Client Pico Bonito’s interactive Instagram contest #BirdseyeOnThePrize engaged former and new guests of the lovely lodge by asking for them to submit their favorite pictures of exotic birds.
Social media can be an invaluable tool for luxury hotels, both small and large, in developing and maintaining long-term relationships with guests. Sparking engaging dialogue and sharing stunning pictures reminds former guests what they are missing while enticing new consumers.
When our travel public relations firm designs social media strategies for our hotel and resort clients, we make sure implementation is realistic and workable. Social media should be used consistently and regularly for two main reasons: 1) it keeps up an ongoing, fun dialogue with consumers and 2) helps improve SEO.
When search engine optimization improves, your hotel’s visibility will improve and Google will respect your site when it crawls for your regular, non-spammy social media postings.
Picture Perfect Instagram Posts for Luxury Hotels & Resorts
Your hotel or resort is special and beautiful, so show it off! If you want to see a truly fine example, check out Four Seasons Hotels’ Instagram account. They are constantly sharing beautiful pictures of their on-site splendor at their properties around the world.
Posting pictures with relevant, highly-searched hashtags is an important strategy. But you can take it a step further and get even more out of your Instagram strategy by directly engaging consumers. We designed our client Pico Bonito’s first Instagram contest called #BirdsyeOnThePrize. The Lodge at Pico Bonito is a renowned haven for birders so many potential guests peruse their Instagram account for inspiration.
#BirdseyeOnThePrize invited Instagram users to submit pictures to post photos that capture the beauty of birds in their everyday lives. Users submitted photos along with the hashtag #BirdseyeOnThePrize for a chance to win a stay for two at this stunning property and experience some of the best birding in the world.
Use Facebook To Tell a Story
As more guests come and experience your hotel or resort, those who loved their experience will ‘like’ your Facebook page. With more ‘likes’ becomes more of a responsibility to make sure you are regularly posting. So, make sure you keep it fresh and inspiring! In addition to posting pictures of the property throughout the seasons, make sure to share various on-site happenings like special events, weddings, and anything else you think would excite your new base of followers.
Check out Google Plus
Google Plus is a Google product, so it’s weighted very heavily in SEO rankings. If you don’t already have Google Plus for your hotel property, consider creating a page and start getting followers. An effective way to get followers when starting fresh is to announce your Google Plus page via Facebook and Twitter. Additionally, having your website designer install a small icon on your homepage and through website will allow consumers to easily connect.
Google Plus can be used much the same way as Facebook for posting and sharing and once you incorporate it into your overall strategy, you will see tangible benefits.
Finally, as mentioned above, make sure you implement a strategy that is workable. Stick to a schedule that you have mapped out. The number of times you post per day, week, month will be dependent on your resources but make sure you keep it consistent. Now, hop to it, you won’t regret it!