In the increasingly competitive world of hotel marketing, standing out is crucial. But these days, that requires more than just a catchy slogan or well-placed ad.
With the use of ad blockers increasing worldwide, and so much competition just a click away, it’s now more challenging than ever to get your hotel noticed by potential guests.
However, leading hotel advertising agencies are constantly innovating and using new techniques to drive bookings and increase brand loyalty. In this article, we’ll share eight of the best tactics and explain how you can use them to your advantage.
1. Influencer partnerships
As social media has continued to grow in popularity, influencer partnerships have emerged as one of the most powerful tools in a hotel’s marketing arsenal. After all, 69% of consumers trust influencer recommendations.
Top advertising agencies understand that influencer marketing is not just about having a popular personality endorse a brand, it’s about selecting influencers who resonate with the target audience.
The secret lies in the careful selection of micro-influencers – those with smaller but highly engaged audiences. While it might be appealing to work with someone who has millions of followers, micro-influencers often have more authentic connections. As a result, they have higher engagement rates.
For example, partnering with travel bloggers, influencers who specialise in luxury travel or even local personalities can drive more targeted traffic and bookings. These partnerships not only help to build credibility – they can also generate authentic content that is more effective at reaching audiences than traditional marketing methods.
According to Forbes, influencer marketing campaigns can earn an average of $5.78 for every dollar spent. To see a great example of influencer partnerships in action, take at the campaign for Pennyhill Park Hotel in Surrey:
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Following extensive research, Hoopla Marketing identified several key luxury lifestyle and travel influencers with engaged followings. Local influencers, who matched Pennyhill Park’s target audience, were invited to stay at the hotel and create content.
Throughout the campaign, 111 pieces of unique content were produced on platforms including Instagram and TikTok. The content got over 9.5 million views combined with 134,000 engagements.
The result? Pennyhill Park saw a 14.8x return on their ad spend. Find out more >
2. Content marketing
Content marketing involves much more than just blog posts and social media updates. The best hotel advertising agencies craft a content strategy that covers a broad range of objectives. Whether it’s telling a compelling story, showcasing features or providing valuable information to guests, a content marketing strategy is essential for building a brand.
A key tactic for successful content marketing is creating evergreen content. This can include articles, guides and videos that remain relevant and useful over a long period of time. For example, a guide to the best bars in a city or tips for planning a romantic getaway can drive traffic to a website for years. When combining this with strong SEO practices such as keyword research, this content will reach a wider audience organically and reduce the reliance on paid advertising.
3. Virtual tours and high-quality visuals
In the hotel industry, first impressions are everything. Top advertising agencies understand the importance of high-quality visuals and the impact they have on a potential guest’s decision-making. However, they go further by incorporating virtual tours into their marketing strategies.
Virtual tours provide an immersive experience that allows potential guests to explore the hotel’s facilities from the comfort of their own home. This tactic enhances the user experience and increases the likelihood of bookings by giving a realistic sense of what guests can expect.
High-resolution photos and 360-degree videos of rooms, dining areas and amenities help create a visual narrative that can be shared across websites, social media and email campaigns. Alternatively, why not ask an influencer to shoot a tour for you, like this example for South Lodge Hotel & Spa:
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4. Seasonal marketing plans
Seasonality plays a crucial role in the hospitality industry, and the best agencies know how to harness it to maximise bookings. Seasonal marketing plans involve creating campaigns that coincide with key travel periods, holidays and events. This can help a hotel stand out from competitors when guests are planning their trips.
This strategy requires a deep understanding of the target market and its travel habits. For example, during the summer, a hotel might promote family-friendly packages. In contrast, during the winter, the focus could switch to romantic getaways or festive breaks.
By aligning marketing efforts with seasonal demand, hotels can increase bookings and revenue during peak and off-peak periods.
5. Video advertising
Video content is no longer just a nice-to-have. It’s a must-have for hotels worldwide. Whether it’s a TikTok, Instagram Reel or YouTube video, top agencies know that a beautiful video ad can significantly boost engagement and conversions – and for good reason. Online videos have an audience reach of 92.3% among internet users worldwide – with people dedicating 17 hours per week to online video consumption.
The secret to an effective video campaign lies in storytelling. A cinematic tour of a hotel, testimonials from guests or a behind-the-scenes look at the hotel, video content is highly effective at encouraging people to book.
Additionally, short impactful video ads can be used in retargeting campaigns to remind potential guests of what they’re missing and motivate them to complete their bookings – like this video for Manor House:
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6. User-generated content
User-generated content (UGC) is a goldmine for hotel marketing, and top agencies know how to tap into this resource effectively. UGC includes photos, videos and reviews created by guests, which can be shared on the hotel’s social media channels, website and even in advertising campaigns.
To fully utilise this trend, hotels must encourage guests to share their experiences online. This can be achieved in several different ways, such as using branded hashtags, offering incentives or hosting contests. This creates a wealth of authentic content and boosts a hotel’s credibility and trustworthiness.
Research has demonstrated that people are more likely to trust the opinions of fellow travellers rather than branded content, meaning that UGC is an invaluable tool for driving engagement and conversions.
7. Re-use content
Re-using content for ads is a smart way for a hotel to maximise marketing efforts, especially when it comes to user-generated and influencer content. These types of content are highly effective because they’re authentic and relatable, making them more appealing to potential guests.
For example, guest photos and testimonials can be transformed into eye-catching social media ads, while influencer videos can be edited into engaging video ads. By repurposing this genuine content, you create ads that resonate more with audiences, increasing engagement and trust, all while maintaining a consistent brand message.
8. Retargeting
Retargeting is a powerful technique used by hotel to convert website visitors into paying guests. This involves tracking potential guests who have visited the hotel’s website without making a booking. Retargeting ads then follow these users across other websites and social media platforms, reminding them of their interest and encouraging them to return and complete their booking.
People who visit a website after having clicked on remarketing ads are 8 times cheaper to reach per click – so this is not a tactic you can ignore.
The key to successful retargeting is personalisation. By using data such as pages visited, the length of time spent on the site and the dates searched, agencies can create highly targeted ads for specific users.
For example, if a visitor was looking at spa packages, retargeting ads could highlight a special offer on spa treatments, making the proposition more enticing.
Discover how these hotel marketing tactics can benefit your business today
While many hotels may be aware of some of these tactics, it’s the expertise and implementation by top hotel advertising agencies like Hoopla Marketing that make a difference.
By using effective influencer partnerships, content marketing and retargeting, we can help your hotel enhance its visibility, drive bookings and build a stronger digital presence.
As competition in the hospitality industry continues to intensify, using these tactics will be the key to staying ahead of the curve and attracting the next generation of travellers.