Armin Gögele, last updated on August 1, 2023
Instagram is a social media app that allows users to edit and share photos and videos, along with applying filters. Posts can be liked and commented on by other users. Among its most popular features are hashtags and Instagram Stories, where short videos or images are visible to followers for 24 hours.
Currently, there are approximately 1.2 billion active users worldwide, and since 2012, Instagram has been part of Facebook Inc. Through a business account linked to Facebook, companies can place advertisements in the Instagram feed or Stories. The platform is frequently used in online marketing and hotel marketing, particularly in the area of influencer marketing.
Instagram ads are less overtly noticeable compared to other networks and are suitable for:
- A young, brand-conscious, and design-savvy target audience
- Creative branding, establishment, and reinforcement of the brand
- Precise targeting with minimal wastage due to integration with Facebook Ads Manager
- Pursuit of different ad objectives such as increasing brand awareness and reach, link clicks, higher interactions and engagement, using target audience types like Custom Audience and Lookalike Audience.
The most important questions about Instagram in hotel marketing
How can a hotel promote its presence on Instagram? To establish a successful presence on Instagram, a hotel should have a clear strategy. This includes sharing appealing photos and videos of the hotel, its unique features, and the surroundings, as well as utilizing Instagram Stories for current offers. Engaging with followers and using relevant hashtags is crucial. Collaborating with influencers and reposting guest-generated content can also be beneficial. By measuring the success of posts and adjusting the strategy accordingly, a hotel can increase brand awareness and reach new guests.
What are relevant hashtags on Instagram? Relevant hashtags on Instagram are keywords or phrases that describe the content or theme of a post. They play a crucial role in increasing the visibility and reach of posts. Instagram offers different types of hashtags that can be strategically used to target specific audiences and encourage interactions. These include product and service hashtags like #spatreatment, niche hashtags like #wellnesssouthtyrol for wellness offers in South Tyrol, location hashtags like #southtyrol for regional presence, and event or season-specific hashtags like #weddingvenue for wedding offers. A post can contain up to 30 hashtags, but there is no fixed recommendation due to the changing algorithm. It is essential to choose relevant and appropriate hashtags that reflect the content of the post and appeal to potential guests.
What are ads on Instagram? Ads on Instagram can be created and placed by using a Business Account. Hotels have the option to display their advertisements in the Instagram feed or Stories. They can pursue various goals, such as increasing brand awareness, reaching a wider audience, encouraging interactions, or generating website traffic. Ads can be precisely targeted to a specific audience to achieve higher relevance and increase the success of the campaign.