.
Search term: “travel to europe after brexit”
Related searches:
eu citizens travelling to uk after brexit
will i need a visa to travel to the eu after brexit
visa to travel to europe after brexit
driving in europe after brexit
will eu passports be valid after brexit
where can i live with a british passport after brexit
Audience: European and overseas travellers wishing to visit the UK.
The audience searching this term are coming at it from a slightly different angle to those looking specifically about information regarding the UK.
The trick here is to address that the rest of Europe will remain unchanged as they are not leaving the EU. But when it comes to talking about how travel procedures around Britain may be affected, the key thing to do is be accurate without asserting any feelings of unease. Explain to your customers that you are doing everything possible to safeguard against / future proof possible scenarios, and simplify the changes taking place in the tourism sector. Use video to set their minds at rest with clear message.
Search term: “brexit flights”
Related searches:
Will planes stop flying after Brexit?
Will flights be grounded after Brexit?
Will UK citizens need a visa to visit Europe after Brexit?
Will UK citizens need visas for Europe?
Will my EU passport still be valid after Brexit?
Audience: UK citizens planning to fly to European countries.
This search term is going to be very much focused on two key areas:
- Reassuring customers that British flights will not be grounded indefinitely after leaving the EU.
- How flight prices and boarding procedures may change if we leave the EU with no deal.
According to gov.uk, if the UK Brexits without an EU deal in place, airlines will automatically lose rights to fly in EU airspace without seeking advance permissions. It’s up to individual airlines to seek and secure that permission.
Any operating airline worth their salt will be ready for this, and as Brexit gets closer, airlines will be accelerating their pursuit for permission.
When it comes to your customers, the most useful thing your video can specify is the importance of good, comprehensive insurance in case of disruption. The UK Government have published this web page detailing every potential risk and solution in the case of a no deal Brexit, but the key takeaway is that they must have decent insurance to make sure they are covered in any eventuality.
Search term: “pound prediction after brexit”
Related searches:
what will happen to the pound after brexit
what happened to the pound after brexit
pound to euro before and after brexit
why is the pound falling today
value of the pound since brexit graph
Audience: Everyone.
Of course, tourists want to know how far their GBP is going to go in the face and wake of Brexit.
The real answer, of course, is that it’s near impossible to predict. At the time of writing, the only certain thing about the value of the pound is that it has yo-yo’d constantly over the last year, and though many predict that the pound will weaken in the face of a no deal, there is no solid evidence that says this will definitely be the case.
With this in mind, all you can do for your customer is be honest. The thing not to do is muddy their trust in you (and indeed the message of your Brexit marketing video) by being unclear and confusing matters further.
Instead, advise them on details you already know, such as the best currency exchange rates, whether you accept their trading currency, and be crystal clear about your own prices so they can prepare budgets instead.
Not sure where to start with your Brexit video marketing? Don’t panic – we can help. Drop us an email today for a consultation.