Image-driven platforms such as Instagram have given brands excellent opportunities to show the amazing product or service they offer.
Hotels are a great example of businesses that can benefit tremendously from these platforms because they can capture the experiences visitors have at their hotels and share the images with their online audiences.
To help hotels use Instagram more effectively in their marketing, here are four tactics you should use:
1. Highlight local sights and events
People travel to different locations to experience the local culture and see the sights. Hotels can take advantage of this by capturing and sharing pictures of local events or attractions. Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver for example has published Instagram photos of a recent Vancouver event called the Dîner en Blanc where attendees dressed all in white and enjoyed a night of fun under beautiful Vancouver evening skies.
In addition, Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver has published images of Vancouver scenery. Example below:
2. Show amenities
in Las Vegas is renowned for its food, pool, and beautiful view. The resort has shown these wonderful offerings by sharing photos of burgers, pool, and views from its hotel.
These images will definitely spark its audience's desire to travel to Las Vegas and stay at Monte Carlo's resort.
3. Capture fun and memorable moments
In addition to experiencing the local culture and seeing the sights, people travel because they want to take a break from work, de-stress, and have an enjoyable time. To show people that your hotel gives them what they want, capture and share photos of memorable moments.
For instance, Four Seasons has shared photos of a young man doing paddle boarding for the first time, couples getting married, and a father playing with his son. These photos exemplify the great experiences the audience will have if they stay at a Four Seasons hotel.
4. Stay engaged with guests
Use Instagram to engage with your customers by initiating social media contests. For example, a hotel brand can start a contest where followers submit photos of their favorite moments at the hotel and the winner of the contest will receive an award such as three complimentary nights at one of the brands' locations.
Engaging with your audience lets you gain the following two benefits:
a. Retain customers. Offering prizes to followers helps hotels improve their customers' sentiments towards them and increase chances of existing customers staying at their hotel for the next trip.
b. Increase online brand exposure and appeal. The hotel gets visibility with the participants' followers whenever a follower uploads a photo of his favorite moment at a hotel for a social contest. These followers will not only become aware of the hotel, but also develop a positive view towards it because they'll see this social mention as an endorsement of the hotel.
Instagram has emerged as a powerful marketing tool for hotels. By sharing photos of their lounges, pools, nightlife, or local events or sights, hotels can spark followers' interests in staying at their locations and touring the areas where the hotels are located.
If you have further suggestions on how hotels can leverage Instagram for marketing, please leave them in the comments section below!