Why Digital Storytelling for the Hospitality Industry Matters
Social Media and visual content are vital to travel, tourism and hospitality. Guests want a taste of what they can experience, so a visual-based marketing is very important, to help showcase their journeys.
In "The Visitor Cycle", a report by The Digital Tourism Think Tank, it is suggested that today, the guest journey has gone from linear to scattered—people no longer take a direct travel planning and booking approach. Instead, they get inspired and collect ideas from social media and various sites over a longer period, until concrete trip ideas form and they begin booking. Google calls these short bouts of research and discovery: “Micro Moments“intent-rich moments when people turn to their phones for answers or solutions.”. This is great news for hotels, as it gives more opportunities to connect with travelers during the trip-planning process. Creating a strategy with bite-sized pieces of social media content like Reels, capitalizes on the new client discovery process and the micro moments that have become the norm.
A strong presence on social media can help hotels get in front of their target market when they’re looking for new inspiration. The key is to ensure the content is relevant, informative, and inspiring. It's also critical to create content where the guests can envision themselves as the guest. Using various formats including images, stories and reels to drive this home, and capture the attention of a wide audience is a must.
The Power of Influence: Why Word of Mouth & Social Media Shape Travel Decisions
92% of customers trust their friends and family’s recommendations and word of mouth more than other forms of advertising. Consider this…more than half of hotel travelers change their plans, whether it be switching to a different hotel or choosing a different destination altogether, after using social media channels to research their travel plans.
Today’s travelers also like to share their guest experiences in real time, with more than 70% of travelers posting updates, images and comments to their page while on vacation.
According to our 2019 Leisure Travel Study, almost 40% of hotel guests looked at the property’s Facebook page prior to booking a room. And when it comes to Millennials, a whopping 52% are also looking at Facebook before booking. In an ideal marketing world, the top three social media platforms we suggest hotels have a presence on are Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About 60% of Generation Zers and 40% of millennials report they use social media for travel purposes. 60% of users say that they have learned about a product or service on social platforms.
“Online influencers visually sharing their journeys have led to a new wave of aspirational living. A recent survey amongst our members told us "85% check hotel social media before booking”. A strong online and social media presence is important if a hotel hopes to attract Millennials.” - source, Globetrender
In 2017, Travolution reported research that showed that 40% of millennial travelers (aged 18-33) said that their choice of holiday now depends on how ‘Instagrammable’ it is. This was the most important factor over the cost or availability of alcohol (24%) or chances to experience the local cuisine (9.4%). These results prove just how important it is for hoteliers to showcase how visual and inviting their property is through their social media, or through influencer marketing with online content creators. According to the new "Understanding the Travel Consumer's Path to Purchase" white paper from EyeforTravel and Jumpshot. The research found that on average, 20% of travel consumers visit a social media site immediately before purchasing a vacation.
Hotels who engage with business travelers over targeted social channels – or who provide perks for those who book online – have been shown to increase the number of first time business customers by 13% the first year, and 27% the second year of social media usage. These hotels also saw high rates of return business customers across both years. All the more reason for hoteliers to target business travelers and other key guest segments with effective social media outreach.
A case study shared by Hootsuite on Canadian-based hospitality brand Tourism Jasper, shares the powerful impact their user generated Instagram campaign has had on their profits. According to the study, tourists increasingly want to hear the opinions and real stories of other travelers. Tourism Jasper capitalized on the opportunity Instagram provides to showcase their breathtaking scenery and promote user generated pictures with their hashtag #MyJasper. Some key successes from their campaign included:
Over 64,000 posts engaging with their brand
12,000 inspirational user generated stories
185% increase in social referrals to their website year over year
211% increase in shareholder referrals from social media year over year
Our agency supports boutique hotels and retreat venues with tailored social media strategies, immersive storytelling on-sites and beyond. With 78% of marketing professionals reporting that videos increase sales, and 87% recognizing they create a direct, positive impact on revenue, video has become a crucial tool for success in the travel and hospitality industry.
To see how our video and marketing offerings offerings can elevate your hospitality brand, please visit our travel page or reach out for a custom proposal: howl@rewolfcreative.com