CHANGING HOW HOSPITALITY DOES SOCIAL
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Industry veteran Sonesta, the 8th largest hospitality company, is on a mission to elevate its brand awareness, particularly for its flagship brand, The Royal Sonesta. Despite its established position, Sonesta seeks a wider audience as its portfolio continues to grow and a distinct online presence that reflects its unique hotel brands. Gina Uttaro, Director of Social Media & Content for Sonesta, said:

“As a small, nimble social media team internally at Sonesta, we wanted a true partner that would match our passion for creative content, motivation to stay up to date on trends, and always bring fresh ideas and strategic thinking to their work”.

Enter BCV, a renowned agency known for its hospitality industry expertise and ability to turn challenges into opportunities. This strategic partnership promises to redefine the social media landscape for both brands.

Beyond a Facelift: Crafting Distinct Brand Narratives

Sonesta describes itself as an “80-year-old startup,” highlighting its longevity and continuous evolution. The Royal Sonesta, their crown jewel, exudes a “sophisticated whimsy,” a playful take on “royalty” that sets it apart. BCV acknowledges this desire for differentiation and promises to craft narratives that capture the essence of both brands: Sonesta’s established voice and The Royal Sonesta’s unique persona.

Shared Goals, Amplified Results:

Sonesta’s top priorities are building brand awareness and fostering a thriving online community. They envision a vibrant social media presence that attracts new audiences and transforms guests into loyal brand ambassadors. BCV’s strategy involves creative content and strategic paid tactics to achieve these goals. The success of campaigns like “Sincerely Sonesta” and “Make Your Mantra” demonstrates the effectiveness of BCV’s approach.

The creative for ‘Sincerely’ features simple, luxurious imagery and a cheeky ‘out of the office’ message in the company’s voice and signed, ‘Sincerely, Sonesta.’ Senior Account Executive Katie Murphy said,

“Sincerely Sonesta” effectively captures the essence of Sonesta’s brand identity and engagement with the audience. We also did a campaign called Make Your Mantra to marry the idea of making resolutions at the beginning of each year, with travel goals directly targeting the brand’s audience of business and leisure travelers to drive engagement and meaningful conversation”.

 

A Glimpse into the Future: The “Royalty Revolution” Begins

2024 marks the beginning of the “royalty revolution” for The Royal Sonesta. BCV plans to showcase its stunning locations and bring its “royal mascots” to life, fostering deeper connections with targeted audiences. Sonesta’s diverse personality will shine across various platforms, while The Royal Sonesta’s mascot-driven persona will unfold on its dedicated channel, creating a captivating social media symphony.

Beyond Hype: A Look at the Concrete Facts

According to Gina Uttaro, Sonesta’s social media lead:

“The BCV team feels like an extension of our social media team and this was important to us in choosing the right partner to help us build our brands on social media”. 

This partnership is not just about lofty goals and future promises. Here are some key facts to remember:

  • Established brands seeking wider recognition: Sonesta, despite its industry ranking, desires increased brand awareness for the organization and key hotel brands like The Royal Sonesta.

  • Distinct brand personalities: Sonesta seeks to generate global awareness of their growing “80-year-old startup” hospitality organization, while The Royal Sonesta focuses on a “sophisticated whimsy” persona.

  • Shared goals of brand awareness and community building: Both Sonesta and BCV prioritize increasing brand awareness and fostering online communities.

  • Strategic approach with tailored content: BCV’s strategy involves creative content and paid tactics specific to each brand’s personality and target audience.

  • Emphasis on collaboration and industry expertise: Sonesta values BCV’s collaborative approach and deep understanding of the hospitality industry.

The Future Unfolds: Stay Tuned for More

 This is just the beginning of Sonesta and BCV’s journey. The future promises innovative social media strategies, a thriving online community, and a brand presence that redefines expectations in the hospitality industry. Stay tuned for more updates as they rewrite the rules of social engagement and embark on a new era of digital success.

BUILDING A VIDEO STRATEGY FOR MULTIPLE PLATFORMS

When you have a video to share you have two options. First, you can post the same video on every channel. But that’s not very strategic. Instead, use the tools provided by each platform to customize your video and tailor it to what type(s) of video content performs best on those platforms.

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter all have intelligent targeting. Additionally, let’s not overlook YouTube – since it’s a Google platform product, you can use target words to catch people during searches.

Expert Tip: Consider your target demographics when you are on the platform. That way you can prioritize for Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, etc., and the platform will do the segmentation. 

Once you have some initial target numbers for your audiences, you can refine them by adding target words. For example, are you a beach resort targeting families? A boutique hotel in the countryside? The unique qualities of your property are rich keyword targets and allow you to put together versions of your video that match your target audience and the platform’s style. Want to take advantage of even more features to customize your video? Add some trending audio from TikTok or IG. Here’s an article on how to do that.

Sounds like a little extra work, and it is. But it is worth it. And here are some stats to encourage you to put some time into your video strategy.

HIGHLY MEASURABLE MEDIA

Instagram videos that are around 26 seconds long receive the most comments.

Media experts have predicted increased video content consumption for over a decade. And they have been right, with actual viewership numbers beating even the most aggressive projections.

In the luxury hotel industry, our data team has also seen a dramatic uptick. With Meta prioritizing video, BCV clients see a 31% lift in engagement from video &  12% increase in click-thru rate when a video is used in ads. When you customize a video for placement on multiple video platforms you get more mileage from the video and learn about all of your audiences.

WHAT IF YOU ONLY WANT TO USE ONE PLATFORM?

Once again, there are two choices, and both involve choosing a target. If you’re like most properties, you have your core audience and your emerging audiences. Which of these audiences do you most want to be watching the video? If your priority for video is a Gen Z demographic, then you will focus on TikTok. Gen X watches videos on Instagram. And Boomers are mostly focused on Facebook. That said, if you want to straddle a couple of demographics, say, Boomers and Millennials,  Facebook and Instagram are both owned by Meta and will be your best bet to easily reach those audiences with slightly customized video content.

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Learn how Instagram Reels helped the Four Seasons Hotel showcase the brand’s identity and share its unique stories ➜

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VIDEO FORMATTING CONSIDERATIONS

It is no surprise that each social network has unique video formats. Tik-Tok and Instagram videos should be in a vertical size. The ideal length is 15-30 seconds. Because these are short, you must catch users’ attention within the first 3 seconds, or you’ve lost them. Facebook is more flexible in its format, and videos can be a combination of horizontal, square, and vertical. For Facebook, the recommended length is 15-60 seconds. Just be sure you have enough story to cover 60 seconds.

BEING ON-BRAND AND ON-CAMERA

As marketers, we put a lot of consideration into preserving and protecting our brands. But with video, those rules become more flexible. Big luxury brands like Waldorf Astoria and Four Seasons have shifted content to be more playful to attract Millennials. There are two reasons for that. First, Millennials spend more on travel than Boomers and GenX! Second, while these younger travelers love luxury, they don’t like things to feel stuffy. And Gen Z wants things even more relaxed in a luxury setting. Video is the perfect way to capture the mix of elegance and escape for these audiences. This slight shift in brand tone is especially important as these videos will appear on TikTok or IG, and they need to feel like they belong.

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION IN THE BOOKINGS DEPARTMENT!

The power of video to connect with people has never been more accessible. Mastering a few simple tools provided by social media platforms makes customizing a video for different audiences totally doable. And if you need some tips on creating great video content, check out our instagram or give us a call!

INTRODUCTION

Audio content has been gaining immense popularity in social media platforms. People are increasingly drawn to the power of sound, as it allows them to consume information and entertainment in a more convenient and engaging manner. Whether it’s podcasts, music streaming, or voice messages, the use of audio has become a prevalent trend in the digital landscape. Of all the different audio formats, perhaps the most powerful involves Trending Audio. In this article, we will explore the various ways in which trending audio is revolutionizing social media and how you can effectively leverage this medium to enhance your online presence.

THE POWER OF TRENDING AUDIO

Trending audio is audio that is growing in popularity and being used repeatedly. Trending audio has the ability to captivate and engage audiences in a unique way–by being popular. It provides an opportunity for content creators to leverage popular sounds and music to enhance their messages and storytelling. Best of all, it is rights cleared for temporary use on the social media platforms. By using trending audio, you can tap into the collective consciousness of social media users and create content that resonates with them. This can help elevate your content and increase its reach and visibility.

HAVE YOU HEARD THAT?

There are several ways to discover trending audio on social media platforms. The easiest way is often overlooked! If audio is trending, you’ll see a tiny arrow next to the sound in a social media post. This arrow indicates that the audio is currently trending and a lot of people are using it in their content. Many platforms also have dedicated sections or features that highlight popular sounds and music. Take advantage of these sections to discover new and trending sounds.

On TikTok, for example, you can browse the “Discover” tab to find trending audio that creators are using. Browse your business account’s IG reel feed regularly. Stay up to date with IGs trend reports as they come out: IG account @creators. Stay up to date by scrolling your Reels and Explore pages.

Monitor user-generated content related to the hospitality industry. Be in tune with industry influencers and collaborate with them when applicable. Influencers and content creators often use trending audio in their posts. By following popular creators in your niche, you can see what audio they are using and stay updated on the latest trends.

Remember, look for the little arrow by the audio’s name.

DEEP TRACKS

Want to explore above and beyond the social networks? Keep an eye on hashtags. Popular hashtags related to music and audio are easy to search and track. Those hashtags will also lead you to discover online communities or forums dedicated to discussing audio trends. These groups focus on predicting trending audio and often call out the tunes used in popular social media posts. To go another level deeper, subscribe to newsletters and blogs that cover music and audio trends.

Of course, luxury hotels are special, and the tracks you use should reflect that. Focus on tracks that evoke a sense of luxury, sophistication, and exclusivity. Also, be sure to select trending audio tracks that align with your content and target audiences.

Affluent travelers will enjoy one ‘travel soundtrack’, while Gen Z or millennial travelers will have an entirely different playlist which will be different from the tracks favored by experience seekers. You can almost hear the different songs for these unique groups, right?

Sometimes you want to follow, but other times you might choose to create the trend. Make the track your own and more engaging by adding your own twist. Use sound effects along with trending audio to create a more immersive experience. Remix or mashup the song and make it yours. One way to do this is to use filters and effects to enhance the audio and make it more dynamic.

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On-Demand Webinar: Making the Most of Social Media Trends for Hospitality ➜

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TIPS & TRICKS

Trending Audio sounds great, but it definitely requires some background to make it work right. For example, many viral Reels songs/audios come from TikTok, and are re-uploaded into Reels so they aren’t easily searchable due to a lack of name/proper credit to the original artist.

Instagram doesn’t provide an easy chart or way to see what songs/audios are trending on Reels. Note – there are limitations with types of IG accounts, so want to be sure you are exploring from your business account. IG has a library of audio created to use for you!

Usually, these songs are cleared for limited use for copyright and royalties. But ensure the audio is from a public account and available for use.

Also, remember that trends on Instagram Reels come and go very quickly, much like TikTok trends, so articles on supposed trending songs/audios for Reels become outdated really quickly.

Most of all, have fun with exploration. After all, there are a lot of topics that are not as exciting to research! And remember that the best way to get a feel for what’s trending in audio is by actively engaging with social media platforms and exploring their features. In other words, listening to great music!

EXAMPLES OF AUDIO FOR LUXURY TRAVEL AND ELITE HOTELS

This audio being used to showcase amazing places for travel reels

This song being used for dreamy and ethereal clips

This audio being used to showcase fun and fast-paced travel

This audio being used for tropical vacations

This audio to share travel tips/tricks

The Real Opportunity of IG Reels for Luxury Hotels

Instagram reels are the hottest feature on the platform and allow users to create short, engaging videos set to music. There are a few key advantages of using Instagram reels for hotel social media marketing. They’re short and sweet. Reels are only 15 seconds long, so they’re perfect for busy social media users who need more time to watch a long video. And they’re easy to make. With Instagram’s simple editing tools, anyone can create a reel without any prior video editing experience, including adding filters, stickers, and text.

Before ‘Lights, Camera, Action,’ a Few Thoughts on Storytelling

A considerable part of social media involves connecting through storytelling. We all understand it’s much easier to allow glimpses into a brand’s story with a video than a static image. You can take followers through a unique aspect of a property so that users feel like they see the property firsthand. They are not only reading the story but feel like they’re part of it. Video creates space for guests to see through a more personal lens. Static images trying to convey a story have to rely on lengthy captions that most followers won’t read, whereas a video can get that same message across and hold the user’s attention. It also allows brands to try a more creative approach that they may not be used to – it’s easier to test the waters for different strategies with video.

Instagram Reels are a bit different than TikTok because the trends don’t change as quickly. Typically a trend that has been on TikTok will show up on Reels two weeks later, giving us more time to go without posting. This time lets us approach video concepts by looking at the target demographic a property is trying to reach at that time, looking at what types of content are trending for that age group, and building concepts out from there.

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Learn how Instagram Reels helped the Four Seasons Hotel showcase the brand’s identity and share its unique stories ➜

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Knowing your audience and what they like to see makes coming up with creative concepts much easier. I like to use BCV’s trend decks to see how I can implement them into video concepts. I will also spend a lot of hours looking at TikToks, commercials, reels, and YouTube videos to try and understand how I can turn those into short clips that may fit a hotel. Trends are incredibly ever-changing, but you can usually pick out something similar between all of them, whether that be an emotion they’re trying to convey, the way they tell a story, the transitions between video clips, etc. After you watch enough trending videos, you start to see a template and how you can mirror that for your own properties and goals.

Making it Reel!

You have the concepts. You have your talent, crew, and locations. Now it’s time to get as much great footage as possible. When on a shoot, we tend to try and build out at least 6 reel concepts before we go. The key is to capture content that can overlap with concepts and isn’t tied to just one. We try and capture vertical videos from each area of a property. With photos, you can capture 50 images of one scene in a matter of seconds. With video, the important thing to remember is to shoot the same scene from various angles so the content can be repurposed for different concepts throughout the year. We try to think of social media holidays and quarterly campaigns ahead of a shoot to ensure we’re getting videos that can be used for those as well.

Here are a few examples of how luxury hotels are using Instagram reels. I hope they inspire you to swipe through these and other reels in search of great ideas that can be used to promote your property and attract new guests.

ESPACIO, The Jewel of Waikiki

This reel celebrates the property being nominated for Conde Nast Traveler–with a strategy of encouraging votes. To showcase the location, we used footage from multiple shoots to differentiate the angles and models. To amp up the prestige, we included shots of previous awards. Having amazing amenities like the private infinity pool inspired a creative drone shot that literally put this production over the top!

The Hythe Vail

We created this First-Anniversary reel by jumping on a TikTok trend to showcase the property. Just because a brand is luxury doesn’t mean it is “above” trends happening in the now. The concept here pulls together drone and close-up footage from shoots and edits them to a trending soundscape. We wanted more engagement and we knew that the sound, paired with the quality image, would get that.

Mugen Waikiki

While Mugen has its own page, we highlighted the restaurant on ESPACIO’s Instagram. The strategy was to highlight each unique aspect of the restaurant in a chronological format. We wanted users to feel like they were seeing an up close and personal, first-hand look at what goes into a dining experience at Mugen before they click book on their reservation.

A, B, C. Always Be Communicating

The media landscape is evolving faster than ever. Every few months (or weeks), a new wave of products, tools, and strategies rolls in, and the tide is always high. Hotels now have the opportunity to deploy a multi-tiered approach to their social strategy, allowing frequent communications across multiple channels.

Platform Update: Instagram and Facebook

You may have read that the amount of time spent on Instagram has decreased since 2020. However, large numbers of users continue to join the platform. Because time spent has decreased, it’s critical to be strategic when planning your content. Your content mix should include a healthy combination of video and static images. Defining your content pillars will help Meta find your business’s correct place within the algorithm. Since users are closing out of Instagram faster than they have in the past, boosting your posts to push them to the top of the feed is imperative.

Facebook continues to be a great place to market your hotel. The cost of advertising is the lowest among social platforms, and the targeting capabilities are the most extensive. While your target market may no longer be posting to their Facebook feed, that doesn’t mean they’re no longer using the platform. Facebook communities continue to grow YoY. Whether it’s a group for a popular podcast or a neighborhood community, users are visiting Facebook for these pages and increasing opportunities for advertising.

Next Level: TikTok Rising

While time being spent on Instagram has decreased, time being spent on TikTok is increasing. TikTok now leads all platforms in terms of time spent on it per day. Now is the time to define how your hotel fits into the TikTok world. Brands such as Hyatt and Auberge Resorts have recently joined TikTok, opening the door for properties to follow suit. TikTok prioritizes content that feels more authentic vs staged and polished. Successful hotel campaigns include short-form videos taken by associates giving tours of rooms. Partnering with influencers and/or creators is a great way to test the waters of TikTok.

The 3 must-haves to include in a social media scope of work:

  1. Constant Content. All successful social media campaigns begin with strong content. A healthy mix of video and static images will help find your hotel’s placement within the social algorithms. Well-produced assets can lead to successful advertising campaigns, increased engagement, and discovery. This content is effective when captured by your social team but more effective when it is produced by professionals who are immersed in social content. Partnering with influencers and creators provides interesting creative and the added bonus of tapping into their following for increased awareness.

  2. Cross-Channel Customer Service. As you prioritize customer service while guests are within the walls of your hotel, you also need to prioritize across social platforms. Every platform your hotel is present on should feel like an extension of the quality of service received on property. As you have associates available to guests 24×7, you also need monitoring of your social platforms 24×7. With that monitoring comes a game plan for how to address the results of monitoring with guests. That thread ending with a ‘Thank You’ goes a long way to increasing trust for your brand.

  3. Actionable Advertising. All of the most beautiful content in the world won’t achieve your marketing goals if it’s not being seen by anyone. It’s vital to dedicate advertising funds to your social strategy. As the purchase funnel tells us, awareness is the first step to conversion. It is also important to remember to keep paid campaigns changing–not stagnant. Paid media for hotel social media and social commerce is not a ‘set it and forget it’ situation. There are always opportunities to revise and increase returns and a good plan incorporates evolution.

2023 Planning Tips

With budget season upon us, what should hotels be considering for the coming year? As much as we’d love to see all partners try every aspect of social media, the biggest thing to consider going into 2023 planning is your larger marketing objectives. Everything being done on social should be an extension of the efforts being made internally. We recommend keeping Facebook and Instagram as your core platforms, with supplementary platforms added in as they fit. Setting aside funds for additional video production is key going into next year. Strong content is always the first step to achieving all your social media goals. Because the reason your customers go to social media daily is because they crave fresh content. Always Be Communicating, and your brand will always be compelling!

Looking Ahead Means Booking Ahead

A Note from our General Manager

First of all, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year filled with a sense of persistent optimism. I also want to share some thoughts on the trends currently driving successful hotel social media programs–which gives us at BCV many reasons to be very positive about the coming year.

1. The Extended Surge in Revenge Travel. After lockdowns and variants kept us all close to home, people want their vacation time and experiences back! Everyone is traveling–and customers and hotel staff alike need to rally around safety and community to ensure that awesome experiences and travel opportunities can get back to pre-Covid levels. Hotel social media programs will play a pivotal role in connecting properties, people, and possibilities.

2. Media Choices Must Drive ROI. At the moment, every property is concerned with putting heads in beds. Choosing which social channels to leverage means a tough look at the ROI potential of each social network. Instagram and Facebook have proven, sophisticated targeting to reach people who are shopping and booking. A less mature channel like TikTok that is focused on influencers and a younger audience might not be able to drive the immediate booking and revenue needed.

3. The Continued Boom in Short-Form Video. Video today is more than just YouTube. Video Stories are an integral part of social engagement. They are a must-have. But don’t forget the importance of quality video production featuring signature experiences. With more video being shot, quality definitely counts. It’s not enough to be better–you have to look better too. And video is the best way to do that.

4. The Mainstreaming of  Influencers. TikTok and influencer marketing have quickly evolved. Professional influencers and social networks are developing new products to help show value. The tools to evaluate the performance of these programs are rapidly improving. Brands that understand how to execute an influencer strategy that fits their business and their audience will enjoy increased reach and perceived value.

5. Proper Execution of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. VR and AR represent very different opportunities. The strength of VR lies in how it takes you to a hotel property that might not even be built yet. That makes VR a powerful option for showcasing pre-openings or unique locations where a property will be built. AR, on the other hand, enhances the context you are already in. AR uses overlays to point out different features, different rooms, interactive maps, and more. Both can add a blend of utility and ‘cool factor’ to your marketing mix. And as you’ll see in the next section, cool factor might just pay off.

6. The Creation of New Revenue Streams. Beyond increased bookings, savvy properties will explore and expand the ways in which they create incremental profit. Social eCommerce is a fast-emerging source, and has increased over the last year. FB and IG have made it easier by integrating social eComm directly within their apps. Social eComm can be used for booking, seasonal offers or flash sales. But the real opportunity is to leverage the luxury and prestige of a property and its location by offering branded gear, experiences, or packages.

7. The Secret Weapon of a Superior Staff. Luxury is tied to service. But right now, and for the rest of 2022, there will be an ongoing challenge to deliver luxury experiences with up to 1/3 less staff. The staffing shortage is real, and that means the team you have and the systems in place must focus on providing a stellar experience–even when short-handed.  Making sure you get it right now will go a long way to building repeat business.

I sincerely hope these thoughts help you start thinking about how to take advantage of the many opportunities in hotel social media marketing. At BCV we help luxury hotels with their social media and would love to talk to you about your social marketing plans for 2022. Have a safe, happy, and adventurous New Year!

In digital marketing for hotels, photographs make up a huge component of the nonverbal brand. After all, when it comes to hotel social media content, a picture is worth a thousand words. It is how we portray our mission and message beyond words, through photos, videos, colors, font and style.

When done well, owned photography captures your property’s essence, showcasing its uniqueness and helping users envision themselves at the property. This not only elevates your property’s presence in the minds of potential guests; the compelling content increases engagement, drives awareness and delivers bookings.

So how does a hotel ensure that its content is top-notch and representative of the quality that guests can expect on property? Scheduled photo shoots. As a supplement to more organic content creation (such as influencers or spontaneous snapshots), planned shoots are opportunities to showcase your property at its best.

Conducting a photo shoot for social media can often feel daunting. There are endless decisions to make from making a mood board, to choosing the right props to choosing models that would best fit the brand. Here are a few things we’ve learned after producing thousands of shoots for clients. A little preparation goes a long way to ensuring that you get the most quality content out of each photo shoot.

The Three Types of Hotel Social Media Content

Creativity and visual appeal is the currency of social media, especially Instagram, which is why your shoots must be oriented to your chosen platforms’ typical visual cues.

In addition to planning based on each platform’s visual vibe, you have to decide which blend of content to capture on shoot day. There are three primary types of content:

Architectural. These are photos and videos that showcase your property’s key features and amenities. Architectural shoots, including room types and the interior/exteriors, help potential guests visualize the experience. Beyond social, these shots can be repurposed across your owned media channels.

Situational. This content focuses on specific aspects of your property that can boost awareness and consideration. These would include craft cocktails from your bar chef, notable special dishes from your kitchen team, and spa treatments.

Lifestyle. These photos and videos bring your hotel to life. They visually connect your property to its destination and set it apart from competitors. Effective lifestyle content portrays your property just as you’d like it to, appealing to core demographics who may be scrolling social media seeking inspiration.

We take a very lifestyle-centric approach to capturing content. We mostly  focus on showcasing imagery of the property’s features, with guest “models” included where possible (interacting with staff, enjoying onsite amenities, etc.)

Along with this, we also capture tighter shots of property features, such as unique interior elements, amenity offerings and food & beverage highlights. These are all facets of the pre-planning process, which is what we’ll cover next.

Plan Your Shoot Like The Hotel Social Media Experts

Once you’ve found a photographer – or decided to stay in house with your marketing team or agency partner – it’s time to sit down and sculpt your shoot.

Start the planning process at least 6 weeks in advance. You need to have everything in order so that there are as few surprises as possible day-of. That means plenty of preparation, with clear expectations and concrete goals set and shared in advance.

Before the Shoot

Pre-production starts with a detailed list of deliverables. These are all of the things a hotel will receive from the shoot, as well as a list of tasks that must be completed prior to shoot day. Questions to answer as a team:

  • How many photos and/or videos are we creating
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From there, create an agenda that will be the reference document for the team. We recommend delivering the agenda 4 weeks ahead of the shoot.

The agenda should include a detailed shot list that reflects the hotel’s priorities around lighting and timing. Some brands like to focus on golden hour, which is the time around dusk that gives photos and videos a welcoming glow. Other brands like to avoid having harsh lighting and prefer shooting in early mornings. The choice depends on your hotel’s brand position and the type of content bring created.

Explore your property at different times of day to determine whether sunrise, sunset, bright noonday sunshine, or even night will enhance the photos. Then, build your shot list based on these ideal times.

When building out your shot list, be specific. “5pm-5:30pm: Sunset at the pool” and then break down each shot so that it can be checked off during the shoot. We then determine more specific needs such as the type of shots at each location. Do we need close-ups, candid shots, group shots, landscapes. Having this clarity is what helps us achieve our social media photography goals.

Once you align on timing and lighting preferences, finalize the agenda and share it with each department. The agenda aligns everyone so they are familiar with what’s happening on property and how it may impact individual departments. If associates are going to be stepping in as models (whether in their role or not), they need direction on wardrobe, etc.

Day Of

Staying organized during shoot day is much easier when you have a detailed plan. In fact, shoot day can be nearly stress-free if everyone’s aligned around the detailed plan. It’s more a moment of execution, putting the pieces together and methodically checking off each shot.

As you work your way through the plan, it’s crucial that all models, whether associates, guests, or models who are participating in a shoot in any way sign a brand approved model release form. This allows a hotel to utilize the content across social, the website, and in the brand image library.

After the Shoot

Now is the time to edit your photos and videos to get them ready for social media. If you’ve done the proper pre-production process, then this should be relatively straightforward. Your shot list becomes your post-production to-do list, guiding the team towards successfully uniting everything into a cohesive end product.

A Note on Frequency

Now that you know how to plan and execute a photoshoot, the other question is how often to schedule shoots. The frequency really depends on each property’s needs, such as seasonal activity, periodic events or other short-term promotions that may need quality content for digital marketing.

The best approach here is to add photoshoot scheduling to your annual planning process. Then you can take a look at your entire year to identify key campaigns that augment planned promotions. Break your needs into quarterly chunks, and then work with your vendor to schedule the sessions with enough time for planning, shooting, and editing. Plus, by being more organized, you’ll often save some money with larger upfront commitments to a certain level of work each quarter!

Creative Inspiration

Creative design is a key element in increasing visibility, engagement, and elevating social presence. Elevated visual aesthetics set content apart from their comp set who may not find the value in creative design or content shoots. Brands looking to capture visibility and increase engagement should leverage the full menu of visual content, including Stories, videos, carousels, IG guides, reels, dynamic ads, and Story Highlights. All of this should be done with diverse, dynamic content — which is exactly what deliverables your photo shoot provides.

To get your creative juices flowing, here are a few examples to inspire you. Remember that every hotel is different and your photo shoot should be tailored to your needs.

As you can see with the above examples, creative content does wonders for engaging potential guests. Immersive quality content attracts potential guests and creates consideration of your property. Planning your next photo shoot may seem daunting — but it’s completely worth the added cachet that your fresh, quality content brings to your brand.

For more creative inspiration, visit Our Work page.

Ready to explore a more targeted social strategy? Contact a specialist and let’s craft a strategic platform plan that can produce greater ROI across your social marketing mix.

Instagram was first known for its glossy feeds of picture-perfect sunsets, fashionable influencers, and sumptuous food shots. It then morphed into a more dynamic platform thanks to Stories, which are temporary tastes of a person’s daily life.

Now we’ve got Reels. The latest content type is Instagram’s version of the short clips that made TikTok a household name. The premise is simple: string together several short clips into bite-sized content, often elevated with some jump-cuts and other technical wizardry.

These snackable videos are not only quick to consume but are also a way of injecting some light-hearted fun into a brand’s social media video strategy. With that in mind, here are our expert answers to the most frequently asked questions about IG Reels.

What are Reels, and how are they used?

Reels are short videos made up of even shorter clips that tell a story when edited together. Available on Instagram, Reels encourages users to create, share and discover engaging short-form vertical videos.

Like TikTok, it allows you to edit your video clips with many different effects and a library of songs to make the videos as engaging and entertaining as possible. They also tend to be a bit more aligned with the tone of IG stories, which is to say a little more authentic and a little rougher around the edges than the polished IG feed.

Keep in mind that Reels can reach a broader audience than your current following. The biggest draw of Reels is the Explore page. If you land on this page, you’ll gain exposure to a whole new audience. Users who don’t even follow you will be able to see and engage with your Reels. It’s all purely based on engagement and provides a significant opportunity to grow your following and community.

Does my hotel need to use Reels?

It depends. When evaluating a new format or social media channel, it must fit your broader social strategy and content plan.

There’s most certainly an opportunity cost to consider: if you spend time and money on Reels, which areas will have fewer resources? These are always the trade-offs when it comes to investing in new formats.

Yet, there can be some incredible benefits: more significant engagement with your existing audience, attracting new customers as Reels are shared, giving influencers more options when creating branded content, showcasing your brand’s unique outlook. Those are just a few of the ways that Reels can boost your social media marketing efforts.

If you decide to invest in Reels, then your first step is to start small. It’s not going to make sense to dive headlong into the format without first understanding what it’s all about. Come up with a few concepts for videos and work through them. The goal isn’t necessarily to create post-worthy content; rather, it’s about learning a new content type. Only then, once you’re comfortable with the format, should you go all-in on Reels.

What are the Reels dos and don’ts?

Reels is a unique opportunity for hotels, as the short videos can be an unparalleled branding opportunity. The format isn’t saturated with other hospitality brands, and the tools available to creators give you new ways of telling your brand story. By engaging with your audience in this channel, you’ll set your property apart and deepen engagement with guests.

Before you get started, there are some important Do’s and Don’ts to follow when creating Reels.

The Do’s

  • Do use all the tools. Take full advantage of the filters, GIFs, text tools, and available audio tracks. Your Reels will be more authentic when making total usage of the tools.

  • Do add hashtags. Consider not only which ones are relevant to your content and existing audience but also your target audience. Use hashtags that put your content in front of new people primed to discover your property.

  • Do share to your feed. At first, always cross-post Reels to the feed. It will make your content more accessible and visible to your followers and other users on the Explore Page. You can always remove the Reel from your grid later if it doesn’t fit in with your aesthetic. Or here’s a hack: include a one-second frame at the start of the Reel so that your grid’s flow is uninterrupted.

  • Do it for the right reasons. If you’re doing Reels because it’s the hot new thing, you’ll be less successful. Instead, create for the format! Observe what’s popular – and then see how to add your brand into the mix in an engaging and appropriate way.

The Don’ts

  • Don’t repost from TikTok. It’s tempting to save time and money by reposting a TikTok to IG (or a Reel to TikTok). That’s not a good idea! Videos with the TikTok logo are most likely dinged in Instagram’s algorithm, and this will defeat the purpose of reaching a wider audience. The same goes for posting a Reel to TikTok.

  • Don’t use big borders or too much text. The IG algorithm will also deprioritize Reels that are primarily text or that have chunky frames. That’s because it goes against the aesthetic and intention of the format. Since it’s not what people expect, your Reel won’t be recommended to others.

  • Don’t use outside music. You should also avoid using audio that’s not from the Instagram music library. If you do, at least make sure that you have full rights to it, which means that it’s original audio or you’ve purchased a license.  Otherwise, you risk the video getting flagged and potentially removed.

  • Don’t overthink it. All this being said, it’s easy to overthink creating Reels. The format should be fun and light, so don’t overthink the fun out of creating content. It’s not going to resonate with your audience!

How do I get started with Reels?

The first step is to identify precisely what you want to showcase in this format. Is it influencer content created on property? Is it “behind the scenes” with your staff and guests? Is it glossy destination content? Or is it to inject humor and get people laughing?

Once you have the idea and what purpose it serves (even if that purpose is to get a laugh!), then you can begin.

You can access and create Reels from 3 different areas on Instagram:

  1. The Home Screen

  2. The camera in the top right of the Reels tab

  3. The Instagram Stories camera

Once you’re in the Reels creation tab, you select audio and choose the music you want to go with your video. You set the duration at 15 or 30 seconds by clicking the stopwatch icon. Then, you can either import the video clips you need or capture video directly into the app with your phone’s camera. You can trim your clips in the app itself and add filters and effects to the video for editing.

If you have any voiceover, make it accessible to all and always include closed captions. And there’s an added benefit: Many people watch Reels without audio on! So that helps them enjoy the content without needing audio.

If you want to add on-screen text, keep the size and placement in mind. You don’t want too much text nor should it be too close to the edges, as Instagram crops to a 4:5 ratio. Anything out of bounds won’t show up in your final Reel.

Finally, edit the cover photo and use an on-brand image that matches your Instagram feed’s aesthetic. This is important, as it keeps the Reel on your feed while also reaching that wider audience. Upload the final product, and that’s it. You’ve just published your first IG reel.

How do I integrate Reels into my social strategy? 

So you may be asking, “How much of my video content should be Reels compared to other formats?”

When it comes to posting cadence and how much of your content to dedicate to Reels, it takes a bit of experimentation. First and foremost, you want to create content that engages your audience. If there’s zero engagement, then it doesn’t matter how often you post. Assuming that you’ve found a practical path to build your brand into Reels, the next goal is to get Instagram to prioritize your content. And for that, it takes consistency.

With the algorithm determining which content to serve to which users, consistency is vital. For an influencer, creator, or individual user. Thankfully, that number isn’t nearly as intimidating for brands: one to three Reels a month will feed the algorithm without overwhelming your audience.

Without a doubt, this is a lot of content on top of the typical multimedia output for hotel marketers. But as this format grows, hotels that invest in Reels will start to see results. It pays to be a first mover!

There’s another benefit for being ahead of the comp set: preparation for TikTok. It’s never easy to support a new social media platform; it takes planning, practice, and budget. Testing the waters with Reels helps your team understand the format and see whether it makes sense to try TikTok. The format is similar, and so that makes it a more direct jump.

Looking ahead 

As you test out Reels and learn all of the new ways to showcase your brand’s creativity and voice, it’s excellent preparation for what’s ahead. Social media is constantly changing. Today is Reels; tomorrow it will be augmented and virtual reality. 

As VR and AR move into the mainstream, there will be a natural evolution from the short-form Reels format into something more interactive. Imagine seeing a dance unfold not on your phone but in your living room. Or being able to explore a Reel about a hotel’s latest spa treatment not just by staring at your screen but engaging with the content in 360 degrees.

With immersive, interactive content on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to grow your community and get engaged with Reels. This way, you have a built-in audience for the next evolution!

Who doesn’t love a time-hacking, content-enhancing tip or trick? At BCV, we’ve picked up a lot of them along the way that will allow you to create smarter, more nimble, and more engaging content and social strategies without breaking a sweat. So pick up your phone and test drive some of our most-loved tips and tricks for yourself.

  1. “Make your flat-lays/detail shots look more realistic. For example, opening up a magazine creates an authentic moment instead of a stiff, staged scene.”  —Toni Graves, BCV Photographer

  2. “Short and sweet copy for ads always works best, especially when adding in a little humor or puns to the mix, pending your brand! Seasonal ads always work well, especially those tailored to specific messaging.” —Jenna Egan, BCV Media & Analytics Team

  3. “I love finding inspiration from particularly beautiful Instagram accounts. This can come from a variety of places: consumer brands, home decor experts, foodies, travel bloggers, mommy bloggers, you name it! They remind me that social media can be a way for individuals to express themselves and for businesses to establish and share their branding.” —Haley Soehn, Senior Account Executive

  4. “A/B test your ads to see what type of content will generate a better response, capture your users’ attention, and garner more successful results.” —Olivia Trilla, Senior Account Executive

  5. “There are a few apps we recommend for making creative content on-the-go: Life Lapse, Filmr, and Hyperlapse” —BCV Design Team

  6. “I use the keyboard shortcut for hashtags for different types of posts. This is a quick way to store hashtags rather than remembering or copying/pasting.” —Alex Briatta, Brand Strategist

  7. “After getting the tighter, overhead shot for a classic flat-lay, I recommend taking a step back, adding a human element, and shooting with a wider perspective.” —Angela Treimer, BCV Senior Photographer

  8. “When creating Instagram Stories, apps beyond the platform are your best friend. Canva & Unfold are my current go-tos for elevated Story design that looks cohesive and branded. Also, apps like Vimage and Werble make cinemagraph creation simple and accessible.” —Paige Pope, Account Executive

  9. “Experiment with square and vertical video. A square video on Facebook and Instagram takes up 78% more real estate than a traditional video, and a vertical video takes up over 150% more real estate. This translates to a 9-point-gain in viewership and engagement over traditional video.” —BCV Video Team

  10.  “For Instagram, keep copy more focused on a brand’s personality rather than on press hits or offers/promotions. Copy that is short and sweet or punchy and funny will be more engaging to the user.” —Charlotte Williams, Copywriter

With tips and tricks like these at your disposal, you’ll be able to work smarter and more efficiently to create engaging social media content.

When it comes to Instagram Stories, are you the user who quickly taps through each frame or do you stick it out to the end? Do you scroll through and seek out your favorite accounts or do you play them all in a row? What about posting—do you use any of the features? Do you share posts in your Story? What do you post on Stories about, and how do you make the decision to post to Stories instead of creating a whole Instagram post?

With so many styles and customizations included, it’s no surprise Instagram Stories has risen to the popularity it’s at right now. In fact, it’s hard to believe that the feature only launched three years ago. In that time, the amount of people using Stories on a daily basis has more than quadrupled, inspiring Instagram to add extras such as stickers, polls, filters, and more.

But with all this newness, it can be hard to keep up with all the ways you can beautify your brand’s unique Stories. We’ve taken in upon ourselves to navigate all the noise surrounding Instagram Stories itself and share the fundamentals of what you need to know to use this helpful tool.

Why Instagram Stories?

Before we dive in to the features, let’s talk about why Instagram Stories are important, especially for those in the hospitality industry. Stories allows you to promote key messages and content priorities and share real-time experiences. Because they’re more personal in nature, Stories helps drive user engagement and develop and strengthen relationships with followers, building brand loyalty. Finally, Instagram Stories are part of your property’s Instagram aesthetic, and therefore should be considered another outlet in which to show personality. Read on for our top recommendations on how to make your Stories shine.

Every Story Has a Theme

Now that Stories are the most prominent aspect of Instagram, it’s important that they’re treated as part of your overall content calendar. This means that each Story should carry forth one of your brand pillars or themes. For example, Stories can be used to promote events such as on-property celebrations (hello, Fourth of July barbecue!) or behind-the-scenes explorations (“take a peek at our chef preparing this week’s special dessert”). They can be used to showcase amenities, culinary offerings, or spectacular destinations around your property.

Stories are also a great way to offer promotions and packages or highlight awards and press coverage when you don’t want to draft an entire Instagram post about it, but you still want it shared on your social platforms.

Lastly, Stories are an effective tool to use while participating in influencer collaborations. An influencer can “take over” your brand’s channel to share their personal experience at your property. Once your themes are organized, you’re ready to start executing.

Tips for Stellar Stories

Color palette: keep the colors consistent. As we mentioned, Stories should be treated as an extension of your Instagram feed; therefore, the colors used should mirror those used in your Instagram grid. As for photos, make sure you are always using them in vertical format and allow some negative space to add text.

Fonts: Instagram offers a variety of fonts to choose from on Stories, but that does not mean you should use them all. Readability is the number one priority, so we recommend using no more than two fonts per story—and, as fun as it is, keep the neon cursive font for accent only.

Extras: while stickers are a fun way to add flair and individuality to your Story, remember to use them judiciously—too many and your audience will get lost in the décor of the Story and miss the message. For hotels, we recommend using a geotag, @mentions, and hashtags strategically. And when it comes to gifs, drop in one to two only where negative space allows.

Techniques to Master

Saving Stories: Save multiple posts from your Stories to share the final file for clients or to save as Highlight albums. To save a Story: upload Instagram Stories and play the Story. Select the three dots in the lower right-hand corner. Tap “Save” and then tap “Save Story.” The Story should be in your saved photos. To add a Story to a Highlight album: upload Instagram Stories and play the Story. Select the “Highlight” option in the lower right-hand corner. Add to an existing Highlight album or create a new one.

Color spectrum & color matching: Did you know you can go beyond the 27 colors provided by Instagram? To access the color spectrum, tap the “Aa” or pen icon. Long-tap on any of the colors provided and then swipe across to select a custom color of choice. Color matching is when you pull a color from the image or video asset provided. To color match, tap the “Aa” or pen icon. Tap the color dropper icon on the left of the color palette and a color dropper will appear on your screen. Hold your finger down and move the color dropper around on the screen to select your preferred hue. Once you decide on a color, release your finger and begin writing, typing, or drawing.

Eraser: Using the eraser tool is a creative way to build excitement and curiosity on your story. To use, highlight your photo or video in one color, then select the eraser to draw shapes or write text (with a stylus!) to reveal the image beneath.

Keyboard designs: For adding unique geometric features to your story, try using various symbols and punctuation marks from your keyboard as design elements—periods can become polka dots, underscores can become accent lines. To use, tap “Aa” to open the text tool. Select a symbol (try an underscore!) and adjust the size and placement of it to add unique elements.

Utilizing Instagram Stories for your brand not only offers you another outlet to engage with your audience, it also allows you to communicate intriguing messages, promote content priorities, and share real-time experiences, all in a creative way. By organizing a content strategy, remembering our tips and learning a few creative techniques, you’ll be well on your way to making Instagram Stories a solid digital feature. We can’t wait to see them!