The Power of Instagram . Part II

Why Using Instagram to Promote Your Hotel?

Ever since its inception in 2010, Instagram has been steadily climbing up the ranks, surpassing Twitter this year and currently occupying the 7th overall place among all Social Media Networks.

Create Your Own Signature Content

Throwback Thursdays. Flashback Fridays. Ever wondered why these types of social content are such a hit among social media users? Because they are themed base, they are fun, and they are engaging. You can also mimic these for Instagram Marketing. Here are a few examples just to give you an idea: Museum Mondays [showcasing museums in your area], Gastronomy Fridays [showcasing local delicacies], Secret Saturdays [featuring hidden gems in your area], just to name a few.

Publish Photos From Local Travel Experts

Travelers are constantly seeking inside information of the places they visit upfront. If you do happen to know a local travel expert in your area, get in touch and ask them if they would be interested in taking photographs of interesting landmarks and/or attractions in your area, along with trivia. Upload this on your feed. By doing so, you are positioning yourself as an expert and people would be more compelled to book with you.

Boost Your Feed With Video Testimonials

While your guests are still in your Hotel, ask them if they would be willing to give a videomonial about their stay. Just make sure that they are highly satisfied, because you wouldn’t want a bad review caught on film. You can first ask what’s their feedback and if it comes out being positive, they you should approach them for testimony. You can even suggest them presenting your offer in a more appealing way.

Take Engagement To The Next Level With Instagram Contents

People are competitive by nature. Everybody loves to win, especially if there’s a great prize waiting at the finish line. Social media contests are always a hit and you should promote them on a regular basis. The specific mechanics are up to you. Just make sure that they are simple enough to encourage participation.

Do Not Be Afraid To Show What Happens Behind-The-Scenes

By default, the vast majority of hoteliers are not that interested in sharing behind-the-scenes content with their guests, but trust us, they are very curious about a number of aspects: how do you maintain the cleanliness of the rooms; how do you prepare your breakfast buffet, etc. You don’t have to show them everything, but you can give them a sneak peak to satisfy their urges and curiosity.

Share Hotel Milestones

Did you just renew your conference room? Did you add a new lounge area? Did someone from your hotel staff get an award from the city? Make sure your Instagram followers aren’t left out. Update them on all relevant milestones through the images you publish.

Share Travel Tips

Travelers are always alert for tips on how they can make their trips more enjoyable, safer and stress-free. As someone in the travel industry, they expect that you’ll share your knowledge on the subject. Make this a recurring theme and you can even post short videos to further elaborate on it; something like the “Tip Of The Week” or “Tip Of The Month”, depending on the amount of content you have available.

Share Great Content On A Daily Basis

Using Instagram as a marketing tool, just like any other form of social media, must be done in a consistent way. In the beginning this may sound like a daunting task to add to an already filled up plate, but if you want to see actual results from your marketing efforts, this is something that it’s just not negotiable. Either find the time or delegate it to someone within your staff that has the times.

Conclusion

Its important to keep in mind that these are just some of the good practices that can and should be applied, but don’t expect to get thousands of dollars in sales overnight. Like all social media, success takes time and it implies being actively social from a digital perspective. It will take a couple of posts before actually seeing results, so you’ll have to be patient, strategic and stay the course in your marketing efforts in order to achieve long-term business results.

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