Navigating Instagram's Guidelines & LinkedIn's New Premium Pages
Welcome to this week's edition of Smart Hotel Marketing. Dive into the latest trends and insights that can help elevate your hotel's marketing strategy and stay ahead in the competitive hospitality landscape.
In today's newsletter:
- đš 4 Takeaways from the 2024 Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report
- đ Instagram Clarifies Guidelines on Single Word CTAs and Longer Reels
- đ LinkedIn Introduces Premium Company Pages for Enhanced Business Engagement
- đ„ Reaching Gen Alpha, Gen Z, and Millennials: What Hotels Need To Know
- #ïžâŁ Key Insights on Instagram Hashtags for 2024
- đ„ TIP OF THE WEEK - The 3-2-2 Method For Meta Ads
đ STAT OF THE WEEK
(source: Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report, May 2024)
đš 4 TAKEAWAYS FROM THE 2024 INFLUENCER MARKETING BENCHMARK REPORT
Influencer marketing continues to grow, providing valuable insights for hotel marketers. Recently, Influencer Marketing Hub, in collaboration with Ubiquitous, released its May 2024 Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report.
Here are our four biggest takeaways from the report:
- Instagram & TikTok are the Dominant Platforms - Instagram (39.2%) and TikTok (38%) are leading platforms for influencer marketing, emphasizing the importance of visually driven social media.
- Rising Influence of Nano Influencers - Nano influencers (53.8%) are now the most popular for brand collaborations, indicating a preference for authenticity in content creation and niche audiences.
- Content Format is Key - Video posts (57.4%) are considered the most effective content format, underscoring the importance of dynamic and engaging content.
- Strategic Response to Algorithms - 81.1% of marketers have adjusted their influencer marketing strategies due to platform algorithm updates.
đ§ STAY INFORMED
Instagram Clarifies Guidelines on Single Word CTAs and Longer Reels
- CTA Guidelines: Instagram advises against using single-word CTAs to drive engagement, labeling it as spammy behavior, but open-ended questions and genuine interactions are encouraged.
- Reels Duration: Reels longer than 90 seconds wonât be recommended but can still be posted to engage existing followers.
- Engagement Best Practices: Authentic engagement with audiences in comments and DMs is valued, while attempts to "hack" reach through specific interactions are penalized.
Impact on Hotels and Resorts â Hotels should focus on authentic engagement with their audience, using open-ended questions and genuine interactions in comments. For Reels, they should keep them under 90 seconds for broader reach, but feel free to post longer ones for deeper engagement with current followers. This strategy ensures better alignment with Instagram's guidelines and maximizes visibility and connection with potential guests.
LinkedIn Introduces Premium Company Pages for Enhanced Business Engagement
- New Features: LinkedIn Premium Company Pages include custom CTA buttons, auto invitations for leads, insights into Page visitors, testimonial displays, and access to AI writing assistant tools.
- Enhanced Media and Alerts: Subscribers can showcase rich media and reviews, receive alerts from searchers, and display profiles in more areas.
- AI Integration: Premium Business subscribers benefit from unlimited search, custom invites, InMail, and AI tools to draft and edit messages to potential clients.
Impact on Hotels and Resorts â Hotels can leverage LinkedInâs Premium Company Pages to generate more leads and engage potential clients effectively. Utilizing custom CTA buttons and AI tools can streamline outreach and improve conversion rates. Investing in these features could enhance their presence and attract more business through LinkedIn.
Reaching Gen Alpha, Gen Z, and Millennials: What Hotels Need To Know
- Gen Alpha: You likely don't know this generation, so let this be your introduction to the generation after Gen Z. The oldest of Gen Alpha was born in 2010, so they likely aren't booking any hotel rooms anytime soon.
- Gen Z's Engagement: Gen Z favors TikTok and Instagram, enjoying creators who offer an intimate, authentic look into their lives. They value brands that take clear stances on social issues.
- Millennials' Practicality: Millennials seek quality, reliable products and appreciate brands that offer practical solutions. Platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube help them plan for the long term.
Impact on Hotels & Resorts â Hotels and resorts should tailor their marketing strategies to cater to these generational preferences, except for Gen Alpha (for now). For Gen Z, emphasize authenticity and social issues in your campaigns. For Millennials, highlight the reliability and practicality of your offerings.
Social Media Management Platform, Later, Reveals Key Insights on Instagram Hashtags for 2024
- Optimal Hashtags: While Instagram recommends 3-5 hashtags per post, Later recommends using 20-30 hashtags on Instagram posts to maximize reach and engagement. (It should be noted that Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has been reiterating to all who listen that hashtags donât increase post reach in the app.)
- Types of Hashtags: For a comprehensive strategy, focus on location-based, branded, industry, community-focused, and descriptive hashtags.
- Hashtag Placement: Hashtags are effective in both the post caption and comments, allowing flexibility in how you present your posts.
Impact on Hotels and Resorts â Hotels and resorts should leverage a robust hashtag strategy to increase their visibility and engagement on Instagram. Using a mix of relevant hashtags and placing them strategically can help attract more guests and enhance their social media presence. Regularly analyzing hashtag performance will fine-tune this strategy for better results.
đ„ TRENDING NOW - Taylor Swift, of course.
This week, we're turning our focus to a viral TikTok trend set to a passionate line from a Taylor Swift song, "I'll tell you something right now, I'd rather burn my whole life down." Creators are using this sound to highlight things that frustrate them or tasks they wish they could avoid. Check out an example here: TikTok Video.
LEGAL REMINDER: Please note that using popular songs (e.g., songs by Taylor Swift) in social media posts is subject to copyright laws. Unauthorized use by brands can lead to potential infringement issues. We recommend avoiding this trend directly from your hotel account. However, this can be a great trend for employees to create content for their personal profiles. Always proceed with caution and seek legal advice if needed to ensure compliance with copyright regulations.
What's the Trend?
People overlay text on videos showing something that annoys them or something they really donât want to do, lip-syncing to the dramatic lyrics, creating a relatable and often humorous post.
Why It Works?
This trend works because it taps into shared human emotions and experiences, particularly the little annoyances or bigger frustrations in life. Coupled with Taylor Swift's evocative lyrics, these videos strike a chord with viewers, making them both relatable and entertaining.
How Can Hotels + Resorts Leverage This?
Hotels can creatively adopt this trend through employee advocacy by having social media-savvy employees capture the viewersâ attention and evoke a sense of longing for travel and relaxation at your hotel:
- Scenic Views: Film a stunning view from your hotel room, pool, or rooftop terrace with the text overlay: "When you want to travel to [Hotel's Name]/[City] but youâre all out of PTO."
- Luxury Amenities: Showcase your hotel's spa, gym, or a relaxing poolside scene with text like: "When you need a spa day at [Hotel's Name] but youâre stuck at work."
These types of content resonate with viewersâ frustrations and subtly insert your hotel as the desirable escape.
đĄ TIP OF THE WEEK: THE 3-2-2 METHOD FOR META ADS
Step 1: Broad Targeting Start with broad targeting based on age, gender, and location. This lets Facebook identify the users most likely to engage with your ads.
Step 2: Creative Testing Setup Prepare three different creatives (images or videos), two variations of primary text, and two headline options for your ads.
Step 3: Analyze and Optimize Review the results of your Dynamic Creative tests to identify the best-performing ads. Focus on the variations that generate the most conversions at the lowest cost. This method helps you refine your ad strategy for optimal performance.
đ WHAT'S HAPPENING AT CASUAL FRIDAYS
- đ We had a birthday! Casual Fridays recently turned 15.
- The team was in Northern Virginia for a CF Content Visit. The result? Hundreds of fresh, summery assets capturing the essence of the unique destination.
