The influencer space has shifted in recent years and hotel marketers have more opportunity than ever to maximize the value of their partnerships . It ’ s all thanks to the recent boom of what is referred to as the “ creator economy .” Where , traditionally , influencer marketing was seen as a mix of paid media ( you |
pay for the partnership ) and earned media ( you ’ ve earned space on the influencer ’ s social channels ), hotel marketers should be considering the value of owned media performance — your hotel ’ s own social media channels — in equal measure . Beautiful influencer content should live for a long time on your hotel ’ s social channels , |
where it will gain additional views and continue to perform as some of your hotel ’ s most beautiful , eye-catching content .
This and a few other best practices will help you broker collaborations that stand out , that return the most value on your investment ( whether trade or monetary ) and that actually influence travel decisionmaking .
ALLOCATING INFLUENCER CONTENT Influencers became influential because they ’ re talented content creators . People wouldn ’ t follow them if they didn ’ t have an above-average knack for creating thumbstopping , visually arresting content . Think of them like artists : they create posts that draw people in . Why , then , do some hotel marketers skip the step of ensuring that an influencer ’ s beautiful photos , videos and storytelling can live on their hotel ’ s social media channels ? The right to use several of an influencer ’ s “ creations ” ( their photos and videos from their stay with you ) on your own social channels should be baked into every influencer agreement brokered . Ideally , the usage rights are in perpetuity ; meaning , you can post and re-post them as you see fit . This becomes more difficult the larger the following of the influencer , but some will entertain brand usage rights for three to six months .
AUDIENCE SIZE MATTERS AND MICRO-
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INFLUENCERS ARE IN THE SWEET SPOT . In the travel space , microinfluencers might just be your best bet . Defined as having between 10,000 and 150,000 followers , these influencers actually still influence people with their perspectives . They remain generally likable and , while aspirational , aren ’ t so far off the plane of reality that people write them off ( or even secretly loathe them ). Micro-influencers are often still out to prove themselves , so they ’ re more likely to put a lot of thought behind the highquality content they produce and the niche perspective they offer . Micro- and even nano- ( between 1,000 – 5,000 followers ) influencers have the highest engagement rate ( meaning the number of people who like , comment on , share or save their posts ) beating out mega influencers who have 1-million-plus followers . Microinfluencers influence action .
EMBRACE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES AND CONTENT Seventy-seven percent of Instagram influencers making money worldwide are women , according to Collabstr ’ s 2023 Influencer Marketing Report . So many of us still think of a Caucasian woman , in her 20s or 30s , posing for the camera when the word “ influencer ” comes to mind . Yet there are so many talented influencers and creators outside this demographic — people of color , people above age 40 — and
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May / June 2024 hotelsmag . com 63 |