When using the web to research travel options and seek advice, the novice must take care. The web is a great source of correct information, seemingly good information and down right lies. Any web user with a discerning eye has to keep up his or her guard at all times. A recent case in point, the marketing strategy used by companies on travel boards such as Cruise Critic and TripAdvisor.
It has long been speculated that misrepresentation has been alive and well in many of the postings. The “omg they are sooo wonderful”
posts that permeate discussions can be seen as obvious shills for the company involved. Many employees, travel agents and people with secondary ambitions have long been on boards to influence the “talk” for their own (sometimes not so) hidden agendas. Glowing comments for a tour or company and to a lesser extent downright lying reviews of the competition have increased substantially in the last few years, resulting in the crippling of the honesty and usefulness of many online travel boards.
“Word of mouth” advertising has always been a powerful tool for many businesses. Some of the biggest ad campaign successes have yielded spectacular results when the “word on the street” starts to have a life of it’s own. Who hasn’t recommended a restaurant or a movie to friends and even strangers. Most direct marketing companies depend on word of mouth and personal recommendations. “Everyone has his or her own agenda” or reason for recommending products or services. Just be mindful that agenda or motive might be in reality to juice up the reasons just to entice readers or participants to buy.
Not all comments on the web discussions are submitted in the interest of truthful clarity and sincere open mindedness. It seems more and more, vested interests are lobbying and leveraging the discussion forums on the internet into less and less than truthful slants to the point of dysfunction.
Travel sites are not immune to the hyperbole of the fanatic. Reader be aware!
Sources:
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