CHANGING HOW HOSPITALITY DOES SOCIAL
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Get in on LinkedIn Top-Performing Content, Trends and Insights

Do you want to climb to the top of the social media mountain? Professionally speaking, LinkedIn is the platform for you to share thought leadership and build professional contacts. The platform rewards people who publish original and innovative content. In fact, they have an algorithm that boosts the top performers on the platform by distributing it to more people based on your organic reach and how often you publish. Also, it is important to remember that LinkedIn favors genuine human connection. It isn’t the place to share a cut-and-paste message. It might only be a digital relationship, but it is still a genuine relationship–and when you attend that next trade show you will most likely meet some of your LinkedIn contacts! Finally, users return consistently to the platform for big life moments like jobs, promotions, and career updates. Share a like or congrats with them.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

LinkedIn content types are evolving to boost engagement opportunities and build connections. 

  • In-Feed Posts – These posts live within the user’s “posts” tab, and constitute the majority of LinkedIn content

  • Shares – Users can “share,” or repost, public posts to their own feed, with the option to add their own text (commonly with their take on the content, reflecting on what it means to them); Shares can help brands easily push-out content such as UGC, employee testimonials, or industry news

  • Polls – Polls allow users and brands to ask questions in the form of in-feed posts; This tool can help brands gather user insights and understand their unique LinkedIn audiences better

  • LinkedIn Events – Users and brands can create “event” posts that provide event information, such as the date and a link to registration, that appear as posts in the feed and also live in a designated “event” tab beneath their profile; Brands can use this feature to update their LinkedIn audience on upcoming events and recruitment initiatives

LinkedIn Content Best Practices

  • Post Length – Both longer, blog-style posts and shorter (2-3 sentence) posts perform well on LinkedIn – the key is selecting the length based on the post objective
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  • Subject Matter – Blog posts that are formatted as “how-tos” and “top ten” lists perform very well on LinkedIn as they communicate immediate value to the reader. Brands can also share content that is informative for their unique audience
    > Brief (3-4 sentences) company updates that are transparent and friendly build a community of trust and familiarity
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  • Cadence – An average of 1-3 posts per week is ideal to keep audiences engaged and updated

  • The Tone of Voice – LinkedIn is the platform for exchanging ideas and information; Even if a post is purely educational, keep it conversational and invite the audience’s direct input, thoughts, and personal experiences, when appropriate

  • Hashtags – Limit hashtag usage to 3 per post; Save them until the end of post copy, or sprinkle them throughout copy by adding a “#” before pertinent keywords to boost reach

BCV POV

People on LI (no matter if they are there for a job, a contact, or advice)  seek brands and employers that have an active, positive company culture and leadership teams with a winning company mission. BCV recommends testing different content formats to determine your unique audience’s favorite type of content. The best way to determine content effectiveness is by measuring engagement and impressions over time and comparing different post types against each other. The type of post, tone of voice, post length, and cadence  – and how they interact with trends – all combine to create a unique brand experience on LinkedIn. As with all social platforms, LinkedIn trends and insights shift rapidly, so a consistent audit of best-performing content is recommended to make sure your brand is optimizing LinkedIn.

Using Add Yours + Collab Posts to Boost Engagement

When it comes to deciding which social media channels to really master, the learning curve of new features has to be part of the decision. The right match of your content to the channels where your audience lives is critical. Fortunately, Instagram has some content creators’ features that work nicely for hotel social media posting. The Add Yours sticker and Collab posts offer ways to boost engagement and build community within the platform and are relatively simple to integrate within a content strategy. Here’s a closer look into each:

Instagram Add Yours Sticker

What is it?

Add Yours is a way for users to jump onto trends and share their own photos and experiences; the best Add Yours are relatable, curiosity-peaking, and spark inspiration. The feature allows users to start a content thread surrounding a common prompt (the sticker). The original user can add the sticker and type a caption that requests their viewers to share their own photo response with the sticker attached, which then starts the cycle over again on the new user’s Story.

Add Yours is a way for users to jump onto trends and share their own photos and experiences; the best Add Yours are relatable, curiosity-peaking, and spark inspiration. The feature allows users to start a content thread surrounding a common prompt (the sticker). The original user can add the sticker and type a caption that requests their viewers to share their own photo response with the sticker attached, which then starts the cycle over again on the new user’s Story.

All users, even those who did not participate, can simply see who participated in the Add Yours chain by clicking on the sticker. Brands who initiate an Add Yours chain can therefore see each user who participated. Likewise, other users may tap through who participated and notice which brands shared a photo in the trend. Users can also view all photos added to the chain, creating seamless brand awareness opportunities through user-generated content.

For example, a travel brand may add an Add Yours sticker to a photo and ask, “share your favorite vacation memory.” Once posted, users can click the sticker on the post and add a photo of their choice before posting it on their own story with the sticker attached, automatically prompting their followers to do the same. The brand may then go in, click on the sticker, and view the submissions of each user who participated in the Add Yours.

What can the Add Yours sticker mean for engagement?

Add Yours stickers are a new form of engagement for Instagram Stories. While previously interactive opportunities on Stories circled back to the original user, this addition starts a chain-reaction in which anyone can participate and share their unique content. Rather than simply answering a poll or asking questions, users are prompted to whip out their own cameras or sort through their photos to find and post.

How can my property integrate Add Yours stickers?

Add Yours are easily integrated, especially when tested on temporary Stories posts to understand how it fits best with your brand. Here are a few options to get started:

  • Participating in Existing Add Yours – Posting under Add Yours that are already circulating can be a simple way for brands to integrate this feature, as well as jumping on a trend that has already caught significant momentum.
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  • Creating Original Add Yours – Brands can also start their own Add Yours chains by crafting their own prompts and posting it to their Stories. This can be taken in many different creative directions, and brands may choose to add these posts to their highlights for ephemeral use.

  • Ask users to share their favorite memory with your brand – This prompt creates many opportunities to find UGC and content to re-share on the owned brand account.

  • Prompt users to share their “favorite resort attire” – This is a specific example, but choose a prompt that makes sense for your property and individual assets. The goal here is to have users digging through their photos for the perfect picture.

How to create an Add Yours sticker

Creating an Add Yours sticker thread from the beginning is simple. Follow the steps below to get started:

  1. Select an image to share via Stories, then click the sticker options

  2. Select the Add Yours sticker, and type in your desired prompt

  3. Post your final version in the same manner as your other Stories

Instagram Post Collabs

What are post collabs?

Instagram designed Collab posts to boost community with the goal to streamline collaborations between two users. Collab posts are a new feature that allows users to co-post both regular feed posts and Reels. These posts will show up identically on both profiles and will share engagement, likes, and shares. This way of posting expands the users’ reach and visibility, as the two accounts “share” a following in this moment. In addition, Collab posts can add a level of validity to brands that partner with Content Creators, as it displays a higher level of investment by the Creator, then if they had simply tagged the brand in a post.

Here is an example of how the Collab would appear as a post vs a Reel:

What do Collab posts mean for engagement?

The advantage to this – rather than having the Content Creator post it alone – is that the engagement will count towards the brand’s profile page as well. For example, if a brand with a small Instagram following co-posts with a Micro Influencer with 100k followers, the brand will see unseen engagement on that particular post.

How can my property integrate Collab posts?

Your brand can expand audience reach by Collabing with…

  • Influencers – Creating a Collab post with a Content Creator has the potential to introduce your brand too large, new audiences who look to the Creator for purchase inspiration. Anywhere from nano influencers to celebrities can work with this feature, depending on your goal.

  • Industry Leaders – Partnering with leaders in your brand’s niche travel industry can place your brand in front of the correct audience for your goals.

How to post a Collab

Posting a Collab is as simple as tagging someone in a post, and the process is nearly identical. To collaborate with another account, simply draft the post as normal and then tap “Tag People” under the post description. Then select “Invite Collaborator,” where you will be prompted to search for the account you wish to co-post with. After this, proceed to post the post as usual, and the other account will be asked if they would like to accept the Collab post. They can accept/decline at their leisure, although the post will proceed to be live on your account even before they choose.

POV

These new additions by Instagram are an effort by the platform to be a source of inspiration and trend-building, and to deflect from the current trend leader – TikTok. Add Yours stickers and Collab posts are already providing brands with new opportunities to be exposed to new audiences. BCV sees both of these features as great sources of visibility for brands on the app with engagement opportunities alike. To integrate Add Yours stickers, begin by participating in an existing thread to test your audience sentiment and engagement rates. For Collab posts, consider testing with a Content Creator to spark engagement from their existing audience. Travel brands have the opportunity to maximize these two features to build community on their social platforms and engage new audiences.

What To Expect

Hyatt Regency Westlake is a Mediterranean-style hotel appealing to transient, modern travelers visiting Southern California. With stagnant paid social return, Hyatt Regency Westlake turned to BCV to increase ROI, specifically for mid-week stays at their property.

Overview

Social audiences continue to demand inclusion and support for diverse communities from their chosen brands, making 2022 the year for brand conversations surrounding cultural topics. It is important to remember that above all, a brand’s participation in these conversations must not only be sincere and genuine, but must provide tangible evidence of community support before engaging in conversation online. In addition, simple snippets of content on these holidays – such as an image with an overlay quote – can be read as disingenuous.

Audiences want to see the actualized, ongoing impact made by the brands that claim to support diverse communities, supplemented by meaningful and honest dialogue online. Many consumer brands are beginning to show their support of multicultural holidays and observances, but they must ensure that their contributions are authentic, non promotional, and have lasting meaning.

Rising Expectations

Social media users are demanding more from both their chosen brands and from new brands they are considering; The ability to promote diversity and inclusion from a place of authenticity is vital to a brand’s success. Projecting an image across social media needs to be met with proud evidence of a brand’s commitment to fostering inclusivity for employees and consumers offline. As younger generations continue to push brands to be more intentional with their values and support, brands should listen to their audience and adopt strategies to align with their values.

In the world of social media, it is important to remember that cultural holidays and days of remembrance are not trends for brands to capitalize on; They are days of significance that give brands the opportunity to voice their support publicly, and to showcase their offline efforts to support the cause. Brands should look for ways to raise the voices of others and highlight the people and organizations that the holiday represents/supports, such as working directly with an influencer or organization in this space (through donation or collaboration). Inserting your brand into any communication on social media without active participation in the community could receive backlash and potentially result in losing both loyal and potential customers. However, be mindful that when sharing your collaboration efforts or donation, the focus should still be on the cause or initiative and not on your donation or involvement.

BCV POV

At the end of the day, determine who will actually benefit from your post – if your first answer is not the group or organization the holiday/day of observance represents or supports, silence is key.

While silence can sometimes be viewed in a negative manner, it is better to be silent until your brand has deliberated on how to participate in actionable initiatives ahead of your social post. Keep a pulse on conversations and sentiments across all industries when events occur – whether global or community specific – to help inform your next steps.

Proactive Content Recommendation

BCV recommends that brands only post content surrounding these holidays and days of recognition if they have a localized initiative that supports the community, which ties into a more evergreen community-driven approach; This could look like highlighting an organized day or act of service in the community, or a direct brand tie-in with creators in a specific space or demographic.

Engagement Best Practices:

  • Do not post just to post. Content should reflect brand efforts on a larger scale and be legally approved by brand.

  • Do not post content that is unrelated to the holiday/day of observance on the specific day, as it may appear off-key and take up space within the social conversation.

  • Do not repost any content specific to the holiday/day of observance from other accounts; Shared content should be created natively to drive authentic messaging.

  • Include a statement – or note localized efforts – to connect to the day’s purpose if corporate or branded content is created and shared.

How to Approach

Step 1: Understand the meaning, history, and significance of the specific day.

Step 2: Evaluate whether your brand ties into the significance or supports the persons, groups, or organizations the day of observance supports or represents.

Step 3: Do your research. How have brands in your industry positioned themselves on social media in the past and what was the sentiment from consumers?

Step 4: If your brand decides to create a post, make sure the post highlights how your brand contributes to the cause or initiative outside of this one specific day and/or highlights persons, groups, or organizations the day of observance supports or represents. Aim to educate, inform, or inspire your audience authentically.

Step 5: Make an honest assessment of who the post is benefiting and confirm alignment with your brand.

Reactive Content Recommendation

BCV does not recommend taking part in any conversations as a response to a third party or partner, as this may seem promotional or create opportunities for backlash.

Monitoring Best Practices:

  • Limit community engagement on any content posted on holidays/days of observance; take time to recognize the significance of the holiday/day of observance as opposed to placing direct vision onto a brand.

  • Be mindful of any quotes within creative or post copy if content is created, as that may be licensed, and may also be considered off-key if a quote post is published without an initiative or brand tie-in.

  • Keep hashtag volume minimal to allow space within the larger social conversation; we recommend one hashtag only, and to ensure the hashtag is being used in a positive or informational tone before assuming and posting.

Predicting the Unpredictable 

Hotel booking trends can be as unpredictable as the weather. We know. Because we live and breathe hotel social media, creating ads, social posts, and creative for 100’s of luxury hotel properties. The biggest trend right now is one awesome fact: Today there is definitely a pent-up demand for folks to get their travel bug itched and book some bigtime trips.

Here are some clever effective ways to use social to reach them:

What To Expect

With the pandemic still taking a toll on tourism and impacting traveler preferences, The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara wanted to maintain a strong position by providing activities and offerings for various traveler types. Understanding this objective, BCV proposed the Bacara-by-Day campaign: an effort to highlight activities that would appeal to different audience segments while staying true to the hotel’s unique brand—all with safety at the top of mind.