The Power of Instagram . Part I

Why Using Instagram to Promote Your Hotel?

A picture paints a thousand words and for businesses on Instagram it just does not get more literal than this. Ever since its foundation in 2010, it’s been consistently increasing its universe, currently at 400 million users, and second to none other than Facebook.

A picture does paint a thousand words, but when it comes to Hotels, the stakes are significantly higher, since it can be an actual game changer worth thousands of dollars in extra bookings.

With more than 50% of all bookings being currently promoted via the Internet, the importance of offering guests with rich visual experiences is mandatory. On top of this, and given the major influence that social media play when it comes to actual bookings, leveraging photo and video driven social platforms to generate increased sales should be a must enforce practice.

In Which Ways Can You Use Instagram?

Showcase Experiences, Not Rooms

Instagram should be used not as a brochure extension, but yet as a way of promoting your hotel rooms for what they can offer in terms of experience and not as a mere showcase of their functional benefits. For instance, instead of showing just your bed to communicate that you offer top of the line mattresses, why not showing someone soundly asleep on it?

Feature Your Amenities

Use the exact same techniques as when featuring your rooms. Instead of just presenting your amenities deprived of the human element, display images with people on them and how they actually enjoy them. It’s way more engaging and much more appropriate for Instagram.

Never Underestimate The Power of Hashtag [#]

The use of hashtag is often used in Instagram to make photos “trend” for a particular topic. For instance, if you have a photo related with Valentine’s Day, you can and should use the hashtag #valentinesday, since when people search for it on Instagram, your hotel’s photos are more likely to show up and there’s a greater chance to increase your bookings.

Publish Photos of Your Guests Along With Their Testimonials

Nothing builds your online credibility more than testimonials, and Instagram is a great platform to do so. Train your staff on how to approach guests and ask for testimonials, as well as a photo that should go along with it.

Publish Photos of Your Staff

In Instagram, you should alternate promotional and/or sales-driven messages with brand related messages. Branding messages are essentially posts that build your Hotel’s identity and personality, making it more reliable and likable. Posting photos of your staff along with a short story about them is a great way to do this.

Publish Video Messages for Potential Guests Once In a While

One way to give your guests the VIP treatment even before they check-in is to have one of your high-ranked managers giving them a message. Many people tend to forget that Instagram also supports video functionality, which allows uploading 15-second takes. Film a short message/s for potential guests on particular topics and upload it on your account.

Use Instagram to Promote Local Attractions

Remember first and far most, that travelers do not book hotels for the stake of actually spending the vast majority of their time there, with minor exceptions. Your property is just part of the bigger picture of travel experience. This is why it’s extremely important to promote popular and even the not-so popular destinations and complimentary attractions featured in your area.

Publish Brief Reviews of Local Restaurants

Meals and particularly dining, is a crucial aspect of any traveling experience. “What to eat?” and “Where to eat?” are questions travelers traditionally pose. Make sure those questions are answered upfront, by showcasing popular restaurants and/or delicacies on your Instagram feed.

Bruno Santos
Account Manager | HDS – Hotel Digital Strategy
bruno@hoteldigitalstrategy.com