Armin Gögele, last updated on August 30, 2023
Storytelling is a communication strategy that uses texts, pictures, and videos to provide information. Messages and knowledge are conveyed using a story, in order to generate interest and form an emotional connection with the reader, listener, or watcher. Storytelling engages customers, making messages far more memorable.
The stories can be anecdotes or experiences, and they can be true as well as made-up. Storytelling is increasingly used to communicate directly with a target audience. The content is designed to correspond to customers’ interests and capture their attention.
It can be used to achieve different goals: Stories can simply provide information, show problem-solving strategies, contain concrete calls to action, increase guest loyalty, or introduce new thought processes. This way a product or content is promoted effectively and yet discreetly.
Advantages of storytelling in hotel marketing
- Emotional connection to guests
- Communication of memorable content
- Improved guest experience
- Attraction of new guests
- Differentiation from competitors
Frequently asked questions about storytelling in hotel marketing
How do I find the right stories for my hotel marketing?
Stories should be aligned with the hotel's identity and values. Guest experiences, features of the environment or the hotel's history can serve as inspiration.
Which channels are suitable for storytelling?
Stories can be told on the hotel website, in
social media, blog posts or
newsletters.
Videos and images can also visually support the stories.
By using emotional stories to capture the imagination of potential guests and hold out the prospect of unique experiences, hotels increase the likelihood of a booking. The ability to identify with the emotions and experiences portrayed creates a deeper connection and motivates prospects to experience them for themselves. This drives interest in a hotel stay, and can therefore
increase booking rates in the long term.
How do I measure the success of storytelling in hotel marketing?
The success of storytelling in hotel marketing can be measured by various key performance indicators (KPIs). These include engagement on
social media platforms such as likes, comments and shares, as these indicate the response of the target audience. Likewise, page views of storytelling content on the hotel's website provide insights into user interaction. Additionally, guest feedback plays an important role, as positive reactions and mentions from guests to the stories told indicate a successful connection.
