There’s no denying the power of social media when it comes to promoting your hotel. With so much information out there, how do you figure out which hotel social media trends are worth the hype?
If you’re ready to amp up your social media presence and turn engagement into bookings, certain trends work better than others. Let’s take a look.
Invest in Paid Social
Every social media channel has its limits when it comes to organic traffic. The ever-changing algorithms on platforms like Facebook and Instagram make it challenging to get in front of users. Unless, of course, they’ve already engaged with you.
If getting in front of the right people is important, paid social is a great way to make strides. Social platforms collect useful information from users that allows you to target those with specific interests and demographics. For those with small marketing budgets, it’s a great way to start making an impact.
Focus on Instagram
Currently, Instagram has over 1 Billion monthly active users and 500 million active users — that’s millions of opportunities to engage. There’s hardly a major brand that doesn’t use the platform to inform and inspire their customers.
Hotels should be doing the same thing. Instagram’s ability to directly influence travelers and their itinerary are unprecedented. Why not be one of the hotels that inspires them to travel to a new location or try something different?
Video is Still Key
Many large and small hotel chains are using video ads across all platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and Mobile. While only 8% of hotels are currently making significant room in their budget, it’s still an aspect of almost every marketing campaign you see for major brands. Plus, it’s expected to keep growing.
Focus on making high-quality, value add videos that showcase your property, amenities, and location in a way that grabs attention. These days, capturing high-quality video is cheaper than it’s ever been. A decent camera and someone that knows how to use it can get the job done in just a few hours. In some cases, editing is as simple as having the right app on your phone. That means you could edit and have it up on social media in a flash.
User-Generated Content
Your guests are your best advertisement. When they’re having a good time, it shows. So why not show that off on social media as well? When 75% of travelers are seeking experiences over products or things, having your brand featured in the highlight reel of their adventure is essential to growth.
Whether they’re posting on Instagram Stories, Facebook, or Snapchat, ask to use their content. Retweet or regram posts that you’ve been tagged in. Not only does it build engagement, but it lets other users know that guests have a good time at your resort. And we all know how impactful a single positive review can be.
The bottom line is, social media is one of the most effective digital marketing channels for hotels that aim to establish their brand. For example, 75% of international luxury chains and 52% of independents identify Facebook and Instagram as strong brand drivers. That’s pretty remarkable, all things considered.
Lauren Levin, CMO of Moxy Hotels, said this of growing brand awareness via social media, “To maintain relevancy, you need to continue to innovate the guest experience.”
With these hotel social media trends in mind, you can show off those innovations with ease.
