Purchasing travel online isn't a linear experience. Finding the right destination, lodging, transportation, and activities takes time and effort when it's done with care. All of us have likely gone through the experience of looking for prices on one site, reviews and photos on another, and seeking out more and more information to make sure the experience we book is everything we expect it to be.

Time to take aim at delivering more value to this critical market segment.

Travelers are ditching impersonal formality for genuine familiarity.

Looking back to the preliminary days of social media, brands in the travel industry were some of the earliest adopters and have since been named some of the most successful companies on networks like Facebook and Twitter. Early in 2009, Mashable recognized major players Jet Blue, Carnival Cruise Lines and Hertz, among others, as companies whose "ground-breaking [social] efforts lead to better service."

Social media can be much more rewarding if marketers use it to provide helpful information to consumers, according to Jay Baer, who has been active in digital marketing for almost 20 years and has just published a new book, "Youtility: Why Smart Marketing Is About Help Not Hype." (Portfolio/Penguin; $24.95)

Last month, I wrote about the rise of mobile travel guides (and some of the problems they face). Researching travel on your mobile device is a no-brainer - the convenience and level of detail are great for exploring new places - but what about purchasing travel? Do consumers trust mobile for purchasing flights, hotels, and the like?

The mobile revolution is catching fire with nearly every industry. However, it's likely the most fitting for the travel sector. After all, travelers are quite literally, on-the-go, and mobile only seeks to make their experience easier and more natural.

According to Boston Consulting Group, women control the finances for approximately 73% of American households, and based on research from Working Mother magazine and Chase Card Services nearly 60% of working mothers manage and control their household expenses alone. Since travel budget is typically set aside as a savings expense out of the family budget, brands need to put moms on their short list for audiences with whom to engage and build loyalty.

Hotels increasingly turn to search-like marketing to drive bookings through their Online Travel Agency (OTA) distribution partners. These programs, available on major OTAs, allow hotels to secure premium placement whenever someone does a hotel search.

There is still magic to a phone call. Think of the big Carly Rae Jepsen hit "Call Me, Maybe." It wasn't "Text Me, Maybe" or "Email Me, Maybe."