How to Market Your Resort Using Videos

Every minute, people all over the world upload a total of 20 hours of videos in different channels such as YouTube, Vimeo, etc.  A few weeks ago, ReelSEO, an online video marketing blog, announced that videos account for more than 50 percent of the total bandwidth consumption in the United States. WOW, this stat blew me away when I first read it: 50% of all Internet bandwidth in the United states relates to video!

As a resort manager you need to ask yourself “How are we keeping up with the growing popularity of videos”?

In our past blog entries, Search Engine Optimisation via Videos and Consumers Growing Appetite for Videos, we have discussed how integrating video in your content can help you amplify your resort’s reach.

But if you haven’t gone ahead and integrated videos to your marketing initiatives, it’s not too late.  We have listed down a few ways on how your resort can start using videos for your online campaigns.

YouTube Channel
One of the most basic usages of video is by creating a channel on YouTube.  After you’ve signed up to be a member, YouTube assigns a personal channel to you. It’s like having a Twitter account, only you are posting videos.  People can subscribe (or in Twitter terms, “follow”) your channel and comment on your videos.  You can also do the same and subscribe to other members’ channels.

Make use of this YouTube channel by uploading video clips of your resort amenities, rooms, staff, or events to make your potential guest have a more realistic view of your accommodation.  You can also add or recommend videos to your followers that are relevant to your industry.  Add some branding to the videos by putting your website or resort’s name in one corner of your video frame.


Videos on Site
Videos may also be posted directly to your blog or website.  All you have to do is to upload it first to a video hosting channel such as YouTube, Vimeo or Blip.tv then embed it to your blog. Here’s how to embed videos using YouTube.

With videos, your blog entries or website can now be more interesting to look at for your readers and site visitors.  But don’t forget to optimise your videos first.  Read our past blog post on how to optimise videos.

Viral Videos
Viral videos can best be described as short video clips with unusually shocking or humorous themes often shared on social networks, video sharing websites and personal emails. Viral videos get their name because of the seemingly virus-like way they explode across the Internet landscape.

A lot of companies use viral videos to gain a quick promotion for their brand.  The accommodation industry, however, have yet to make full use of this.  You can be the first by creating a viral video series with humorous themes like 5 Things That Irritate Guests the Most featuring pet peeves of guests like bed bugs, broken toilet, etc. while assuring your viewers that your resort does not have that.  You can do this by uploading it first to a video hosting website such as YouTube then sharing it via your email newsletter or in social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Live Video Streaming
This may be the newest use of video for marketing.  Live video streaming is kind of watching TV, only you do it via the Internet. 

One of the popular live video streaming websites is UStream.  It is a live interactive broadcast platform that enables anyone with an Internet connection and a camera to engage their audience in a meaningful, immediate way.  Resorts can sign up and start broadcasting a talk, cooking show, surfing event or anything that directly features their resort and its amenities.  They will be given a direct link to their broadcast which they can share through Facebook, Twitter, blog or website.