Video Marketing for Hotels – the Rise of TikTok and Instagram Reels
When the 2022 end-of-year data is analyzed, Expedia predicts 82% of all internet consumer traffic in the hospitality industry will have been video focused
Consumers continue to rate video content as the #1 most important factor for online purchasing decisions. For the rest of this year and the next, Hotel marketing and advertising should focus on strong video content across all media.
Last year we wrote about the importance of video stories for your hotels. Video is no longer a ‘good to have’ component of your marketing, video is a ‘must have’ part of your brand’s success.
We’ve updated our recommendations and suggestions for hotel video marketing and what to expect next year, specifically including video in your search ads, email, and your hotel’s website.
You should continue to promote virtual tours via YouTube and Facebook, but it’s time to consider the rapid rise of TikTok and Instagram Reels for travel industry marketing.
Short-form video campaigns engage users of all ages. The viral reach of social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels shows great promise in the hospitality industry.
Using hashtags such as #smallluxuryhotels or #hoteldesign hotel marketers are generating interest, awareness, and bookings.
TikTok is not just for kids anymore. Marketers are finding the appeal of this ‘authentic’ content is universal no matter the generation of the user. TikTok videos are more spontaneous and experiential. Many smaller hotels find the TikTok strategy of showing their hotels from a guest’s perspective appealing.
That strategy is worth considering for brands with limited resources. Promoting user-generated content can save on sourcing talent while also capitalizing on the poster’s base of followers.
See Cvent’s TikTok Hotel Marketing, The Complete Guide
Here are some general best practices to make video a solid cornerstone of your marketing strategy:
Be Consistent
This applies not only to the type of content you provide but the regularity, seasonality, ‘freshness’, and honesty of the experiences you choose to share
Be Entertaining
Camera shots languishing on your lovely lobby or your clean rooms with fresh linens are fine but don’t forget to give the smiling concierge or the mustachioed mixologist their close-ups.
Be Creative
Consider a drone’s eye view of your golf course or garden, a panorama of high-profile speaker delivering a keynote in your conference room, happy dogs in your dog park.
Be Personal
Meet the team, highlight your staff’s attention to detail, and feature your noted chef, spa masseuse, or master ‘mixologist’ at your bar. Share customer testimonials.
Be Local
Promote your local culture and your place in your community. Destination experiences are big drivers in decision-making.
Be Informative
Utilize photo-realistic 3-D imagery, Interactive Floorplans and Infographics
Be Authentic
As discussed with TikTok and Instagram Reels, authentic content, often from the guest’s perspective, has a growing appeal
Be Impactful
The most impactful video marketing for social media is short-form video content between 30-60 seconds that get to the ‘wow’. This is the right “byte size” for both Instagram Reels and TikTok. Consider longer video tours and virtual reality on your hotel website.
Focus on Quality
While there are places for amateur or user-generated content, your top-level presence, such as your corporate website, is usually not one of them. Hire a professional.
Video Content Necessities:
- Virtual Tours
- Guided Tours
- 3-D Diagramming and floorplans
*Humans are notoriously emotional animals. Engage them on this level. People remember 20% of what they hear, but 80% of what they see
Here are some top statistics that should build any case for your hotel’s video marketing:
- 66% watched videos when thinking about taking a trip
- People are 10 times more likely to engage with and share video content
- 20% of users read text while 80% will watch a video with the same content
- At your property, guests are 67% more likely to book when a video tour is available
- 76% of social media users would share a video if it was entertaining
- Online videos will make up more than 82% of all internet traffic by the end of 2022
- 63% of travelers watched videos when looking for ideas for activities at a destination
- 71% of travel searches on YouTube are for destination names
Benefits of video marketing for hotels and the travel industry:
SEO and rankings
Hotels and businesses with videos throughout their website, social media and blog posts rank higher in search results, leading to more traffic to your site or campaign.
Brand Recognition
The consistent messaging and experiential emersion that video content offers will solidify your offerings, your personality, and your style. Video will educate and build awareness, trust, and ultimately, loyalty.
More Opened emails
Emails that include the word ‘video’ in the subject are more likely to be opened than other emails. Also, video links increase click-through rates by over 90%.
Boost sales, conversions, and revenue
Video content allows marketers to get deeper user data including views and drop-off points.
Be First in the Feed with Paid Ads that include Video
References:
https://www.cvent.com/en/blog/hospitality/tik-tok-hotel-marketing