How To Keep Up Engaging Content While Your Hotel Is Closed
Hey hey there, Firecracker readers. What a year so far, right? *kills drink*
If we thought 2021 was going to be different than 2020… joke’s on us? One thing that’s followed us into 2021 are stay-at-home orders and a (very valid!) reluctance to travel, which are ongoing challenges in most tourist hot spots.
Because hotels are truly a destination-based experience, communication and staying afloat during times of quarantine are even more challenging. You can’t exactly give a hotel experience to-go. (Unless you’re an RV park, in which case we stand corrected.)
During this time, marketing teams around the world have had to jump a giant hurdle:
Keeping people engaged on social media.
So, how do you do that when vacationing feels so far in the future? How do you stay top of mind for an audience that has checked out?
Here’s our key takeaways:
Go Heavy On Inspo Shots
Overly-salesy posts and posts asking people to book their stay for some mercurial time in the future just aren’t performing. It’s also, frankly, a little tone deaf. Stick to getting on their feeds by sharing beauty shots of your hotel or location, organically sharing the awesome amenities you offer, or posting shots that just make your audience think, “Man, I wish I was there.”
Basically, find a way to sell the audience on your resort without actually selling them on the resort.
Use This Time To Re-Introduce Your Property To Your Fans
Time for a history lesson! If your property has a unique history or claim to fame, now is the time to share it. Your current followers (and hopefully, loyal visitors) will feel like they are in-the-know and are more likely to engage with these types of posts.
Also, feel free to introduce staff! If guests consistently give their compliments to the chef, give your chef a shoutout. Connect the humans that follow you to the humans that work with you.
Blast Out The UGC
Not only do you miss your visitors, but your visitors miss you! Incorporating brand-aligned user-generated content into your feed serves multiple purposes:
UGC breaks up the feed content with organic imagery.
It reminds your past visitors that you’re thinking of them.
It gives your future visitors something to envision, should they be considering booking a vacation with you.
Utilize Reels & Guides
🎶 Video killed the photo-based feed. 🎶
Short-form videos are not going away and should be embraced by hotels everywhere.
(Say it louder for the people in the back: EMBRACE THE VIDEO!)
Consider making a Guide for what to pack on your visit to Montana or a Reel of fun things to do at your hotel during a bachelorette party. Get creative and use these videos as a tool for education and inspiration.
Share More Stories and Populate Your Highlights
Stories are still a huge driver of engagement and should be incorporated into your calendars more frequently than ever before. We recommend sharing a Story series (3-5 stories) at least once a week and archiving them in a relevant Highlight. Think of opportunities that bring your audience into the experience, like cocktail recipes to share, wellness tips from the onsite yoga instructor, etc. And with your Stories, always include a CTA and swipe up to visit your website! (If possible.)
Start Influencer Outreach NOW
Influencers are still a powerful force for driving destination sales. It may sound unconventional, but NOW is the time to start outreach to your favorite travel influencers about visiting once restrictions are lifted and vaccines are out (so, think mid-end of Q2.) As you’re negotiating the terms for stay, ask that influencers promote your hotel IN ADVANCE as a part of their deliverables. That may mean Stories expressing how excited they are to visit your hotel, with a swipe up or photo tag. Maybe it’s mentioning the property in a feed post about their 2021 plans. Whatever it is, push for the promotion as soon as possible.
So tell us, Firecracker readers, do these tips help? Want to learn more or talk about boosting engagement for your property? Drop us a line.
Until next week!
- The Firecracker Team
