Content to content: Why hoteliers should interact with their guests beyond their stay
Do you keep your guests engaged all year round? Find out why sending an email is not enough to keep them excited about your hotel concept.
A hotel’s intellectual property and communication assets come in many forms, from website articles to a line of fashion accessories. You might have a weekly podcast series about unconventional travel destinations or perhaps a short documentary showcasing your region. Good content can help you showcase multiple facets of your story, which helps to educate your target audience, improves your brand’s reputation, and generates free press. It will also help you stay in touch with your guests even if they’ve only been to your property once.
Keep in mind that…
When creating content, it’s important to make sure it aligns with your story and that the format is consistent with your identity. This creates a positive feedback loop around your key messages, giving a valuable boost to your visibility and reputation. You do not have to create and distribute content all by yourself. If the story you tell is compelling, it will attract attention from newspapers and influencers on the lookout for the next hidden gem. You can also leverage your local network by partnering up with associations, university students or local businesses to create content for you. If you can create value for the community, the community will help spread your name.
“Content creation rarely generates instant results. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
Watch out!
Keep in mind that content creation rarely generates instant results. You should consider it as a long-term investment that will help you secure a desirable position in the future. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Questions to ask yourself
- How can you use your story, people and space to generate engaging content ?
- What are your customers’ expectations ? What do you want them to know ?
- Should your content educate, entertain or inspire ?
- Who could you collaborate with to produce content ?
Get inspired by: Eaton Workshop Hong Kong, China – Washington D.C, USA
Eaton Workshop, a brand with hotels in Hong Kong and Washington, D.C., has mastered the art of content creation. Driven by the belief that the hospitality industry can be a “regenerative catalyst of positive impact, for guests, the local community, and the environment”, Eaton Workshop has created its very own media arm. It houses a recording studio and runs a radio station. The hotel regularly welcomes its guests to take part in radio programmes and invites artists to record soundtracks.
Get inspired by: The Standard, Worldwide
The ultra-hip Standard Hotels group, which boasts locations from New York to the Maldives, has brought content creation to a new level. Popular with the arts and fashion crowd, the brand has developed its own fashion label and frequently affiliates with artists to host installations and exhibits at its hotels. At this stage, it might be more accurate to say that The Standard is closer to a lifestyle brand than a hospitality pure player.
