Heard about Instagram Reels and want to learn more about how to utilise this feature for your hotel?
Instagram Reels are a great way for hotels to reach a larger audience and build a following on the platform. They’re also a powerful tool to showcase a hotel’s services, amenities, and experiences in an engaging and creative way. Utilising Instagram Reels can help hotels to increase their visibility, attract more guests, and boost their overall brand awareness. We’ve put together the ultimate guide to Instagram Reels for hotels, with everything you need to know about what Reels are, how the feature will benefit your brand and the best types of content to share for your audience. With the right strategy and content, Instagram Reels can be a great way to get your hotel the attention and bookings it deserves.
WHAT ARE INSTAGRAM REELS?
Instagram Reels is a new in-app function where users can create 15 to 30-second short clips that are synced with music, audio effects and filters.
Reels – which are a type of short-form video content – can be shared to your feed, Stories, Explore feed as well as the Reels tab on your brand’s profile. Bridging the gap between the now defunct IGTV and Stories, Reels offer brands the opportunity to create high-quality content that’s still informal but has a longer shelf life than 24 hours.
It offers a brand new way to create fun content via Instagram that will boost your brand’s discoverability, engage your target audience and build your online community. It’s also a great way to showcase your brand’s personality and build genuine relationships with your target markets beyond the transactional business-consumer dynamic.
Reels can be considered a direct response to the popularity of TikTok, which generated the most downloads for any app ever in a quarter in Q1 2020 according to Adweek.
While the Reels algorithm hasn’t been locked down and confirmed yet, many believe it is similar to the TikTok For You page. This means it is likely influenced by who you already follow, what content you interact with and where you’re located.
BENEFITS FOR YOUR BRAND
We understand it can feel overwhelming at times for brands who are trying to keep up with new social media features to utilise – but by doing so, you are giving your business the best possible opportunity to increase ROI from your marketing output.
Here are some of the main benefits of using Reels to promote your brand:
GROW YOUR COMMUNITY
One of the core aims for most hospitality brands is to bring like-minded people together – and this should be translating to your online spaces too.
Brands that go beyond using their social channels as broadcast platforms and instead focus on creating real connections with their audience will see huge benefits in the long term. These include strong brand loyalty, solid revenue returns from social and increased referrals from past guests.
Instagram Reels is a powerful way to grow your community because it allows your brand to truly showcase your brand personality and share insights of your team behind the screen. It also allows you to entertain and engage your audience in funny content that they are more likely to share with their peers versus a general promotional post.
BOOSTS DISCOVERABILITY
Using Reels has been dubbed one of the main ways to grow your brand’s Instagram following in 2021. As well as taking centre stage of the app’s home screen navigation bar, Reels have the chance to go seriously viral because users will see Reels from all accounts, not just from accounts they follow.
Sharing your Reel to both your feed and the Explore Page is an incredible way to increase your reach way beyond your current followers and boost the discoverability of your brand on a wider scale than previously possible.
ENCOURAGE ENGAGEMENT
Typically when Instagram rolls out a new function, they give priority to accounts using the new feature – and this has definitely rang true with Reels. Users have reported higher organic reach and engagement on their Reels versus other content they are sharing on the platform.
User engagement is an important indicator for your brand to track for a number of reasons. Firstly, communicating with your audience strengthens your online community and in turn, brand loyalty. In addition to this, social media engagement can offer the same kind of social proof as a testimonial from a past guest. For example, if followers are commenting on your Reels saying how much they love your content or how much they enjoyed a previous experience with you, new visitors to your profile will be naturally inclined to spend longer on your profile, follow you and eventually, book a stay.
Tip: It’s vital that you are replying to the comments and DMs you receive. If someone rang your brand, you wouldn’t simply stay silent and put the phone down so be sure you aren’t ignoring your audience online either.
HOW TO FIND REELS TO WATCH ON INSTAGRAM
When it comes to Reels, there are four ways to find and watch via the app. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, checking out what your competitors are doing or wanting to engage with your audience’s content, we really do recommend looking at what others are sharing.
You can find feels via:
YOUR FEED: To see reels by the people you follow, you can just simply scroll down your normal Instagram feed. A small Reels icon will appear in the bottom left corner so you are able to differentiate Reels from regular Instagram posts.
THE EXPLORE PAGE: Head to your Explore page on the app, scroll down and you will see Reels from other popular creators related to your profile’s interests and previous engagements. Reels that have the label of ‘Featured’ are ones that are selected by Instagram.
PARTICULAR AUDIO: When watching a Reel, you can click on the name of the audio to find Reels from other profiles using the same music.
HASHTAGS: In the search bar, type out a particular hashtag and you will be able to see Reels that have used that hashtag.
As Reels tend to be creative and shareable content, you will also find that increasingly more users will share Reels that they enjoy on their Stories too.
TYPES OF CONTENT TO SHARE
So, now you’re clued up on what Instagram Reels are and the benefits for your brand, you might be wondering what to actually post. Below, we have listed the different types of content that we recommend creating and sharing on your brand’s Instagram profile.
INTRODUCE THE TEAM
Now more than ever, people are wanting to get to know the people behind the brand – and the screen. You could utilise the Reels feature to introduce your team members in creative ways online. This will allow you to build personal relationships with your audience, differentiate yourself from other competitors – after all, no one can replicate your team’s personality – and develop brand loyalty.
HOW TO / EDUCATION POSTS
Entertaining yet educational videos are extremely popular, particularly during the lockdown period where people have wanted to join in with virtual experiences online. When thinking about educational ‘how-to’ posts you could share, it’s important to keep in mind what your target audiences are looking for and provide genuine value. For example if your brand is targeting backpackers who are always on the move, there is little point in sharing an educational Reel on how to make sourdough bread – it takes days (!) and they simply won’t be interested.
DAY IN THE LIFE SERIES
It’s important to showcase what your customer base is getting up to while staying with you. Whether it is a nomadic guest sharing the lifestyle they lead during their time staying with you or a remote worker vlogging their daily routine, creating a ‘day in the life’ Reel is a quick but effective way of giving your potential guests a deeper insight into the community and experience you have created onsite.
CHALLENGES
While Reels are a really powerful way of strengthening your brand and building relationships with your audience, it’s important to remember not to take it too seriously. Starting a challenge via a Reel is a fun way to engage with your potential guests, encourage them to join in and increase brand awareness.
BEHIND THE SCENES
The phrase might get overused nowadays but the key to unlocking genuine engagement and community on your brand’s Instagram page is authenticity. While polished pretty pictures might look great, your potential guests want to see the more ‘human’ side to your brand. A great way to do this is by showing off what’s happening behind the scenes onsite via Reels.
ANSWER FAQS
Do you always seem to get the exact set of questions dropping into your inbox from potential guests? Create a Reel with your FAQs so people can get the answers they are looking for with one tap of the screen (and it might just save some time on your admin too!).
SHOWCASE EXPERIENCES
We understand it can be challenging to come up with unique ways to showcase your destination. We recommend using the in-app Reel editing feature to create a video montage of your location to inspire your audience to plan a trip.
HOP ON A TREND
If there is anything that can unite social media users, it is their love of memes. Keep an eye out online for any online phenomenons that you can jump on the bandwagon to engage and entertain your audience.
Are you ready to utilise Instagram Reels to reach your target markets, engage your audience and grow your brand’s online following? We can’t wait to see them.
Looking for support with your brand’s social and content creation? Drop us a message and let’s chat.
