TripAdvisor rolls out self-serve ad platform for SME businesses and agencies

TripAdvisor has unveiled its TripAdvisor Media Manager, a self-serve?platform that empowers small and medium-sized businesses and agencies to control their own cross-platform advertising campaigns on TripAdvisor.

Designed to help individual suppliers, niche partners and advertisers reach qualified audiences, businesses can ensure their content reaches consumers through three targeting options: user location, browsed destinations or recent travel planning activities on TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor Media Manager also enables advertisers upload their own creative for fast TripAdvisor review and approval. The native listing format enables advertisers to build their ads directly in platform to seamlessly fit in with the TripAdvisor mobile experience. Advertisers can set their own campaign budget and schedule, and then monitor results and adjust as needed in a realtime dashboard.

The new platform is available to global advertisers, supporting more than 15 currencies, and offers a wide variety of targeting options to reach their core customers. The launch follows the introduction of a suite of new-to-market advertising services and solutions that enable tourism and non-endemic advertisers to reach more relevant, high intent audiences on and off the TripAdvisor platform.

Christine Maguire, VP, advertising revenue for TripAdvisor said it is excited to?enable local and small businesses to easily and quickly create and upload their own campaigns that they can push live on TripAdvisor in a streamlined way. "The real benefit is the ability to quickly grow a business by reaching nearly 460 million loyal, engaged and connected travelers who want to hear from brands that are relevant to them,? she added.

TripAdvisor recently appointed?independent creative shop Mother Holdings as its global creative partner. The agency has offices in London, New York, Los Angeles, and Shanghai, while the business will be led out of its New York office. The new creative platform is scheduled to coincide with TripAdvisor?s 20th anniversary next year. TripAdvisor aims to not only be the largest but also the best guidance and planning destination. As such, it intends to introduce features and tools to enable faster, more personalised recommendations and advice from travelers that share the same needs and preferences.

Meanwhile in September, it tapped Havas Media Group for global media duties, in a bid to?capitalise on Havas? position within Vivendi, among others. The account is being led out of the US.

(Read also: TripAdvisor?s social network: Taking FB and Instagram head on?)