Dan Cross, GM, Nexa Hospitality
NB: This is an article by Dan Cross, GM of Nexa Hospitality
The catchphrase is ‘content marketing’. It’s the top trend in digital marketing for the hospitality sector, so ignore it at your peril. Just one question: what is it?
Simply put, it’s creating engaging content that tells your brand story, draws your target customers to your website, and drives bookings. Blogs, video, SEO-rich web copy, newsletters, social media — they are all ways to attract the audience you want, and tell them your story. Storytelling is as old as human civilisation itself. From Homer to Beowulf, from Hans Christian Andersen to Walt Disney, these tales are as potent today as they ever were. But not all stories are epics. Perhaps the most famous short story ever written carries enormous impact in just six words: ‘For sale; baby’s shoes, never worn.’
Its author, Ernest Hemingway, was trained as a journalist and understood that choosing words economically and with purpose would create the most powerful images. What’s more, he was also a master at crafting his persona — fair to say he was always ‘on brand’.
All of which brings us to content marketing — and the importance of finding the right way to tell your story. With that in mind, here are the three secrets to finding the content marketing strategy that’s right for you, one that’s customised for your hotel business and will deliver the best results.
1. Take control of your story
Content marketing may be pretty new to Dubai, but it’s certainly not a new form of marketing strategy. However, it still seems alien to most businesses in the UAE, particularly in the hospitality sector — not many companies are engaging in it, and even fewer are doing it well.
Content marketing may be pretty new to Dubai, but it’s certainly not a new form of marketing strategy. However, it still seems alien to most businesses in the UAE, particularly in the hospitality sector — not many companies are engaging in it, and even fewer are doing it well.
This creates an invaluable opportunity for you to be an early adapter. By taking control of your content, telling your story, you can differentiate your brand and create real value by attracting the types of customers you want to book with you.
Think about the many sources of storytelling at your disposal: is your hotel part of a long-established legacy brand with a rich history? Is it a luxury-focused offering with lush spas or vibrant entertainment? Are you particularly known for your architecture, design, special events or dining experiences?
Only when you know what your story is and what customers you want to attract can you begin to strategise and develop your content marketing in a targeted and focused way.
Read rest of the article at: Hotelier Middle East
