Since the travel industry is mainly recognized by visual appearances, there are many ways to market your property (both inside and outside) on social media.
NB: This is an article from innQuest
If you want your potential guests to take a second or third look at your property you must be able to evoke a response from them and what better way to do that than with stunning images and videos?
Here are some social media tips we picked up from some of the best hotels in the country.
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Appeal to the millennials
Millennials believe that they can make a career out of bouncing from one location to another.
In a sense they can because they keep their eyes out for properties that allow them to kick back and relax, socialize and make new connections, and have great spaces where they can vlog, blog or promote their agendas.
Make sure to showcase the duality of your property by outlining the business and pleasure aspects through images.
If you got it – flaunt it
If your property is consistently scoring in the top 10 or top 100 don’t be afraid to do some social bragging!
Remember your guests want to know that your property is reputable and inviting.
What better way to let potential guests know that you’re serious about creating memories for your guests than to share posts about it? Share some awesome reviews or awards from review sites like TripAdvisor or Google. You can add a disclaimer on your surveys about responses being shared.
Encourage your guests to become social advocates for your property. You can offer rewards and discounts for the share or mention. There are even solutions that can help you automatically manage this like www.flip.to.
The truth is in the details
When creating images for your property think about the things that make it unique.
For example, if your property is themed around 1920s fashion, be sure to take images that outline that.
Guests may select your property based on the geographical proximity to their business or leisure plans, but they also want to know that your property suits their needs or tastes.
Highlight all the amenities your property has to offer from a continental breakfast and business center to a spa or tiki bar. Tell the story of your hotel through images.
What’s going on
When posting on social media, make sure to let your guests know of the events they can participate in while visiting.
By posting local events on your property’s social media page, you accomplish three things:
– You help your current guests plan activities while they’re on-site.
– You gain interest from potential guests, so they know what you and your town have to offer.
– You are immersed in the community becoming an expert on local events.
Lights, camera, action
If you close your eyes, you can likely imagine a million different places in your mind’s eye. However, when you want to paint a stunning picture for your guests, you must get creative.
Get creative with lighting, use different angles, and capture guests having fun.
If you have a rustic inn, be sure to capture images that outline the grounds surrounding your property to drive that point with your guests. Don’t skimp on the images/video. Invest either in professional photography or use a skilled team member with the right equipment and software to give your imagery an edge.
Think about your own social media habits here. What makes you stop and want to engage with posts. Is it an attention-grabbing headline or an image that evokes an emotional response?
Whether it makes you laugh, wonder, inquire or just daydream a little a good quality image or video is the key.
Magic Bullet?
There is no magic bullet to growing your social presence, but there are some basic tenants you should follow to get started.
Be consistent: most of your followers won’t follow you just for your past posts. Your guests/audience wants to know what they will get when they hit that follow button. From frequency to theme, it is important to create consistency to attract guests that understand your story.
Use the right hashtags: the goal is to engage your current audience and win new followers. Make sure you use tags that are relevant to your posts. Do not add tags that could be seen as deceiving to your audience. This does more harm than good.
Timing: make sure you consider the timing of your posts. Analyze what has worked and has not worked in the past. On Instagram for instance, use the Insights under the followers section (free) to garner key data about when your followers are active on your account. This will help you make the right decision on what works best for your target audience.
Wrapping up
Growing your social media presence may seem like a daunting task at first. However, if you follow these tips, it is a task you can conquer. Just keep in mind that growth on social media takes a lot of time, dedication, and effort. You’ll need to be patient and keep modifying your social media strategy to win the day!
