Traditional marketing concepts of push, meaning disseminating information whether it be via advertising, public relations, or cold calling, have been supplemented in the past decade in a large part by pull – as in using google indexing and google adwords to attract new business. One of the most effective of recent years is email marketing, since frequent directed messages to your target market keeps you front of mind. However, social media marketing is by far the most exciting with room to grow for your business.
This applies to virtually any kind of enterprise. With hotels and luxury products, which is our focus, social media marketing is an essential component that combines both push and pull in building a brand and developing a following. Top NYC PR agencies are integrating this into their suite of services, as our boutique firm has done over recent years. It is quickly growing as a discipline, and we find it is extremely effective for our clients. They are demanding it more and more.
For clients, social media marketing requires a modest expenditure, and has proven superb as a fundamental aspect to acquiring new customers, and heads on beds. We have even done reputation management on TripAdvisor for clients, since it is such a vital aspect of emerging social media.
Growing your community online can be done best through the basic channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Particularly with luxury brands, and especially travel PR, we find it is a superb way to build loyalty among guests, customers and the trade. Our clients find that over 50% of their customers are repeat, which makes marketing that much more effective when done in a community-building format.
Posting for Social Media Marketing That Succeeds
Utilizing compelling content is key in promoting via social media, and most important are pictures. Developing a library of stunning shots will serve you well, so taking pictures yourself – just read up on what makes a great shot — and hiring photographers to take juicy shots, will go a long way to appealing to your target market.
What to say? Be creative. Be inclusive. Be direct, and most of all be enthusiastic. But don’t take the enthusiasm too far because your reader will discount the content and find it juvenile. There is a delicate balance.
Recently, our client Casa Bonita Tropical Lodge, whose social media program we have been operating over the past year, was named the number one hotel in the Caribbean and Atlantic region in Conde Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice Awards. This type of award holds particular meaning, as winners are determined not by a magazine’s editorial staff, but on actual travelers’ ratings. Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter have allowed us to communicate directly with a global network of travelers to raise awareness for this boutique property and ultimately grow occupancy.
If you would like to know more about social media PR and marketing see our recent blog, “Social Media Campaigns an Essential Component in PR.”
Stay tuned for more tips, and feel free to contact us at Lorraine@abelowpr.com to learn more about how our tailored programs can benefit you!