If your hotel or resort isn’t on Instagram, it’s time to take that step. And if it is, there may be a few ways that you’re not getting the most out of its marketing power.
Instagram is one of the biggest social media marketing platforms going, and it doesn’t cost a thing to use - just a little bit of effort, time and know-how.
From us at eTourism, here are 7 easy tips to get your hotel started on Instagram - as well as increase your current Instagram following.
1) Know Your Audience
It’s crucial to know your audience. And if you know your brand values and the experience you’re trying to sell, it’s not as hard as it may seem.
Knowing your audience helps you to better tailor your whole marketing strategy, and that includes the content you’ll be putting on your Instagram. Think about age demographic, what pulls travellers to your location, etc.
2) Decide On a Theme and Style
Once you know your audience, synergise this with your brand and guest experience to devise a content theme and style for your Instagram.
What are your hotel’s strengths? What do your hotel and location offer? If it’s a relaxing beach holiday, for example, you’ll want to design - and edit - your visual content to be bright, bold, warm and inviting.
Your Instagram feed is your canvas, and the best Instagram pages use their feed as one continuous reel, each post connected to the rest.
3) Master Captions and Hashtags
Captions and hashtags can be daunting, but they don’t have to be. Again, the key here is to know your audience.
A good starting point is to be succinct, using relatable, conversational language (and emojis) that engages your audience, either through a simple thought-provoking idea or question.
Hashtags, on the other hand, are there to accompany your caption, and are often “invisible”. They can be used entertainingly, as well as for marketing and networking - see what’s trending about your post, and use it.
For best effect, less is more - include no more than 10 hashtags on each post.
4) Go for Quality, Not Quantity
What can make Instagram intimidating is the thought of having to maintain it - which, of course, requires time and effort. However quality, not quantity, is the key to a booming Instagram page.
You can upload to your feed every few days, even once a week - what’s most important is that your content is consistently compelling and engaging. Posting too often can be annoying. And if the content is poor in addition to this, the higher your chances are of losing followers.
5) Plan in Advance
Following on from the above, you can make maintaining your Instagram easier by planning your content.
A good reserve of high-quality, visually appealing photography will go a long way. Keep this regularly updated, and simply use as desired, uploading when is most convenient for you. That way, it doesn’t have to be a chore that you have to squeeze into your busy schedule.
6) Incorporate Video Content
A picture is worth a thousand words, but a video is worth a thousand pictures. Short, visually appealing videos are a highly effective way to transport and make your audience feel that they are there, enjoying what your hotel and location has to offer. And that feeling (the “FOMO”) is what converts to bookings.
Just like your hotel photography, it’s best to get a professional to shoot and edit. Go further by adding stock music to your video - something that evokes a feeling and complements the visuals of your video.
7) Get Creative with Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are a “relaxed” and more casual alternative to uploading to your feed. They disappear in 24 hours (although these can be saved: “Highlighted”) so they are a good opportunity to simply get creative and engage with your following.
Images, videos, competitions, questions, polls - Stories can be anything you like. These are also a channel for user-generated content, i.e. sharing the content your guests upload. Encourage tagging, engage with your audience and always, always sell the guest experience you have to offer.
Is your hotel on Instagram? Let us know in the comments below!
RELATED PAGES AND BLOG POSTS:
- How to Market Your Hotel with Social Media User-Generated Content
- Hotel & Resort Marketing on Instagram - Tips Hoteliers Need to Know
- Start Focusing on Social Media Marketing to Give Your Brand a Boost
