4 MINUTE READ
Here, we’ll explore how YouTube can be an extremely effective hotel marketing channel – surpassing other social media platforms in both popularity and ROAS.
For the last several years, we’ve heard the never-ending drumbeat of social media marketing for hotels and resorts. Trendy buzzwords like impressions, engagement, and influencers have flooded our vocabulary when it comes to promoting our hotel properties. But what if all this chatter around social media is distracting us from other, more effective marketing strategies? With the ever-increasing noise on popular social media apps like Instagram and Facebook, is there a better way to attract guests to your hotel? In this article, we’re going to show you why YouTube can be your not-so-secret weapon for hotel marketing success.
YouTube Viewer Engagement
Let’s try to imagine YouTube as a movie theater – where the audience has actively chosen to watch a movie from their favorite genre. Before the movie begins, viewers are happy to watch trailers for other movies in the same genre – action trailers before an action movie and romantic trailers before a romantic comedy. In either case, the audience doesn’t consider these movie trailers to be an interruption. On the contrary, they are often excited to see trailers for any upcoming releases that might interest them.
YouTube behaves in the same way, as users generally arrive with distinct viewing preferences. They seek specific content, whether that’s for entertainment, education, or exploration. This search-driven user intent is pivotal for understanding why YouTube is an ideal channel for hotel marketing.
Viewers are highly engaged when they are actively searching for content that aligns with their interests. As a result, they are far more receptive to advertisements that are tailored to those interests. For many of today’s travelers, YouTube offers the perfect resource for learning more about their destination as they plan a trip.
This search-driven user intent is pivotal for understanding why YouTube is an ideal channel for hotel marketing.
YouTube’s immersive viewing experience seamlessly integrates relevant ads before, during, and after a user’s chosen video, resulting in a cohesive and engaging journey. When users are truly engaged with relevant content, the same level of attention will carry over to the targeted ads displayed around that content.
Social Media Saturation
Now, let’s take a brief look at the user experience on other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These popular mobile platforms offer an “infinite scroll” experience – where a simple flick of the finger brings a never-ending stream of new content for the user to engage with. This can often leave users with a sense of cognitive overload, leaving them in an almost trance-like state as they mindlessly scroll through their bottomless social feed.
In terms of viewer engagement, this can feel a lot like driving down a busy highway lined with billboards to grab your attention. After a while, users learn to tune out sponsored content in favor of their true interests. Meanwhile, all of your hard-earned social media posts dissolve into the background noise of endless digital distractions.
This is no different from a person remembering an entertaining movie trailer while forgetting every billboard they saw on the way to the theater.
The Growth of Video-Centric Social Media
Studies have consistently demonstrated the enduring popularity of YouTube as a search and entertainment platform for users of all age groups. In fact, a Pew research study from 2021 showed that 81% of users between 18-65 used YouTube, with 69% saying they used Facebook and 40% saying they used Instagram. This makes sense, considering how often people of all ages turn to YouTube for video content of every kind.
Studies have consistently demonstrated the enduring popularity of YouTube as a search and entertainment platform for users of all age groups.
When studying the behavior of younger audiences on social media, Pew Research discovered that the video-centric platforms of YouTube and TikTok were the most popular – with Instagram and Facebook experiencing notable declines.
Conclusion
In the end, YouTube shouldn’t be used to replace social media, but to enhance it. It’s a place where you can double down on the video content you’ve already produced for Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. YouTube’s combination of viewer engagement, evergreen content, and unstoppable growth make it the ultimate channel for hotel marketing. It excels where other social media platforms fall short, ensuring your marketing efforts yield optimal results.
To learn more about YouTube advertising and other hotel marketing strategies, contact us here.
About Accommovision
We deliver results-driven imagery to ignite demand for hotels, resorts, and luxury properties. From breathtaking videos to targeted campaigns, we strategically empower you to captivate your audience and leave a lasting impression.
Our unique blend of creative prowess and technical proficiency ensures your visual content reaches travel customers at critical touchpoints along the booking journey – driving revenue growth to maximize your marketing investment. Elevate your image and stand out from the crowd.
