They are hard to avoid. Really hard. They come in through your mailbox. In the mailbox of the front office of your hotel. In your Instagram DM requests. Everywhere. Asking for possibilities of influencer collaborations. And trust us. We know. We were once one of them!

But what should you do with these requests? And can influencers even add value to you hotel ?

Maybe the question is really, ‘Are Instagram influencers still relevant for hotels?’

The short answer is yes. If that’s the answer you came for, you can go on and close this window. But if you want to know why Instagram influencers are still relevant to hotels, keep reading.

PROFESSIONAL CONTENT CREATORS

Your hotel is probably familiar with working with professional photographers for marketing material. But what about content for Instagram? Because those two channels are certainly not anywhere near the same. Instagram is a social media platform. Your traditional marketing channels are not. They are most likely only informative. One-way communication tools with minimal engagement points. Social media platforms such as Instagram demand content that is approachable. Content that other users want to engage with by liking, sharing and giving their two cents on.

This is where Instagram influencers are invaluable. They create content on a daily basis and should be considered professional content creators for Instagram. Really good influencers have an aesthetic eye that captures the attention of their followers and like-minded users. Essentially, they are perfect for conveying your hotel’s brand message and tone of voice to your audience.

Another important consideration. Instagram influencers produce content that will likely fit well with your hotel’s Instagram feed. Saving your team resources in producing the same content or hiring an expensive professional photographer.

HYPE MASTERS

Creating buzz and maintaining your brand awareness amongst your target group and audience is the reason your hotel bothers with marketing efforts. Remember, Instagram is a social media platform. Consumers follow Instagram users that inspire them on how to maintain their lifestyles. This includes what they do, wear, eat and travel. If an Instagram influencer posts beautiful images of your hotel while travelling, those posts will be shared with followers who would most likely enjoy your hotel as well.

With that said, influencer collaborations should have a life cycle for itself. It is not enough to invite influencers once or twice per year. In order to influence sustainable brand awareness on Instagram, your brand would be better off including Instagram influencers in the annual marketing plan. A sustainable brand awareness on Instagram is absolutely within your control.

PROOF OF RELEVANCE

Working with Instagram influencers for Instagram content and hype on Instagram are important considerations. But one of the most important reasons to use Instagram influencers in 2021 is probably to show your target audience that you are in fact still relevant. Your hotel hasn’t been in hiatus during the pandemic. No. Your hotel has been in operation and you are ready to invite guests to unplug and relax. That’s what influencers attest to. And of course to create great content of your hotel that they can share on Instagram.

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Does your hotel have an Instagram strategy? Instagram is a platform that shouldn’t be neglected. For Millennials, it could be the first point of contact with your hotel before booking.

If your hotel does not have an Instagram strategy in place, feel free to get in touch with us.

Photo credit: Maximilien T’Scharner via Unsplash