Boosting Bookings and Engagement
Background: A boutique hotel known for its stylish design and personalized guest experiences sought to improve its social media presence and optimize its website to drive more direct bookings and enhance brand engagement.
Challenge: The hotel's social media channels were inactive, with the last post on Instagram being over six months ago. There was little engagement with user-generated content, and the current website was not mobile-optimized, leading to missed opportunities in direct bookings. Additionally, existing promotional posts were outdated and lacked any community interaction, contributing to a lack of online visibility and engagement.
Objectives:
Reactivate and enhance social media channels.
Increase direct bookings through an optimized website.
Engage with both local and international travelers effectively.
Establish the hotel as an experience-driven brand, highlighting local culture and community.
Approach:
Social Media Strategy:
Instagram & Facebook Content Plan: Developed a content calendar featuring lifestyle shots, Reels of property tours, neighborhood features, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of the hotel team. The focus was on creating more relatable content, with 50-70% of posts including people to foster a personal connection.
Community Engagement: Encouraged interaction by responding to comments and leveraging user-generated content (UGC). Partnered with local influencers to co-create content, showcasing authentic guest experiences.
Platform-Specific Enhancements:
Pinterest: Introduced new pins highlighting amenities, local events, and lifestyle shots. Expanded keyword strategy to make the hotel's pins more discoverable.
YouTube: Launched an official YouTube channel featuring hotel tours, events, and YouTube Shorts repurposed from Instagram content. Engaged with existing UGC through comments to increase interaction.
Website Optimization:
Improved mobile responsiveness to ensure a seamless user experience.
Highlighted unique selling points (USPs) of the rooms with engaging photos rather than text-heavy sections.
Added pop-up offers for direct booking incentives such as free upgrades, exclusive discounts, and perks, aiming to boost the rate of direct bookings by 20-30%.
Paid Social Strategy:
Allocated a budget for monthly paid promotions on Instagram and Facebook to target travelers from key regions. The aim was to increase brand visibility and generate traffic to the hotel's website.
Ran seasonal campaigns highlighting cultural experiences and events happening in the local area, catering to both local and international travelers.
Email Marketing Campaign:
Introduced an email subscription list to share updates on special promotions, upcoming local events, and exclusive booking perks.
Email campaigns achieved an average return on investment of $42 for every $1 spent, driving repeat bookings and increased brand loyalty.
Results:
Social Media Growth: The hotel saw a 60% increase in followers on Instagram within three months. Engagement rates improved significantly, with more comments and interactions on posts, particularly lifestyle shots and neighborhood features.
Increase in Direct Bookings: After optimizing the website, direct bookings grew by 25%, helped by improved mobile responsiveness and attractive direct booking incentives.
Community Connection: Highlighting the team and local attractions helped establish the hotel as an experience-oriented brand. The neighborhood feature posts were particularly successful in generating engagement, with many guests mentioning them during their stays.
Revenue Impact: The combination of paid social ads, organic content, and email marketing led to an estimated 15% increase in bookings during the initial six months of implementation.
Conclusion: Through strategic content planning, community engagement, and a focus on direct booking incentives, the boutique hotel successfully revitalized its digital presence. By positioning itself as an experience-driven brand and tapping into both local and international markets, the hotel not only increased bookings but also strengthened its connection with the community, setting the foundation for continued growth.
