The rise of Instagram to the top of the social media ladder has made it one of the most powerful marketing platforms of our time. Businesses in various locations are increasingly using the platform to connect with their target audience, and many of them belong to the hospitality sector.
Why use Instagram to promote your hospitality business?
If you’re serious about running a business and being successful, you cannot ignore the potential that Instagram has to offer. Many businesses these days devote a lot of time, money, and effort to designing and executing Instagram marketing strategies, and that is not surprising, especially considering the number of people who use Instagram.
Currently, Instagram is used by over a billion people every month and the average user spends 53 minutes a day on the platform. Instagram is unique in the way it allows users to publish their content. Unlike other platforms where text plays an important role, Instagram is mostly about photos – and we all know that a picture is worth a thousand words, right?
Instagram businesses also offer a variety of features that they can use to spice up their posts and connect with their audience and gain more Instagram Followers in several attractive ways. In recent years, features like IGTV, Live Video, and Stories have been added to make video sharing easier. Therefore, it is clear that Instagram has tools that can be used for promotional purposes for the hospitality business.
Ways to Promoting Business on Instagram
Get to know your target audience
The first tip is not really about promoting your business, but about knowing who you should promote it to the best of your ability. After all, you would not want to promote your business to people who are not interested in what you have to offer. For example, if you have a pub with a casual atmosphere that provides live music to visitors, you will not want to promote it to people who are overly formal and seriously traumatized. Similarly, if you have a hotel that offers more accommodation for the lagging on a budget, you cannot expect anything from people who like high-quality accommodation. What can you do to ensure that the word about your business spreads to people who are likely to get it?
The answer is in the hashtags. Much depends on hashtags for Instagram users to find what they are looking for and what your target audience is looking for, you should use a hashtags research tool. These research tools give you a great idea of the hashtags you should include and the ones you should avoid across all your posts.
Keep all your notes in line with your brand
Before you go to Instagram to promote your business, you need to confirm your brand identity. Your logo and the caption you enter should reflect what your brand represents. So if you haven’t set up your brand identity yet, we highly recommend working on that front before you take any action on Instagram. However, if you have already confirmed your brand identity, you need to make sure that all your notes on Instagram match it. By incorporating elements of your brand across all your posts, you maintain a connection not only with your target audience but also between your notes. Over time, this will only strengthen your brand and make it more memorable to customers.
Develop consistency
By now, the point is very clear. But surprisingly, it has been cited in hundreds of thousands of blog posts and articles, but many businesses do not take it seriously. Regularly posting will gradually increase the number of people who follow your business on Instagram. The mismatch is tantamount to sabotage and the modern-day consumer has no respect for it. Businesses that are not at the forefront of Instagram marketing strategy are on the road and obviously, you do not want to achieve the same fate. The easiest way to improve compliance is to keep a schedule for all your positions. Post twice a day, or once every second day – The essence of this consistent posting exercise is to set certain expectations in the minds of your target audience and then live up to them. Ultimately, through your real-world services, you have to surpass those expectations, and only then will all your Instagram marketing efforts pay dividends.
Share what you have to offer with the world
Although Instagram has seen significant additions in terms of its features, at its core it is still a photo-sharing app. Why not show your target audience what you have received without uploading photos of your organization? You can upload photos of the best recipes cooked in your kitchen or show your audience the interior you’ve got. If you have a place with a beautiful view, do not be afraid to experiment with your camera to get some interesting photos of your target audience. Even if you do not have a high-end DSLR camera, do not worry. Your smartphone camera is good enough to work, as long as you make sure the photos you upload are not blurred. You can record short interviews with your customers and upload those videos. By doing this you will be able to see what your target audience on Instagram can say to your customers about your business.
Respond to queries and comments
Even if you are constantly uploading high-quality pictures and videos of your business, all those efforts will be in vain if you do not connect with your followers. Take the time to find out everything you have to say to your current and future customers. If it is a comment that compliments your effort, be grateful. If it’s crucial, consider it and promise improvement. If it is a query, respond to it meaningfully, and then the answer will not allow for further doubts. Remember that your followers keep a close eye on how you interact with others in your social media feeds. If they see that your questions are not answered or you do not express any gratitude to people when they praise you, they will quickly become frustrated with your business.
Add value
If you run a hotel in a scenic location with plenty of places for people around you to explore, you will make a mistake if you tend to a hotel all your positions. At all times, you can post about those places and provide unique information that will force your followers to see your business as real. You can also make short tutorial videos. For example, if you have a restaurant that perfects a particular recipe, why not make a video of how your followers can make it at home? Adding value in the form of informative videos will make your business stand out from the rest. It will also send a very important message to your audience – that you are not only a business that wants to make money but also a business that wants to serve its audience.