In today’s digital landscape, we see as a hotel marketing platform that hotels face a constant challenge: cutting through the noise and reaching their target audience. While top-notch amenities and impeccable services are essential, they only matter if potential guests get to know about them. And, we can agree that nobody likes an empty hotel… This is where influencer marketing steps in, offering the gateway to connect with travellers and boost bookings.
So let´s show you exactly how to leverage the power of influencers to your hotel´s benefit.
Article Summary:
- Does Influencer Marketing Work for Hotels?
- Best Practices for Working with Content Creators
- How to Find the Right Influencers for Your Hotel?
- Conclusion: Can Influencer Marketing be the Right Fit for You?
Does Influencer Marketing Work for Hotels?
Absolutely. Travellers today are savvy and rely heavily on social media for inspiration and recommendations. Here are some of the main reasons why influencer marketing is a major opportunity in the hotel industry:
- Millennial and Gen Z Reliance: These demographics, representing a significant portion of travellers, prioritize authenticity and trust user-generated content over traditional advertising. Influencers they follow become trusted sources for travel advice. Statistics show that 95% of consumers read online reviews before buying something. And, a study by Justfly revealed that 81% of Gen Z and 75% of Millennials consider social media when choosing where they want to go next.
- Targeted Reach: Partner with influencers whose audience aligns with your ideal guest. Foodies can showcase your delectable cuisine, while family travel bloggers can highlight your kid-friendly amenities.
- Visual Storytelling: High-quality photos and videos capture the essence of your hotel, transporting viewers straight to your poolside cabanas or luxurious rooms. Influencers excel at creating visually stunning content that ignites wanderlust.
- Building Trust and Brand Awareness: Authentic influencer experiences resonate with viewers, fostering trust and a positive perception of your hotel. Regular influencer collaborations solidify your brand identity and keep you top-of-mind for travellers planning their next adventure.
Best Practices for Working with Content Creators
Focusing on the right initiatives, and keeping your priorities straight is always one of the hardest things to do. For this reason, we shortlisted the most important considerations to keep front of mind when working with content creators, namely:
Finding the Right Fit:
- Audience Match: Prioritize influencers whose audience demographics align with your ideal guest profile.
- Content Style: Seek influencers with a visual style and content tone that complements your brand.
- Engagement Levels: Look beyond follower count and focus on engagement metrics like comments and shares. High engagement indicates a loyal and interested audience.
Building Strong Partnerships:
- Transparency and Communication: Outline clear expectations and campaign goals from the outset.
- Creative Freedom: Grant some creative control while ensuring alignment with your brand message.
- Long-Term Collaboration: Consider building multi-campaign partnerships for deeper connections and audience trust.
Tracking and Measuring Success:
- Campaign Analytics: Monitor key metrics like website traffic, booking conversions, and social media engagement.
- Discount Codes and Trackable Links: Use unique codes or trackable links to measure campaign impact on bookings.
How to Find the Right Influencers for Your Hotel?
Influencer marketing isn’t a one-night stand; it’s about cultivating genuine connections. Here are two key points to remember before diving in:
- Forging Lasting Partnerships: The more an influencer enjoys and trusts your hotel, the more their audience will too. Focus on building long-term relationships that go beyond a single campaign. Authentic experiences translate into genuine recommendations, fostering trust and loyalty with potential guests.
- Brand Alignment with Authenticity: You know your brand better than anyone. Seek influencers who seamlessly embody your brand identity while still injecting their own unique voice and creative ideas. This ensures content feels authentic and resonates with viewers, avoiding the pitfalls of staged and impersonal marketing.
Wrapping it up: Influencer Marketing in a Nutshell, is it the Right Choice for Your Hotel?
In short, it depends. Essentially, just diving head first into hiring influencers at your hotel without any strategy is 100% something we highly advise against doing. However, a hotel marketing platform like ours can give you a jump start into engaging effectively with the right initiatives, to get your hotel´s brand out there – through the right channels.
Hopefully, our guide on influencer marketing for hotels helped you get ahead of the game and helps you to start harnessing the power of influencer marketing to forge meaningful connections with potential guests, drive bookings and build a lasting brand presence in the ever-evolving travel landscape.
