Why Influencer Marketing Gets a Bad Wrap

Dos and Don’ts of Hotel Influencer Marketing

Photography by RevPar Media / Westhouse NYC

How to Pick the Right Influencer

Did you know 72% of travelers say influencer content impacts their booking decisions? (Phocuswright Report) Despite this, some hospitality brands hesitate to embrace influencer marketing. But Calvin Tilokee, founder of RevPar Media, is a seasoned expert in this niche. He routinely partners with influencers to drive hotel sales and knows what to look for when choosing the right partnership.

Insights to Consider:

● Reach: This metric gives you the total number of unique accounts that view the content.

● Impressions: Although similar to reach, this number shows the total views–including multiple views from the same user.

● Engagement: How many people are interacting with their content? This measurement tallies the sum of likes, shares, comments, bookmarks, etc.

● Alignment: When picking an influencer, it is essential that their content aligns with your hospitality brand’s values. That way, you can reach your intended audience. By using these metrics, you can measure your ROI and understand the impact of the influencer partnership. “If an influencer won’t share this data with you, that’s a red flag!” Tilokee says.

DO Define Your Goal

ITo develop an influencer marketing strategy, you must first establish your goals. “What do you want to accomplish by partnering with an influencer? Do you want to gain more followers? Are you promoting a specific package or promo for more bookings?” Calvin suggests asking questions like these to determine your goals. That way, you can utilize the correct content forms. For example, Tilokee explains, “Some influencers have better reach and engagement on stories.” With this in mind, you can ask for stories that highlight specific hotel features. You can also use their content in your paid ads to track story links and ensure direct bookings come from stories. Once your goals are finalized, you can determine the criteria for an influencer partnership.

Photography by RevPar Media / Westhouse NYC

DON’T Forgo the Contract

What goes into a partnership? A free room and premium luxury amenities? Not necessarily. “You can offer your influencers with smaller engagement a media rate,” Tilokee explains. That way, you don’t miss out on sales, and you receive deliverables.Outline the expected deliverables in the contract. How many story posts do you want in exchange for free or discounted accommodations? What do you want the influencer to highlight about their experience? List the exact number of photos and videos you want in exchange for a room; that way, there is no misunderstanding.

How to Measure the Success of an Influencer Partnership

Evaluate your key performance indicators (KPIs) to determine if the partnership was successful. You can use these metrics to determine if the partnership worked and what to improve about your future strategies:

● Were your deliverables received?

● What was the reach of each post?

● How many direct bookings did you receive?

● Did you gain the amount of intended followers?

These metrics will help you understand your brand’s visibility and reach and allow you to evaluate whether or not the partnership converted into sales.

How RevPar Media Can Help You

At RevPar Media, we specialize in utilizing influencer marketing to drive room sales. We have helped dozens of hotels with the strategic use of influencer marketing. Here’s how we can help you:

● We will vet influencers, so you don’t have to! There is no need to look through the dozens of DMs and applications. We will automate it for you and find influencers with proven results.

● We will help you create performance-based contracts so you pay for results.

● Campaign analytics – We will gather the data for you and measure your metrics so you can see the results of the partnership.

Are you ready to build your audience with influencer partnerships? Click here to book your free consultation, and subscribe to our newsletter for weekly updates on hospitality marketing insights.