“To be an influence, you have to love people before you can try to lead them.” – John C. Maxwell
An “influencer” is a well-known figure on social media who has a sizable follower base. Influencers usually have a very strong relationship with their fan base. Their followers are more likely to view them as a trustworthy “peer” who provides a more authentic and credible alternative to celebrities. As a result, influencers often have considerable sway over the purchasing decisions of their fans.
What is Influencer Marketing?
“A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is – it is what consumers tell each other it is.” – Scott Cook
Influencer marketing is a digital marketing strategy in which an organisation partners with a social media influencer in order to increase brand awareness or conversions among the influencer’s follower base.
The influencer will produce original content about the brand which they will then share with their followers through their social media channels. This content could take the form of a photo, video, blog post, podcast or even a combination of these. While the brand can have some input, at the end of the day it is the influencer themselves who has complete creative control.
In return for their services, the influencer will receive payment and/or they will receive the product/service for free. Oftentimes, content produced as part of an influencer marketing campaign is marked as “sponsored” or “Ad” to clear up any confusion about the authenticity of the post.
5 Influencer Marketing Statistics to Know in 2020
1 in 4 consumers uses social media for purchasing decisions. (Source: McKinsey)
Almost 90% of consumers trust third-party content, such as influencers’ posts, more than a company’s content, meaning that influencers can generate brand trust. (Source: Econsultancy)
A 2018 study suggested a single one dollar spent on influencer marketing resulted in $8.12 in earned media value back. (Source: Rhythm One)
89% suggest influencer marketing return on investment is equivilant to or better than other marketing channels. (Source: MediaKix)
The influencer marketing industry is expected to hit $10bn by 2020. (Source: AdWeek)
What are the Benefits of Influencer Marketing?
Creating authentic content about brands
Driving engagement about a brand
Drive traffic to websites/landing pages
Finding the Right Partner for Your Hotel Brand
Before you start researching potential influencers to partner with, you will first need to conduct thorough audience research. Create audience personas to divide your audience into clear segments. You can then start looking for the type of influencers that would appeal to these personas. This will allow you to create a highly-targeted strategy that is more likely to convert.
Once you have created your personas and narrowed down the type of influencer you are seeking to partner with, then you will need to find the right influencer for your brand. Choose an influencer who aligns with your brand. Questions to ask yourself include:
Does their image align with the brand image I am trying to build?
Do their values tie in with our organisational values?
Is the tone of their content a good fit for our hotel?
A collaboration with the wrong influencer could not only fail to yield results but it may even have a damaging effect on your brand and reputation. For example, a family-oriented hotel may not want to partner with an influencer who swears a lot in their content, however, this may be a better choice for an edgier brand with a youth focus.
On a more practical level, you will also need to consider the follower count of the influencer as this may influence how much they charge. The influencer’s level of experience may also have an effect on their fees. If you are new to influencer marketing, it may be best to initially partner with micro-influencers (i.e. those with between 10,000 and 100,000 followers) so you can get to grips with the process without having to make too heavy an investment.
Learn More About How Hotels Can Use Influencer Marketing
If you are curious about how influencer marketing could benefit your hotel, then you should check out the infographic from Killarney Hotel Group. This graphic offers a comprehensive beginner’s guide on hospitality marketing and influencers and covers a wide range of topics to help get you started.
Mary Smith works as a marketing executive with Killarney Hotels, a hotel group based in the South-West of Ireland. She takes an avid interest in all thing tourism-related and closely monitors marketing trends as part of her work.
