The travel and hospitality industry is highly visual. Therefore, here are some tips for your hotel to achieve greater and better impacts among today’s travelers.
Today, millennials are the most avid travelers among any other demographic group. Moreover, they are the most active users of the Instagram platform. Hence, they also desire more attractive hotel rooms. They would even prefer a luxurious room (with substantial discounts) over a cheaper, budget-looking one. Why? Because they are more share-worthy on social media!
Social media, especially Instagram, should not just be on the periphery of your marketing strategy; it is your strategy, or at least a central part of it.
The travel and hospitality industry is highly visual. There are so many features to showcase, both inside and outside your hotel: the rooms, facades, destination attractions, and surrounding views. Evoking a passion for travel through a photograph makes social media, especially Instagram, an excellent promotional channel for hotels. But you have to say more than just what aesthetically appears. In your social media posts, you should make your audiences take a second look, check where they are, click on your account, and make a reservation.
In this article, we will share some ideas and tips to make your hotel property more appealing on Instagram. However, first, let’s quickly review the golden rule of hotel marketing on social media:
“Focus on personality, not just beauty”
This industry is an endless competition. The world has countless magnificent hotels with breathtaking views. Always remember that people are accustomed to seeing travel content. They like your property, but even if it catches their attention, they are likely to see a photo or video of another property in one or two minutes. The solution is to show the personality of your hotel. Travelers have a general idea of what they want from a vacation, but it’s challenging to imagine the subtle details of the experience. Show them what they cannot imagine themselves.
Standard shots of the hotel are fine, even necessary. But you should not build an entire feed around them. Include also the moments that guests live.
Now, let’s go through a series of ideas and tips to market your hotel on Instagram:
1. Highlight your individuality in the profile
Your hotel has something that sets it apart. Figuring that out is a great first step, but once you know what makes it unique, mention it in your profile. Bunkhouse hotels are pet-friendly, and although I don’t have a dog, I definitely took note of this.
2. Show off
If you have bragging rights, use them! It’s about more than self-service: your guests want to know that you are a reputable hotel that people love and trust.
3. Be different
Not all hotels have a modern, interesting, and trendy clientele sipping cherry drinks by the pool. If your hotel is unconventional, let that drive your social media.
4. Maximize the “Highlights” section of your profile
Brand the covers of your Highlights and use them to showcase what your guests want most, such as spa services or a video tour of the suites.
5. Focus on details
When it comes to photographing hotels, it’s easy to overlook the little things. Choose an area or room you want to photograph, then challenge yourself to look closer, closer, and even closer still. A long table in the dining room might have handmade cutlery, for example. This modest hallway at The Hoxton Hotel has perfect tiles, and it seems that bike is meant to be there.
6. Stick to an aesthetic
This shouldn’t be too difficult because your hotel probably already has a color scheme and ambiance to work with. Do the same with your social media posts, especially with your Instagram photos. Your followers will eventually recognize your photos immediately, even if they haven’t looked at your username or profile picture yet.
7. Help people decide what to do during their trip
Post local activity guides, whether about what’s happening this weekend or in a more general way, so you help your current guests discover how to spend their time. Secondly, attract people to book a room so they can visit your town or city. And thirdly, engage with the community and become a source of information and reference about what’s happening in the area.
8. Squeeze as much as possible
You don’t have much time to captivate users when it comes to seeing an image on someone’s social media feed. So make that image (or video) work for you as much as possible. This Diamond Mills Hotel post serves a triple purpose: not only can you stay on vacation, but travelers will also know they have a restaurant to go to for lunch or dinner, and that they host weddings.
9. Think beyond the rooms
Imagine what else people want from a vacation besides a comfortable room to relax in. For many people, accommodation is a significant part of the experience. Hotel Bel-Air showcases some of the menu’s most sinful items on its Instagram.
Ask yourself why your customers are booking. EcoCamp knows that its guests want to get out and start venturing, so that’s exactly what they show on their Instagram account.
10. Use ads wisely
Ask yourself what the biggest outcome you want to see is, then choose the platform to achieve it. Simple images will increase awareness and encourage people to like, keep checking, or share your content. Videos are the best tools for storytelling, and carousel ads (three to five rotating images with links) are excellent for a call to action and getting someone to book a room.
This carousel ad from InterContinental Hotels Group showcased several hotels in the same location and had a discount offer to encourage people to book a room.
These ideas and tips for posting on your Instagram account will help you showcase your hotel’s unique and most valuable attractions, connect with travelers, and act as a true travel guide for visitors.
If you are interested in improving social media strategies and content quality for your hotel, our team at Brands Travel can help you achieve that goal. Write to us at [email protected]. We are here to support your brand!