For many hotels, Instagram and Facebook are the go-to social media channels to build a brand profile and reach more guests. But what about Tiktok? Why is it so popular? Is it the most important platform for hoteliers?
Tiktok became available worldwide in August 2018, but it became more popular during the pandemic when everyone was participating in dance videos that were shared on the Internet. TikTok is now the Most Popular App Downloaded Worldwide and the Fastest Growing Brand in 2022.
According to Tiktok, the main purpose of the app is to “promote creativity and bring joy”. Although it is not clear whether Tiktok will achieve this (given the growing concerns about data privacy, mental health etc.), the power this app has on the gen z crowd is undeniable. The ability to lead and inspire people is probably the most valuable quality that a brand can have, and this is what makes Tiktok the most popular marketing method in various industries.
Compared to other businesses, hotels have been slow to embrace this new way of doing business. But when you see that hospitality is a dream business full of travel inspiration, you can also agree that Tiktok can be a good platform for hotels to have a digital presence where they can share and develop relationships with past, present, and prospective guests. In this article, we will look at some ways that Tiktok can affect your business.
TikTok – The Key to Reaching the Next Generation of Travelers?
Gen Z – the generation born between 1997 and 2012 – is coming into their own when it comes to energy use, and many are choosing to pay for travel. Although this was initially halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, a younger generation of adults is making up for lost time by traveling faster and more often.
According to a study by Morning Consult, more than half of Gen Z adults (52%) are frequent travelers, meaning they will take at least three vacations in 2022. This share is even larger than that of Gen Xers who earn more money and have more children. , and are similar to millennials, who are currently the target of the industry. As Gen Z gets older and more power-hungry, it seems like they’ve crossed over into the millennial journey.
When managing your hotel brand’s online presence, it’s important that your customers search for your location. Although many hotels turn to Google to improve their online presence, these days, search is everywhere.
According to a survey by Influencer Marketing Hub, TikTok is the most used social media per minute on the Internet, while Google search is number 5 in the list. In addition, 40% of the top queries on Google are related to social media. This shows that there is more activity on social media compared to search engines – even Google.
TikTok is a search engine for Gen Z travelers, who value authenticity above all else. This next generation of travelers will soon visit your city and hotel. On average, users spend more than 1.5 hours a day on TikTok, and watch 167 million TikTok videos per internet minute. Therefore, having a presence on TikTok can increase your reach and influence the scope of your business.
In saying the above, it is also important to note that TikTok has become the subject of laws regarding privacy and data usage. Currently in the US, there is a lawsuit about the future of TikTok, where other countries are banning or intending to ban the service, or choose new ownership to operate in the US. Therefore, some hotels (mostly in the US) may choose to watch and wait to see how things turn out.
How to Market Your Hotel Brand on TikTok to the Next Generation of Travelers?
TikTok’s numbers are growing every day, exceeding 1 billion monthly users in Q2 of 2022. Perhaps, what you are looking for can be found in a TikTok video. This program covers different areas and courses for all ages. The goal is not to leave the app, which is why TikTok only shows short videos without having to scroll or spend too much time on one topic. An algorithm directs users to content that matches their interests, even if they don’t follow a person or company. This means that if the user is interested in travel and other topics related to this, he can be directed to the right things.
If you decide to have your hotel on Tiktok, below are some steps you can follow to sell your hotel:
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Create a business account with new and varied content compared to what you have in other movies. Short films are good, and fun, and good. You can also raise your brand’s profile by participating in TikTok updates such as hashtags, songs, and challenges. You can find topics in progress through the discovery section of the app. Find out what’s relevant to your hotel – such as your destination, local events, and other events.
Showcase your hotel’s personality, design and promote your brand so that your audience feels that you are the most important part of their lives. There are many options, but you should try to follow what is relevant to your hotel and destination. - Use TikTok as a way to promote your hotel. For example, ask your employees to interact with your visitors and new customers. As mentioned earlier, this will help drive traffic to your hotel website, and can lead to direct bookings.
- Share the hidden gems and top secrets of your destination so your guest can have a real local experience.
- Change your color, tell a story, and show what’s going on behind the scenes at your hotel. Get your team together, and show off your sense of humor. Another thing to remember, if your hotel is struggling to find and hire the right people, TikTok can also help attract employees who want to work with you if they know the content, brand trends, and the company’s mission.
- Show what your hotel has to offer, such as an amazing view, an infinity pool, artwork, recipes from your hotel restaurant, or even a barman doing tricks. You may also want to partner with influencers who are related to the type of product or brand you are offering. As mentioned earlier, you can also use hashtags to address specific issues, or to get a customer to take a day off.
- Showcase all your unique selling points and make it true and upright. According to HubSpot’s research, 80% of users can remember a video they watched in the last 30 days, and this belongs to Gen Z people.
The end
Today, many people in the world are participating in Tiktok. Hotels that use this platform regularly for marketing can benefit from better results, more direct bookings, and more brand awareness. Seeing international companies like Booking.com, Small Luxury Hotels, Virgin Atlantic, and Hilton present on the platform with many followers, shows us that TikTok is not a trend we can ignore.
With more than half of the people present on the platform, commenting on videos, encouraging comments, and posting once a day is the best way to succeed on TikTok. If you comment on your guests’ posts and encourage them to comment on yours, you can also get a better idea of what they think about the hotel and your service. If you post regularly you have more chances for your business to gain followers, because your account and videos are seen more often.
But even though TikTok has the potential to improve direct marketing, it is important to have a clear strategy. As with any other marketing strategy, you need to evaluate whether your audience is on the right platform, what interests them, how you can communicate your values and vision, and what business goals you want to achieve. You should also consider your budget and who will manage your hotel’s presence on the platform.
About GuestCentric
GuestCentric is a leading provider of cloud-based digital marketing software and services that help luxury hoteliers promote their brands, drive direct bookings and connect with customers across all digital platforms. GuestCentric’s all-in-one platform offers hotels the only integrated way to manage their guests’ online journey: successful, high-performance websites; integrated, easy-to-use booking engine; social media marketing tools and publications; GDS chain code is a channel manager to offer rooms on Amadeus, Booking.com, Expedia, Galileo, Google, Sabre, TripAdvisor and hundreds of other platforms. GuestCentric is a proud provider of solutions that increase direct bookings for hotel groups and independent hotels from categories such as Design Hotels, Great Hotels of the World, Leading Hotels of the World, Relais & Chateaux, Small Luxury Hotels and Small Danish Hotels. GuestCentric is featured on the Skift Travel Tech 250, a list of the top 250 travel companies that create innovative travel solutions.
Melissa Rodrigues
Content Manager
+ 35 196 157 3854
Guestcentric Systems
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