Why you should use Instagram to promote your brand
Even though social media is now the driving force behind most online marketing for accommodation providers, Instagram remains a mystery to many within the management sector.
At the same time, it slowly seems to be overtaking Facebook and Twitter so how can providers make the most out of their Instagram accounts? And for those without accounts, what are you missing out on? Skift released a report on Instagram strategies for travel brands earlier this week describing the social media site as “one of the most effective marketing platforms in travel”.
Why? The app has proven a bona-fide hit with millennials, the elusive 18-35 age group that everybody wants to attract.
The photo-sharing app grew 100 times faster than Twitter and 150 times fast than Facebook in its first year. Something explained in part by its visual foundation: it is faster and easier to take in, or share, an image than a written post. Instagram has a photo-sharing platform that allows users to share, comment, mention and like images they see on their screens.
While guests may actively seek out an accommodation provider’s page on Facebook or Twitter to receive a special offer or as part of a checking-in process, Instagram provides a different draw. It’s image-sharing platform gives providers the opportunity to reach a much wider audience, particularly if your property is situated in a picturesque location as many are likely to be in the accommodation industry.
By posting beautiful, artistic, original photos on your page, it is possible to get more interaction with past, present and future guests on Instagram that other social networks. This is because users are interested in the image more than the image’s source. Creativity is key and as the site boasts more than 200 million users, it is possible to reach a wide range of people.
Instagram is also evolving, according to Skift, with a new analytics dashboard available to paying advertisers that takes a more critical view of mentions, friends and likes.
While it won’t be for everyone, this is a social network you shouldn’t overlook in your marketing scheme.
