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VISUAL NETWORK
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Talk about using influencers smartly . It ’ s one thing to find the people who
have the followers , but it ’ s another to leverage those likes using specific , targeted strategies . That ’ s just what California ’ s Resort at Pelican Inn did with its new social influencer program . One key element has been developing ongoing relationships with each influencer , sending congratulatory cards to celebrate a milestone or simply engaging with the influencer ’ s Instagram posts . The message is that these collaborations aren ’ t merely a transactional or one-time engagement . “ We ’ ve learned to be diligent in vetting every opportunity , including evaluating follower authenticity , engagement metrics and brand alignment ,” says the resort ’ s PR manager , Devon Hillard O ' Connell . THE PLAN : Position the resort as a premier destination for travelers through collaborations with social media influencers . The original goal was to coordinate 12 influencer collaborations between September 2016 and June 2016 ( the hotel ended up exceeding that goal with 57 influencer visits ). Initially , the resort sought out influencers with at least 25,000 followers – those partners ’ followers
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Check out Pelican Hill ’ s Instagram account :
hotelsm . ag / Pelican Instagram
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now average closer to 97,000 . THE PRACTICE : In planning influencer visits , the resort personalized itineraries based on what that influencer ’ s audience would be most interested in . The resort also waived its site fees for the influencer collaborations in return for location credit on all social posts and permission to re-share their photos on the resort ’ s social media . The resort also coordinated individual visits commensurate to the influencer ’ s audience size and anticipated coverage , ranging from a hosted lunch valued at US $ 70 to a spa , cabana and dining “ daycation ” package valued at over US $ 750 . THE PAYOFF : The social influencer program reached a combined audience of nearly 5.5 million Instagram users . Since its first influencer visit , the resort has seen a 50 % increase in Instagram followers , from 20,500 in August 2016 to 30,700 . Since August 2016 , Pelican Hill also received 380 inquiry calls to a unique phone number associated with its Instagram page , including 29 reservations booked . THE RUNNER-UP : Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik City Centre |
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26 hotelsmag . com October 2017 |