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How can hospitality businesses leverage the power of influencer marketing?
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As most hospitality businesses know, marketing through social media platforms can prove a great way to enhance their brand online, using Instagram or TikTok to spread the word about new menus, new openings or a refurb that can bring people in through the door. It can also be used to attract tourists or a new type of clientele, with viral dishes for some restaurants, or chefs becoming overnight sensations due to an online buzz.
But a viral post is a difficult thing to create, and an even more difficult thing to control. Using the ready-made strategies offered by online influencers, rather than trying to generate it yourself, can be an effective way of directing online traffic to your posts, with a reasonable guarantee of results. By collaborating with individuals who have a substantial and engaged following, you can showcase your offerings and create compelling narratives that resonate with bespoke groups of people, particularly in the younger age groups. So how does it work?
Understanding influencer marketing in hospitality
Influencer marketing is all about forming a partnership with individuals, be they bloggers, vloggers, or social media personalities. Their followers trust their opinion so their recommendation, with accompanying videos of your best dishes/rooms/cocktails, holds a lot of sway. For hospitality businesses, it helps if they are highlighting particularly unique experiences, amenities or services, which both stand out and create shareable posts.
Most, if not all, high-end restaurants, bars and hotels get regular approaches to post positive content in return for something free, whether that’s a room, a meal, or a bar tab. Sifting through these requests to find the authentic offers can be tiring and some businesses are rejecting influencers altogether. However tempting it can be to lump all these offers together, some can be very worthwhile, such as media requests from journalists or PRs, so try and make sure you have time to consider every offer on its own merits.
A mutual partnership
The most successful influencer marketing campaigns are likely to be planned and hinge on choosing partners whose audience aligns with your target market. It's not merely about follower count, as engagement rates and content relevance are perhaps even more important. Therefore, good research is essential to identify influencers whose followers are likely to be interested in your offerings, though specialised marketing agencies will be able to find a suitable content creator who aligns with your marketing goals, for a fee.
Having worked with many hotels to create bespoke content, Jodie Hazlewood, of popular interiors and style account @thehouseupstairs, says, “hotels should firstly look for content creators that have a similar aesthetic to their hotel, as well as seeing if brands they have worked with before are at the same price point or have similarities to their own. In terms of what they may ask for in return, hotels should clarify what content they want for a free night’s stay. One grid post and some stories is appropriate, but also specify what’s included with the stay. Dinner, breakfast and some drinks is a general rule.”
@chantelle_pang who also works regularly with hospitality businesses, gives her own advice. “It’s good to approach creators at least two weeks or a month ahead of any new launches that they’d like to create buzz around.” She says: “Also find the right niche, such as a coeliac creator to promote a gluten-free menu, or a vegan for a vegan/meat-free campaign. Making sure the team is also aware of the visit avoids any awkwardness, for example checking that a meal or room has been covered.”
Chantelle continues, “when it comes to ordering food or drinks, recommendations on what from the menu the business wants to highlight also helps. It’s a partnership, so the closer you work together the better, and do set aside a budget. Some creators do this full time and would expect to be paid in the same way any service would, rather than just be provided with a free meal.”
Crafting authentic collaborations
Authenticity is the cornerstone of these effective influencer partnerships. Audiences are increasingly discerning and can easily detect promotions that don’t seem to make sense. An influencer who promotes healthy living suddenly eating fast food to promote a major brand will be a big turn-off for some. Encouraging influencers to share genuine experiences and things they are naturally into resonates more deeply with their followers.
Food influencer/food challenge aficionado Kate Ovens and her collaboration with The York Roast Co. is a good example. To promote their 'Yorkshire Pudding Wrap,' the company challenged Ovens to eat a huge version of the dish. The resulting content garnered over 2.7 million views on Facebook, significantly boosting the brand's visibility and attracting a younger audience.
An emerging trend in influencer marketing is the utilisation of employee-generated content (EGC). By empowering staff to share their experiences and insights, businesses can offer authentic glimpses into their operations, making them more relatable and garnering trust. This kind of behind-the-scenes insight has long been used on LinkedIn for B2B marketing, but it is increasingly creeping into other social media platforms. Chefs have been ahead of this trend for a while, such as Nikki Thompson in Nottingham’s Table 47, who demonstrates how she makes her own croissants and cakes, subsequently driving people towards her private dining experiences.
Measuring campaign success
To ensure a return on investment, it's crucial to establish clear objectives and metrics for your influencer campaigns. Track engagement rates, website traffic, and booking conversions resulting from the collaboration.
If, for example, a hotel detects that a visitor landing on their website is coming from TikTok, they can display personalised and relevant messages that relate to a younger demographic. By offering exclusive perks like a tempting discount, free cancellation, or complimentary breakfast, they can also entice them to make a direct booking. Collecting the data on these exchanges allows for assessment of their effectiveness and informs future marketing strategies.
Ultimately, make sure you plan your strategy well
If used correctly, influencers present an effective way for UK hospitality businesses to improve their reach and appeal. By selecting the right partners, fostering authentic collaborations and embracing innovative content strategies, you can create compelling narratives that resonate with potential guests, ultimately driving engagement and bookings. However, it is also easy to get it wrong.
Using the wrong influencer with a mis-aligned following, or simply posting something that comes across as false, will turn people away. So, plan your strategy with care, because when it comes to their socials, people are becoming ever more picky and perceptive.