There are many avenues to find inspiration and build an audience for travel content. However, you do not have to spend a ton of money on travel or be in a popular tourist destination to get people hooked on your travel content; often it is simply finding a location that few people know about (hint: this will often create a much more intriguing and engaged audience for you than you might think).
The true wonder of finding these hidden gems is that they have attributes that many other well-known tourist destinations have lost out on due to commercialization. A place like a tranquil lake, beautiful nature trail, or cozy cafe with virtually no one there will cause someone immediately to want to find where that is, resulting in them being much more likely to share that content online.
Contrary to popular belief, you should begin sourcing material for your viral travel post well before you travel.
Instead of searching for obvious keywords on search engines, find and search local social media accounts. Use location-specific hashtags to search as opposed to using generic travel hashtags. Many people in smaller towns and other less-travelled areas often have creators who post pictures and videos of locations that will not be included in most popular travel books.
A “trick” that many seasoned travelers use is to simply ask locals about places to go and visit.
Local residents, whether they own a coffee shop or sell street food or drive for taxis, often are well acquainted with sites that most travelers do not know about such as scenic spots, quiet beaches, secluded waterfalls and family-run restaurants.
When you identify an interesting location, hold off on telling your audience all about it.
Using a caption that encourages your audience to guess where your location is, is a quick way to increase comments & interactions on your posts which will generate your post more reach.
Timing is as important as location when you plan your trip.
The natural light in the early morning hours and late afternoon hours is soft and golden.
The clothing you wear can also enhance your content in a subtle manner.
When you wear outfits that go well with the natural landscapes you are filming, they tend to look even more beautiful than when your outfit is in competition with that environment. On the other hand, if you are filming in a historic street location or a trendy café, a clear ‘clean minimalist’ look or vintage-style outfit will enhance the location, not distract from it.
Many content creators forget that audiences want to experience places and actually feel that they are there. One simple way to help give audiences this ‘feel’ of being at the destination when you film it is to film from your own point of view as you walk along the trail, open the café door, or stand on the viewpoint. By doing this while you are filming from a point-of-view, audiences will believe they have been able to experience that view with you.
Natural and soft sounds of flowing water, birds singing, ocean waves, or leaves rustling in the breeze will add relaxing emotions that background music alone cannot provide.
When you think about the use of music in social media you should not overlook what’s trending on TikTok and Instagram Reels. By utilizing currently trending audio, in addition to using visually appealing images of the locations you are promoting, you increase your opportunity to reach new audiences. Your goal should not be just to chase trends but rather to seek sound choices that set the mood of the place you will be visiting.
Typically, most of the best-known hidden gem content doesn’t show every little detail of the points of interest.
Keeping some amount of mystery helps your viewer create an image of what it would be like to visit that location. Often, showing just one secluded trail leading into the woods tells a bigger story than showcasing all available sights and attractions at that location.
Ultimately, finding hidden places is not about gathering secret places to visit.
It is about experiencing moments that feel authentic, relaxed, and out of the ordinary compared to the tourist experience. If your content will contain that emotion versus just providing evidence of another location, your audience will likely be less likely to keep scrolling, stay engaged until the end of the video, and then recognize your experience long after they have closed the app.
