How can your hotel build a massive following on Instagram?
In fact, in a recent study it was discovered that Instagram provides brands with 25% more engagement over other social platforms. Used correctly, Instagram can be a highly-targeted, visual advertising channel for your brand.
What is Instagram?
Instagram is the sharing platform for visually engaging images, or more to the point – beautiful, inspiring experiences. For hotels, it’s perfect because that is essentially what a holiday is, experiences that create wonderful memories that can last a lifetime.
So lets get into the nuts and bolts of how hotels can do this the right way!
How to get followers on Instagram
There are five tactics that will help you get more followings on Instagram.
- Use the right hashtags
- Use the right filters
- Post at the right time
- Get followers (connect with your competitors’ followers)
- Sponsored posts and product reviews
Let’s dive deeper into how to implement each tactic.
1. Use The Right Hashtags
Your goal on Instagram is to engage your current audience while also growing your following.
Hashtagging your photos makes it easy for people to find your photos that are searching for those specific terms so you’re much more likely to reach new users and be discovered. Make sure you use the right hashtags so you lead to long-term engagement, new interested followers and most importantly, bookings.
You can split up hashtags into products, brand and local specific hashtags that relate to your brand. Have a strategy around around what your hashtags are so they’re ready to go so each post becomes easy and quick. If you don’t get this right, you’re missing out on big opportunities.
2. Use The Right Filters
Photo filters customise the style of photo and Instagram offer heaps of different styles. There are certain photo filters that are more favourable then others but no filter also does well, especially if you have great photos. For a beautifully styled Instagram account find the right style and stick to it.
3. Post at the Right Time
A targeted approach is to analyse what has and has not worked for you in the past. In reports, you can see the best times of the day and days of the week that get the most engagement. You can even schedule your posting to be done at that specific time, using programs such as ScheduGram.
4. Get followers
You will naturally get followers by having a good strategy with hashtags, adding links to your Instagram account, running competitions and letting your past guests know you have an Instagram account.
Another way to get followers is to connect to your competitors followers to your Instagram account. These people have already shown some level of interest in the products you carry simply by following your competitors’ account. Simply engage with these people by following them, liking one of there photos or commenting on a photo.
Adding a location to your account is a way to increase familiarity and closeness with your brand which can successfully draw your competitors followers to your account. The more you put in and engage with people, the more you’ll get out of it.
5. Sponsored Posts (Influencer Marketing) and Product Reviews
If you really want to make an impact you need to take advantage of influencer marketing on Instagram.
Hotels have a great advantage to do this at a really low costs (just the cleaning expenses of a few nights accommodation). Most hotels have free room nights to use as famils for travel agents and press. With OTA’s (Online Travel Agents) taking over hotels are finding they have more of these free nights available which is perfect for the new modern day travel agents – travel influencers.
By connecting with influencers who will be a great fit for your brand and who have lots of followers, you’ll expose your brand to a much wider but relevant audience. You can have ongoing competitions, special offers and product reviews and sponsor the posts that do well to extend your reach even further.
The most important thing to remember is that sharing on Instagram needs to be authentic and social. Followers are sensitive to fake advertisement so make sure your content displays an honest, genuine and real experience.
Learning anything new can be tricky but we are here to help guide you easily along the path, setting up a good strategy, training you up, connecting you with influencers and making the experience very beneficial and a win win for everyone.
Article Source: Shopify Blog – Read Full Article Here
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