Large online travel planning sites like Expedia and Priceline often overshadow the merits of smaller enterprises like brick and mortar travel agencies. Since the stars have aligned this week to bring us both National Travel and Tourism and National Small Business Weeks, it’s the perfect time to consider marketing small travel companies by educating the consumer.

I recently returned from a fantastic honeymoon vacation in Hawaii. I admit to being a mobile-search-first millennial, but being entirely unfamiliar with our 50th state, and already balancing the mounting pressure of planning a wedding, my husband and I decided to hire a small, local travel agency. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.

First, we received an unparalleled personal experience. We arranged one-on-one meetings with our travel agent, received quick, responsive phone calls and emails, and were ultimately handed a customized itinerary built around our interests and personalities. Second, our agent’s relationships with hotels and tour companies earned us great bonuses and upgrades. While this is nothing new, it is an often overlooked benefit of hiring a small travel business, particularly among younger generations.

Still, between time savings and ease of use, online booking sites have major advantages over brick and mortar agencies. How can these small travel companies elevate their message above the clutter? It takes a combination of research, monitoring, and interaction online. It might sound counterintuitive to go to the place where the atmosphere is thick with competitors, but online, specifically social media, is the perfect place to educate consumers about the advantages of your business. Here’s how to incorporate that education into your online presence:

1. Research. Whether you’re an independent, boutique hotel, a small-sized amusement park, or a brick and mortar travel agency, you have competitors, and they’re undoubtedly online. With your location or specialty in mind, start researching your existing competitors (even discover new ones) and see what they’re saying and where.
2. Monitor. Once you’ve identified the channels your competitors are utilizing, start tracking their activity. Invest in a monitoring tool that will alert you when a competitor’s post performs exceptionally well and take notes. What types of information are they providing to their customers? How are followers responding?
3. Interact. Armed with a deeper knowledge of your large competitors and their strengths, it’s time to launch an educational campaign. Showcase your agency’s connection to well-known accommodations or unique events. It’s easier than ever to get this type of content in front of interested users with social media ads that can target travel intenders, newlyweds, business travelers, and beyond.

Through a combination of user reviews and recommendations on Pinterest, my husband and I found our perfect travel agent match, and many tours and excursions during the trip. Interest is out there, and by educating your audience about the benefits of shopping small for travel, you’ll be on your way to a growing leads list.