There’s no denying that the human race is increasingly getting hooked on digital media. As a result, visual cues have become paramount in capturing the audience’s attention. For businesses, from individual influencers and F&B establishments to airlines, music creators, and more, having an interactive digital identity is now a necessity for success. Thus, videos and photos are increasingly important in hotel marketing and can positively impact bookings, sales, revenues, and long-term guest retention. 

Why are videos and photos important in hotel marketing?

Photographs, videos, and virtual reality are integral to any triumphant marketing campaign. Moreover, they are a constant feature of your hotel website and a significant factor in indirectly convincing guests to pick your property over others.

When devising a marketing strategy with clients, we at Adigital emphasize the importance of including photos and videos for the following reasons;

• Visual media creates a lasting first impression. With customers having numerous options available, capturing their attention from the beginning is essential. Something that arguably only visual media can achieve.
• Photos and videos allow the hotel to highlight its best features. Whether it is your room design, swimming pool, location, or restaurant, you have total control over how to influence prospective guests.
• Another benefit of visual media is that you can share it across various platforms. Besides your website, you can post pics and videos on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. All of which strengthens your hotel brand as it reaches a broader audience.
• Videos and photos are an excellent outlet to tell the story of your hotel and its people. They allow you to form a stronger emotional bond with your clients long before they set foot on the property.
• An advantage of using videos and photos that many people overlook is that they help with the overall SEO of your website.

Tips for maximizing visual media in hotel marketing

Using visuals, whether virtual reality, videos, or photos, for your hotel marketing, requires professional input. It is thus best to hire a hotel marketing agency such as Adigital, who can easily incorporate visual media in different aspects of your branding strategy, from email marketing to website design.

Moreover, professional digital marketing teams have various editing software and are knowledgeable about media placement on the website, so each video or photo stands out.

However, being aware of key factors that can help maximize your visuals is equally crucial.

Quality matters

Posting photos or videos on your website and social media is not enough. You must make sure they are of high resolution and excellent quality. Shaky, unclear, or bad images can have a negative effect on how visitors perceive your hotel. Your hotel marketing agency can then help optimize the images so they take less space and can assist in SEO.

Light, bright, inside and out

To have maximum impact on prospective customers, try and present them with a wholesome viewpoint of your hotel. Firstly, the photos should be shot in a light and bright setting. For example, when taking pictures of your guestrooms, choose daytime and open the curtains to let in as much light as possible.

Simultaneously, you should share videos and photos of both the inside and outside of the property. Filming during the golden hour provides the best light possible for the latter. 

Create a scene

Effective marketing is all about forming a bond with the audience. Therefore, visuals that evoke emotions and make the guests feel part of the scene lead to better interaction.

For this, include pictures that feature people using various hotel facilities. Children jumping in the pool, couples holding hands in the garden, and families enjoying a scenic lunch draw the audience into the venue, helping form a connection between them and the hotel.  

Highlight your USP

Remember to focus on your unique selling points to get the most from your videos and photos. Whether it’s the individually styled rooms, an indoor pool, a fresh breakfast, or the building’s architecture, highlight the things that make your hotel special.

Social media and email marketing

Another reason to include photos and videos in your hotel marketing is to gather content for your social media. You can then collaborate with influencers to reach a diverse audience.

Similarly, adding a fast-loading video or thematic photos to your marketing emails can lead to a better click-through rate, making customers curious to visit your website. 

Importance of videography in hotel marketing

Quality videos of the property can set the mood for the visitor browsing your website. Moreover, they give the guest a clearer picture of the hotel and its surroundings.

However, it is vital that your videos add value to the hotel’s brand and not just waste time by showcasing pretty pictures. The visitor should have learned something about the hotel by the end of the video.

Another feature to add to the website is virtual reality walkthroughs of the property and the rooms. Again, this help guests get a vibe of the place and results in more bookings.

What to include in an introduction video of your hotel

An introduction video typically takes center stage on your website. It is the first video customer visiting your main page will see. A hotel’s introduction video usually runs anywhere from two to three minutes. Furthermore, you can also use the same video, in parts, on social media to promote the hotel further.

• Location – If possible, the video should give the audience a sense of the hotel’s location. Thanks to drone photography, it’s now pretty straightforward to do this. Moreover, a birdseye view of the property is a great way to initially capture the audience’s attention.
• Facilities – Remember to highlight your facilities, such as a gym, restaurant, pool, spa, and rooftop bar, even if they are standard.
• Rooms – Showcasing the rooms, a few different ones, gives the customer an idea of what’s available. Focus on tech and décor elements that add to the rooms’ individuality. Bluetooth speakers, tablets, TVs, marble bathrooms, balconies, everything counts.  
• People – A video featuring people has a far more significant impact. You can thus show guests doing activities on the property, from drinking and swimming to taking walks or watching a sunset.
• City – At some point, including a few snippets of the city your hotel is in and popular excursions nearby is also recommended.
• Music – The video’s music should reflect the hotel’s overall theme. If it’s a young boutique property, go with something lively and chirpy. A classical soundtrack will suit you better if the hotel has vintage features.
• Scale – Lastly, the video should highlight the scale of the property. By the end of it, the viewer should know if it’s a large resort or an intimate boutique space.  

Different types of videos to include on your hotel website

While an intro video is a great way to welcome visitors to your website, there are plenty of other video options you can have on your website and social media.

• Behind the scene – These videos show what happens in the background. From the laundry room to the kitchen, it’s an excellent opportunity to inform guests of all the hard work that goes into running the hotel.
• Branding – Branding videos are about your main brand. It can talk about other properties, future plans, and how you invest in better hospitality practices as a company.
• Staff – Staff videos provide insight into the people who help keep the guests happy. Again, these can feature everyone from the front desk staff to the bartender or the doorperson. The aim is to show how they go about their work. For instance, a video can include the chef taking the camera team to the market from where they buy fresh ingredients daily.
• Travel tips – These are informative videos that speak about local attractions. Such videos may include the best cafes in Athens, top things to do in Santorini, or how to book a ferry from Naxos to Amrogos. These provide service and information to your customers and are excellent for SEO. 
• Guest testimonials – Although people go through hotel feedback online before bookings, having guest testimonials can be more influential.
• Emotional – While it is important not to overdo it, but having a few emotion-filled videos can be beneficial. These focus on specific aspects of the hotel. For example, a restaurant staff surprises a child who is sad for some reason with ice cream.

The importance of videos and photos in hotel marketing is multifaceted. It not only showcases the property and its features but also acts as informational and emotional clips encouraging guests to invest in their holiday by booking a room with you.