📌 Hospitality Highlights: 31st July 2023
Latest Marketing News, Trends, Buyer Insights & Strategic Intelligence
In this week's Hospitality Highlights Newsletter
Instagram’s Threads App Is Coming to Windows 11 Soon
Instagram Rolls Out Subscription Feature to 10 More Countries
Linktree Is Now Letting Users Add Threads on Their Profile
You Can Now Record Video Messages on WhatsApp
X Logo Triggers Diverse Opinions Among Twitter Influencers
Pizza Hut Mutates Twitch Streamer Into ‘Ninja Turtle’
Google Search Revenue Rises 5%
LinkedIn Updates Marketers Need to Know
Snapchat Rises to 397 Million Users, Sees More Active Advertisers in Q2
How to Work With the TikTok Algorithm in 2023
TikTok Is Adding Support for Text Posts
Restaurant Marketing Audits Guide
#AskDawnGribble How Can Social Media Be Used to Build Relationships With Influencers?
☕ Let’s Get Started
Hospitality Highlights
❤️ Instagram’s Threads App Is Coming to Windows 11 Soon
Instagram is reportedly working on a web app for its Threads platform, which will soon be available in the Microsoft Store for Windows 11 and 10. Although the web app is not yet ready, Instagram Head Adam Mosseri has confirmed plans to introduce hashtag support and web app features. Features expected to be rolled out in Threads include:
Post editing
Multiple account switching
A trending section
A GIF picker
Tagging people in photos and videos
The ability to pin threads to profiles
The arrival of a web app for Threads on Windows 11 will expand the platform's reach and accessibility. With new features like hashtag support, marketers can expect enhanced engagement and discoverability for Thread content. http://askdawn.link/CZVBD7
💷 Instagram Rolls Out Subscription Feature to 10 More Countries
Instagram is expanding its subscription feature to 10 more countries, allowing content creators outside the US to set up subscription services on their accounts. The countries include Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
Instagram plans to continue expanding access globally over the following months. This feature enables brands and influencers to develop deeper connections with their most engaged followers, potentially leading to more conversions and a higher return on investment (ROI). It also presents an opportunity for brands and individuals to increase their monthly incomes by offering exclusive content and benefits in exchange for a monthly fee.
Expanding Instagram's subscription feature offers marketers a new avenue to deepen audience engagement and generate incremental revenue.
http://askdawn.link/FOLPTx
🔗 Linktree Is Now Letting Users Add Threads on Their Profile
Linktree, the popular link-in-bio company, has introduced new features allowing creators to integrate their Threads account into their profile. Users can now add a link to their Threads profile on their Linktree and display select posts. While free users can choose which posts to embed manually, Linktree Pro users can soon fetch their latest Threads posts automatically.
With these features, creators can showcase their latest Threads posts alongside other important links in their Linktree profile. Linktree's announcement coincides with Threads rolling out a following feed and their recent partnership with Snap, allowing all creators to include a Linktree link on their profiles. http://askdawn.link/2cI0q3
🤳 You Can Now Record Video Messages on WhatsApp
WhatsApp is introducing instant video messages, allowing users to record and share short personal videos directly in chat. These videos can be up to 60 seconds long and offer a more engaging and emotional way to communicate.
The feature is simple to use, with videos playing automatically on mute when a chat opens, and tapping on the video initiates sound. Video messages are protected with end-to-end encryption for added security.
This new feature presents an exciting opportunity for hospitality professionals and marketers to connect with customers more effectively, leveraging video messages to promote special offers, share customer testimonials, or showcase their brand's personality. http://askdawn.link/XptKvL
😃😡 X Logo Triggers Diverse Opinions Among Twitter Influencers
Twitter owner Elon Musk has rebranded the social media platform by replacing its iconic blue bird logo with an "X" on a black background. This move has sparked mixed reactions among Twitter influencers.
While some influencers express concern over removing the bird logo and fear a potential decline in brand value, others welcome the change, expecting the platform to evolve with the new logo. Several influencers have shared their opinions, with one suggesting the rebrand could diminish Twitter's brand value. In contrast, others see it as an opportunity for the platform to expand and develop into something similar to WeChat. http://askdawn.link/xyg1xE
🍕🐢 Pizza Hut Mutates Twitch Streamer Into ‘Ninja Turtle’
Pizza Hut has partnered with the popular "Ninja Turtles" movie to engage with younger consumers through its Twitch livestream series. They transformed a VTuber into the purple-masked Donatello character, considered the biggest gamer among the "Turtles." VTubers, with their computer-generated avatars, have gained popularity on Twitch, which attracts over 31 million daily visitors. Brands like Kellogg's Frosted Flakes have previously used VTubers to reach younger audiences, highlighting the effectiveness of this strategy.
Pizza Hut's collaboration with the "Mutant Mayhem" franchise on Twitch started in November 2020 and has seen significant success, with over 1 million live viewers for each of the show's first five episodes. Pizza Hut has introduced a "What the Hut Challenge" mini-game during the live stream to engage consumers further. Participants need to guess an image as it is revealed by removing pizza slices digitally. The quicker they guess, the more rewards they receive. http://askdawn.link/nJmDcx
📈 Google Search Revenue Rises 5%
Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, has reported better-than-expected results for the second quarter of 2023. The company witnessed a 2% increase in search revenue and a 4.4% growth in YouTube ad revenue compared to the previous year's period. Despite the positive results, the single-digit growth percentages indicate that digital ad spend has yet to recover fully. Experts predict that a full recovery is expected in the fourth quarter of 2023.
This news is significant for hospitality professionals and marketers as it suggests stabilising confidence and trust in digital advertising, signalling potential future growth in ad spend during the crucial holiday season.
Google's continued investment in AI will likely result in improved ad products, better decision-making for advertisers, problem-solving, and enhanced creativity.
💼 LinkedIn Updates Marketers Need to Know
LinkedIn has recently introduced several updates that are important for marketers to know. LinkedIn is testing AI tools in the share box to help users generate draft posts. While the AI can create a draft, users must personalise and edit the post to match their style and voice.
In addition, LinkedIn has developed AI technology to detect fake profile photos. This step aims to reduce the number of fake profiles on the platform, enhancing the authenticity and credibility of user profiles.
Finally, LinkedIn is working on a new advertising product allowing advertisers to serve ads to LinkedIn users through streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, or Peacock. The platform intends to expand its advertising reach.
These updates are significant for hospitality professionals and marketers as they offer new tools for content creation, address profile authenticity concerns, and provide additional advertising channels to reach target audiences.
💛 Snapchat Rises to 397 Million Users, Sees More Active Advertisers in Q2
Snapchat's Q2 2023 performance report shows a rise in overall users, especially in developing markets. The platform gained 14 million daily active users, reaching 397 million, with solid uptake in India.
It is important for hospitality professionals and marketers to note the growing user base on Snapchat, particularly in developing markets. This presents an opportunity to expand brand reach and engage with a wider audience.
Snap's ad business shows signs of recovery, with improved optimisation performance for ad partners. The platform has seen an increase in active advertisers, with a record number in Q2. The platform's recovery in the ad business indicates improved potential for effective advertising and optimisation.
📱 How to Work With the TikTok Algorithm in 2023
The TikTok algorithm is crucial for hospitality professionals and marketers to understand as it determines how content reaches and engages with users on the platform. Unlike other social media platforms, TikTok prioritises content relevance over creator popularity, providing equal opportunities for all creators. Engagement, user interactions, video information, and device/account settings influence the algorithm's decision-making process.
To succeed on TikTok, creators should use relevant hashtags, incorporate trending audio, and embrace native features. Consistent posting while maintaining quality is essential.
💬 TikTok Is Adding Support for Text Posts
TikTok has introduced text posts to its platform, giving users a new way to share stories, poems, and other written content. With the option to choose from photos, videos, or text when creating a post, users can customise their text posts with stickers, tags, hashtags, and background colours.
Hotels and restaurants can utilise text posts to showcase their brand stories and special offers and communicate with customers. Marketers can leverage this feature to promote products or services, convey brand messages, and enhance customer interactions.
TikTok's move to diversify its content formats presents an opportunity for professionals in the hospitality industry to explore new avenues for digital marketing and expand their reach to a wider audience.
🍽️ Restaurant Marketing Audits Guide
Thorough marketing audits are essential for a restaurant's success, as they help identify strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities in marketing strategies. These audits provide insights into areas for improvement and determine what is performing well and needs scaling.
By evaluating promotional activities, the audits help optimise marketing strategies based on target audiences and their buyer journey stages.
Other benefits of marketing audits are identifying cost-saving measures and allocating resources effectively. Hospitality professionals and marketers should prioritise these audits to enhance marketing strategies, improve online presence, understand their target audience, stay ahead of the competition, and drive business growth. http://askdawn.link/yQ6D3y
ICYMI
Coming Soon
Deep Dive - Luxury All-Inclusive
Why Customers Are Turning on AirBnb
Instagram Strategy - Part 3: Community Management
Campaign Plan: Christmas
Hospitality Hashtag Research September
October 2023 Content Calendar
Hospitality Leaders Personal Brand Strategy
The Role of Consumer Psychology in Hospitality Marketing
#AskDawnGribble
Each week, I answer your question and provide expert tips and advice to help you stay ahead of your competition. This week’s question is from Aminul, who asks:
How Can I Collaborate With Influencers?
Collaborating with influencers can help restaurants, hotels and hospitality brands build credibility, increase brand awareness, and drive conversions.
The Power of Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing has proven to be highly effective in capturing the attention and trust of consumers. According to HubSpot, 71% of marketers say the quality of customers and traffic from influencer campaigns is better than other sources.
This success is because of the high level of trust that influencers have established with their followers. Recommendations from influencers serve as social proof to potential customers, influencing their purchasing decisions.
Influencers foster authentic relationships by connecting with their audience on a personal level. This level of engagement leads to higher trust and loyalty, making influencer marketing a valuable strategy for brands.
Setting Objectives and Allocating Budgets
Setting clear objectives and allocating a budget before you start your influencer campaign is essential.
Your influencer selection process will be more effective if you have a clear objective: increasing brand awareness, driving sales, or launching a new product.
Setting a realistic budget is essential to ensure you can collaborate with influencers who can deliver the desired results. Influencer fees vary depending on follower count, engagement rate, and industry.
A portion of your marketing budget should be dedicated to influencer partnerships to maximise your return on investment.
Long-Term Engagement and Growing Audiences Together
Your campaign's success depends on the quality of your relationships with influencers. Instead of treating influencers as one-off collaborators, aim to establish ongoing partnerships. This approach allows both parties to grow together and creates a sense of loyalty between your brand and the influencer.
Long-term engagement enables influencers to authentically integrate your brand into their content, making the promotion more seamless and genuine. You can tap into their audience's trust by consistently working with the same influencers and building a more substantial brand presence.
Creating Influencer Buyer Personas
Creating influencer buyer personas is recommended to identify the right influencers for your brand. These personas outline the characteristics and attributes of your target audience and help you understand the type of influencers who can effectively reach and engage them.
Consider both the positive and negative aspects of your ideal influencer. What values, interests, and demographics should they align with? Additionally, identify potential red flags or characteristics that may not fit your brand well.
By creating detailed influencer buyer personas, you can streamline your search and focus on collaborating with influencers who will resonate with your target audience.
Example Personas
Buyer Persona: Ideal Travel Influencer
Name: Sarah Davis
Age: 28
Gender: Female
Location: London, United Kingdom
Education: Degree in Communications
Interests:
Travelling to exotic destinations
Documenting her travels through captivating photographs and videos
Exploring local cuisines and experiencing new cultures
Outdoor activities like hiking and snorkelling
Social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube
Behavioural Traits:
Highly active on social media, regularly posting travel content
Engages with her audience by responding to comments and messages
Collaborates with travel brands and tourism boards for sponsored content
Attends travel conferences and networking events
Constantly seeks new travel opportunities and unique experiences
Negative Persona
Name: Mark Thompson
Age: 35
Location: New York City, New York
Education: High School Graduate
Background: Mark Thompson is a self-proclaimed travel influencer who lacks the necessary skills and dedication to succeed in the industry. He has a limited understanding of social media and lacks creativity in creating content. Mark often resorts to copying other influencers' ideas and fails to establish his own unique voice. He is inconsistent in his posting schedule and rarely engages with his audience. Despite his lack of expertise, Mark constantly seeks free trips and sponsorship opportunities without providing any significant value in return.
Goals: Mark's primary goal is to gain popularity and attention without making the necessary effort to create meaningful and valuable content. He aims to secure sponsorships and free trips solely for personal gain, without considering the interests and needs of his audience.
Impact: Mark's negative approach to travel influencing can harm his reputation and the brands he collaborates with. His lack of authenticity and creativity can lead to a disengaged and uninterested audience, resulting in low engagement rates and limited reach for sponsored content. Mark's actions undermine the trust and credibility of the travel influencer community.
Identifying Influencers on Different Social Media Platforms
Finding influencers on various social media platforms requires a tailored approach. Here are some tips for identifying influencers on popular platforms:
Instagram is a hub for influencers across various niches. Search relevant hashtags related to your industry or target audience to find influencers on Instagram.
Analyse the engagement and quality of the content of potential influencers to ensure they align with your brand. For example, look for influencers who create content that focuses on sustainability if that is your brand's core value.
Twitter is a platform known for its real-time conversations. Look for influencers by searching industry-related keywords or hashtags.
Pay attention to the engagement and relevance of their tweets to identify potential collaborators.
YouTube
YouTube is a popular platform for video content creators.
Search for influencers in your niche using relevant keywords and filters such as subscriber count, views, and engagement. Pay attention to the quality of their videos and the level of engagement from their audience.
LinkedIn is a platform focused on professional networking and industry expertise. Look for influencers who share valuable insights, have a strong network, and engage with their audience. Consider collaborating with influencers who can provide thought leadership in your industry.
Evaluate Influencer Quality Checklist
When evaluating potential influencers, consider the following checklist:
Relevance: Does the influencer's content align with your brand and target audience?
Engagement: What is the influencer's engagement rate? Are their followers actively interacting with their content?
Authenticity: Does the influencer's content feel genuine and authentic? Are they transparent about their collaborations? E.g. including #Ad in promotional posts.
Quality: Is the influencer's content well-produced and visually appealing?
Audience Demographics: Do the influencer's followers match your target audience regarding demographics and interests?
Red Flags to Look Out For
While searching for influencers, be aware of potential red flags that indicate a poor fit for your brand:
Inauthentic Engagement: Be cautious of influencers with many followers but low engagement rates. This may indicate fake followers or purchased engagement.
Controversial Behavior: Consider the influencer's online presence and behaviour. Ensure their values align with your brand and that they have a positive reputation.
Lack of Transparency: Look for influencers that are transparent about their collaborations and clearly disclose sponsored content to their audience. Transparency builds trust with both their followers and your brand.
Crafting an Influencer Agreement
Once you've identified potential influencers, it's time to establish clear expectations and guidelines through an influencer agreement. This agreement should outline the scope of work, compensation, deliverables, and brand guidelines.
Manage expectations by clearly communicating your goals, campaign timeline, and desired outcomes. Be transparent about compensation, monetary, product samples, or other forms of value exchange. Providing influencers with brand guidelines ensures that their content aligns with your brand voice, aesthetics, and values.
Getting on Their Radar and Inviting Collaboration
Once you've identified potential influencers, it's time to get on their radar and invite them to collaborate. Instead of sending generic emails, personalise your outreach to demonstrate why the influencer would be a great fit for your brand. Reference specific examples of their work that you admire and explain why you believe they would make an excellent ambassador.
Consider leveraging social media to break the ice and connect with influencers before reaching out via email. Engage with their content, leave meaningful comments, and show genuine interest in their work. Building a relationship before pitching a collaboration increases your chances of a positive response.
Launching the Campaign and Engaging Influencers
When launching your influencer campaign, provide influencers with all the necessary information and resources to create compelling content. Clearly communicate your campaign goals, content guidelines, and any specific messaging you want them to include. Encourage influencers to add a unique touch and creative flair to their content to maintain authenticity.
Throughout the campaign, engage with influencers by sharing their content, leaving comments, and actively participating in their online communities. Show appreciation for their efforts and provide ongoing support. By nurturing these relationships, you can strengthen your brand's connection with influencers and their followers.
Following Up and Building Long-Term Relationships
After the campaign concludes, following up with influencers to express gratitude and discuss the results is essential. Share any data or metrics that demonstrate the impact of their collaboration. This feedback strengthens your relationship and helps foster a sense of partnership.
Consider collaborating with influencers on additional campaigns or ongoing content collaborations for long-term relationships. By maintaining open lines of communication and consistently providing value, you can build lasting relationships that benefit your brand and the influencers.
Mistakes to Avoid in Influencer Relationships
To ensure successful influencer collaborations, be mindful of the following mistakes:
Lack of Personalisation: Avoid sending generic emails or messages to influencers. Take the time to personalise your outreach and demonstrate why you believe they fit your brand perfectly.
Focusing Solely on Follower Count: Don't solely focus on influencers with a high number of followers. Consider engagement rates, authenticity, and relevance to your brand and target audience.
Micromanaging Influencer Content: Avoid dictating every aspect of an influencer's content creation process. Give them creative freedom to develop content that resonates with their audience while aligning with your brand guidelines.
Ignoring Influencer Feedback: Listen to your influencers' insights and suggestions. Collaboration should be a two-way street, and incorporating their feedback can lead to more effective campaigns.
Failing to Build Long-Term Relationships: Don't treat influencer collaborations as one-off transactions. Invest in building long-term relationships that benefit both your brand and the influencers.
Best Practices for Nurturing Influencer Relationships
To foster strong relationships with influencers, incorporate these best practices into your daily activities:
Authenticity: Be genuine in your interactions with influencers. Show interest in their work and provide value beyond the collaboration.
Creativity: Encourage influencers to add their unique creative flair to their content. This allows them to maintain their authenticity and engage their audience.
Support: Show ongoing support for influencers by sharing their content, engaging with their posts, and actively participating in their online communities.
Transparency: Maintain transparency in your collaborations by clearly disclosing sponsored content and adhering to relevant advertising guidelines.
Communication: Keep lines of communication open and provide timely feedback. Regularly check in with influencers to discuss upcoming campaigns and opportunities.
Key Takeaways
Building strong relationships with social media influencers requires a strategic approach.
By setting clear objectives, creating influencer buyer personas, and crafting detailed influencer agreements, you can find the right collaborators who align with your brand.
Engage with influencers authentically, nurture relationships, and avoid common mistakes to maximise the impact of your campaigns.
By following best practices and consistently providing value, you can develop long-term partnerships that benefit your brand and the influencers.
Got a Question?
Simply comment on this newsletter or social media with #AskDawnGribble
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That’s a wrap for the week!
Please don't hesitate to contact me with any feedback or suggestions for future topics. Here's to Your Success 🥂