2014 digital-strategies-for-hotel-marketers

DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR HOTEL MARKETERS IN 2014 / 2

in 2014
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Digital Marketing
Strategies for
Hotel Marketers

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Table
of Contents

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Share this eBook

04

Chapter One:

06
06
07
08
08
09

The Emergence Of Visual Storytelling
Content Became Snackable
Social Media Went Visual- And Video-Crazy
Video Continued Its Dominance
The Rise Of The Digital Elite
Mobile Grew… And Grew Some More

10

Chapter Two:

12
13

Why Visual Storytelling Matters
Defining Your Hotel’s Story

14

find success

16
18
19
21

Source: How And Where To Get Your Content
Curate: Package Your Story
Publish: Produce, Present Your Story
Amplify: How, When And Where To Tell Your Story

23

Chapter Four:

24
25
27
30
31

Your Website
Your Social Media Footprint
Your Mark on Mobile
Your Use Of Video
Have Your Say on OTAs

33

Chapter Five:

44

About VFM Leonardo

Chapter Three:

A Year in Review

2014 - The Future is Here

4 Components of
Successful Storytelling

Putting it All Together

Go Forth and Be
a Superstar Storyteller

vfmleonardo.com


Thanks for downloading!
As 2013 comes to a close and we begin to prepare for the next
year, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about how you can set
yourself up for success.
In this eBook, we reﬂect on what happened in digital marketing
in 2013 and explore why visual storytelling is the primary
driver for the most successful online marketing programs. This
eBook is assembled with the collective knowledge and insight
from many key industry experts. You can read more of their
reflections and predictions in the bonus section at the end of the
eBook.
I sincerely hope you ﬁnd it helpful as you develop your digital
marketing strategy for the year to come.
Regards,
John McAuliffe
President
VFM Leonardo, Inc.

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Chapter One

a year in review

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Life in the digital age moves fast
So fast, sometimes, that we don’t even notice it changing! The
internet is a constantly evolving source of information, news,
entertainment, communication and commerce. For hotel marketers,
the need to adapt and keep up with the digital marketing revolution
has never been more critical.
But it can be a challenge to keep up with the latest trends. The
second you’ve mastered the art of the 6 second video on Vine,
Instagram introduces their 15 second version. Then just when you
finally start to generate “likes” on Facebook, you hear that Google+
is gaining popularity… it’s like a digital marketing arms race! And the
reality is that you can’t risk falling behind – after all, your competitors,
travel channels and guests aren’t going to wait for you to catch up.
For hotel marketers, preparation and planning can help mitigate the
risk of falling behind. But first, let’s take a look back at how digital
marketing unfolded in 2013.

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A Year In Review

The emergence of visual storytelling

Content became snackable

Visual storytelling emerged at the heart of the most successful
marketing campaigns in 2013. Stories are being told everywhere,
about everything from consumer packaged goods (think Swiffer
commercials) to reality shows (like House Hunters) and naturally,
the travel industry. Take a look at the way the web has evolved in
the last 12 months – even on the sites you visit on a daily basis –
you can see it’s more than just talk. Pictures are bigger and more
dynamic. Large blocks of text are dwindling. Streaming video is
commonplace. Rather than simply “reading” websites, users are
“experiencing” them.

Following suit with the visual-first trend, online content has
become increasingly “snackable.” Glenn Engler, the CEO of
Digital Influence Group defines snackable content as “bite-sized
chunks of information that can be quickly ‘consumed’ by its
audience”. In 2013 we learned to share easily digestible portions
because on-the-go travel shoppers are more likely to engage with
websites that offer bite-sized pieces and photos over text heavy
websites.

Key Stat
Images are the most-shared items on both Facebook and Twitter, with
an average of 1609 and 850 shares per image, respectively. Videos are
the second-most shared item on Facebook, and the third-most shared on
Twitter.22

Hotels can create snackable content by converting the material
they already have into small, easy to digest snippets of
information. The best way to do this is to use visuals and short
descriptions (1-2 sentences) to convey your message to travel
shoppers.
The average attention span of an adult online is only 8 seconds1.
Make every moment count by making your content quick to
digest, snackable, shareable and mobile optimized.

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A Year In Review

Social media went
visual- and video-crazy
Visually-driven stories dominated social
media channels in 2013.

Facebook reports that 6 billion photos
are uploaded each month. That’s over
200,000 per minute! 2
Pinterest continued its explosive growth,
passing 70 million unique users in July3.

Vine, Twitter’s six-second video burst
software, debuted in January on iOS
and expanded to Android in July, and
surpassed 40 million registered users in
August4.

Google+ underwent a visually-driven
redesign in May, with a multi-column
layout that can show off multiple forms of
media – including photos that can span
the width of multiple columns – along
with larger cover photos and albums.
Google+ also experienced a 33 % growth
in its user base in the last year7.

Popular photo-sharing site Instagram
added video sharing in June, and
exceeded 150 million active users in
September5.
Snapchat announced that it broke the
200 million daily photo upload threshold
in June… then blew that number away
when it topped 350 million daily uploads
in September6.

vfmleonardo.com


A Year In Review

Video continued its
dominance

YouTube announced that it surpassed
one billion monthly users in the 1st
quarter of 2013!8 U.S. advertisers spent
more than $4 billion on digital
video in 20139. And that’s just
for starters:
u According to Google,
digital video will be more
popular than social networking
by 201710.
u Short form videos
have surged in popularity,
accounting for more than 80%
of total video views for digital
content providers11.

Think online video has reached a
saturation level? Not even close! When
it comes to sharing a visual story, video
is a compelling, effective way to do it.

u 51% of leisure travelers
and 69% of business travelers watched
travel-related videos in 201312.

The rise of the digital elite
A new marketing term appeared on
the scene to describe the emerging
segment of people who typically access
the internet from a minimum of 2 mobile
devices. (Yes, many of these people are
your guests!)
Google points out that the digital elite
move quickly from one device to another,
often beginning the travel research
process on a smartphone, then booking
on a tablet or laptop computer18. The
digital elite use mobile devices both
simultaneously and sequentially. This
technologically inclined demographic
wants a seamless, consistent experience
across all devices. In the fast paced
world of constant connectivity, hotels
need to stand out to catch the eyes of
these savvy, multi-screen mavens.
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A Year In Review

Mobile grew… and grew some more
On-the-go devices continued to sell in record numbers throughout
2013, as consumers surfed the web, socialized, researched,
compared, purchased, and chatted across all the devices used
during their day. In fact, 2013 smartphone sales alone surpassed
1 billion devices globally13, and over 1.2 billion people accessed
the web from a mobile device14.
The overall stats for mobile growth are striking:
u More than half of all travelers are researching their travel plans
on their smartphone – and more than a third are doing the same
on their tablet15.
u According to Expedia, 65% of travelers who booked a hotel
room less than 24 hours in advance did so using a mobile
device16.
u Approximately one-quarter of overall travelers booked
accommodations on their smartphone or tablet in 201317.
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DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR HOTEL MARKETERS IN 2014 / 1 0

Chapter Two

2014:
THE FUTURE IS HERE

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The Future of Digital is Visual Storytelling is a slogan that we’ve
championed over the course of 2013. And while this has been true
for the past year, the reality is that visual storytelling is no longer the
future of digital, it is the present. There is little doubt that in 2014, the
web will continue to evolve into a visual-first platform where large
images, engaging video, and snackable chunks of content will not
only be expected by consumers, but demanded.
Best-in-class websites, including those in the travel industry, have
figured out how to use the right mix of photos, videos and text to
effectively tell stories and create memorable virtual experiences.
When you create an online atmosphere that makes a visitor truly
“feel” like they’re at your property– you’re that much closer to having
them click your “book now” button.
In order to be successful in 2014, it will be necessary for hotel
marketers to understand what it means to be a visual storyteller.
Hoteliers must develop the necessary skills and understand how to
apply them throughout the facets of their digital marketing strategy
– a strategy that includes web, mobile, social media and third party
merchandising.
Before we take a look at each of these elements, let’s look at what
it means to be a visual storyteller and a few best practices for
developing and sharing your hotel’s story.
vfmleonardo.com


2014: The Future is Here

Why Visual Storytelling
matters

It’s not just that our computer and phone
screens are better and our download
speeds faster. Studies show that people
prefer—even on a subconscious level—
to interact with visuals over plain text.

According to William C. Bradford,
author of Reaching the Visual Learner:
Teaching Property Through Art, 65% of
the population are visual learners. And
according to Carol Jeffers,
professor at California
State University, our brains
are wired to respond to,
interact with, imitate and
mirror behavior that we
see. She argues that our
brains’ visual systems allow
us to “experience our own
actions and those of others
at an abstract level of
representation.”
Another benefit of visuals,
that may be of particular
interest to those of you who market to
hotel shoppers around the globe, is that
imagery transcends all languages - no
translation required!

What is Visual Storytelling?
The best websites don’t just throw some pictures
and video on the home page. They combine
those pictures and videos with interesting
written descriptions to tell stories—stories
that are remembered and shared and most
importantly, allow the audience to experience
whatever it is the website is selling.

Good hotel storytellers are moving away
from blocks of boring, standard text
towards big, beautiful images, compelling
video and captivating narratives. These
marketers know that when it comes to
getting the consumer to choose their
property, they need to emotionally
connect with the hotel shopper, while
showcasing its features and amenities.
Provide an experience where your guest
will imagine themselves staying with you!
vfmleonardo.com


2014: The Future is Here

Defining your hotel’s story
At the heart of your digital marketing
strategy is your hotel’s story. It’s the
foundation upon which you’ll build
the rest of your digital plan. A good
story attracts attention, inspires, is
remembered and shared.
Not every hotel has a grand, allencompassing story, but from roadside
motels to five star resorts, each property
has a unique tale to tell. If you have a
Happy Hour, you have a story. If you
have a special promotion, you have a
story. Don’t become overwhelmed trying
to craft a singular masterpiece, instead,
highlight the individual anecdotes that
make the hotel unique.
How do you find your story? Start by
asking yourself these questions:

u What is different about your hotel
relative to competitors?
u Who are your guests? Families?
Corporate Travelers? Wedding Parties?
Sports Groups?
u What makes your location unique?
Are you in the museum district? Close to
an airport? Waterpark?
u Do you offer any special services for
children? Pets?

Bardessono Hotel in Napa (right) tells a story on their website that
gives visitors a glimpse into the hotel. They use engaging photography
and descriptive text to share the story of Lucy Restaurant’s garden. There
are complementary pages displaying updated events, menus and more
photos, which do a great job engaging the reader and increasing the
length of time a reader stays on the website.
vfmleonardo.com


Chapter Three

4 components
of successful
storytelling
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The Cycle of Visual Storytelling

Now that you understand what visual storytelling is, why it’s important, and how to start creating
your narrative, let’s break down the art and science of storytelling into 4 essential elements.

SOURCE

CURATE

Use professional and
amateur sources

Focus on what visitors
to your property will
experience

Find “real” photos photos that show actual
visitors enjoying your
property

Curate the content into
areas the customers are
interested in: rooms,
attractions, etc

Leverage all of your
media - photos, videos,
virtual tours

Sort your media into
stories

PUBLISH

Publish your curated
content as individual
distinct stories
Refresh your content
often
Maximize the space on
your website

AMPLiFY

Find multiple ways to tell
your story online
Make the most of social
media and travel sites
Keep your branding and
tone consistent

Expanding your visual storytelling efforts with rich, engaging media will make your hotel stand out
from the competition and give web visitors a “you-are-there” feeling when they find your property
online.
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4 Components of Successful Storytelling

Source: How and where to get your content
At this point it should be clear: To take your hotel’s website to
the next level, you need to reinforce it with strong visuals. The
next logical step is acquiring those visuals! You probably already
have a collection of professional media: photos of the property,
including rooms, business center, pool and so on. You may also
have virtual tours and videos. That’s a great start.
You can round out your existing media by sourcing photos and
videos from the surrounding businesses. Your local tourism
board is a great place to start, but don’t hesitate to reach out
to restaurants and attractions directly. This way, you show your
visitors that your hotel experience isn’t just on the grounds of your
property—it extends to the local area as well.
Next, consider “non-professional” media. This can include photos
that you and your staff can take yourself of the property and area,
as well as photos sourced from guests, including any they’ve
tagged of your property on social media. (These can be linked
to, but always get permission if you intend to use them in other
ways). While these sorts of photos may not have the “shine and

polish” of a professional, they offer an authenticity that appeals to
travelers. Today’s camera technology, loaded with new, easy to
use features make amateur photography better than ever. These
guest sourced images show real people enjoying your hotel in a
real way. A balanced mix of professional and amateur photos and
videos can really bring your property’s story to life!

Tips for sourcing content
u Look beyond your door: Connect with the local tourism board
and nearby attractions, restaurants and other vendors and
suppliers for photos that showcase the experience of staying in
your area.
u Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest contests are very popular
for a number of reasons. They help promote the hotel and engage
potential guests, both local and out of town. They can provide
exceptional imagery that hotels can use on their websites, and
they encourage online sharing.
u Be authentic: Staged photos have their place, but remember to
use candid pictures of real guests enjoying your property.
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u Most hotels have an aspiring photographer on staff, utilize their
abilities! Try holding an employee contest for new photos, with
prizes for the best entries.
u Create a photography lesson package for guests with a local
photographer. Use the best photos on your hotel website.
u Most importantly, when you do have new images, showcase
them prominently on your website and promote them on social
media.

The Freehand in Miami (left) takes advantage of Instagram’s professional
looking photos by sourcing them from guests! The hostel encourages visitors to
contribute to their online gallery by tagging @FreehandMiami on Instagram. The
guest photos that get uploaded create endless opportunities for unique, fresh
photography each week. The hostel gains a constant stream of images from
guests’ perspectives, and guests get to see their images shared on the property
website.

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Curate: Package your story
Mixed media that doesn’t tell a story is a
pretty boring thing. Once you’ve arranged
an effective method of sourcing content
and keeping it fresh, how do you actually
curate it in a way that makes sense?
Visually representing your hotel’s story
requires more than just adding a massive
gallery of property photos to your site.

they stay with you. Organize content into
easily digestable “snackable” chunks.
Transforming your content into great
stories can be a challenge, but the best
way to start is to keep it simple. Consider
the season, local attractions, or special
events. If it’s summertime, you can
show off your pool, outdoor recreational
activities, the local amusement park,
beach or zoo—basically any local
summertime hotspot.

The way you present your photos and
multimedia should accurately represent
what a guest will experience when

One of the easiest ways to curate your story online is by setting up a blog or dedicated
page where you can post updates about your property. Arowhon Pines Resort (right)
keeps site visitors in the loop by posting weekly updates about what’s going on at the
property. Their story is clear and engaging through this regularly maintained blog.

Tips for curating content
u Guest experience: Keep your photos
and videos grouped and presented in
logical manner. Always remember it’s
the guests’ experience that you want to
showcase.
u Maximize your search engine
optimization: Tagging your multiple,
linked pieces of content with common
search terms and keywords can help
boost your organic search rankings,
making your hotel easier to find.
u Organize your media into logical
sections that are easy for guests to
navigate.
u Try posting regular updates to a blog
or specific page on your website to keep
visitors engaged and in-the-know.
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Publish: Produce and present your story
You’ve collected your content, developed or curated stories that
reflect the experience that will inspire your guests, now it’s time to
publish your story online. Multimedia galleries are a common and
logical step. Dividing them into sub-sections that each tell part
of your story is an easy and straightforward way to publish your
content in an engaging and interesting manner.
Think beyond your homepage and find opportunities within other
sections of your website to publish these stories. If you have a
page about your restaurant, produce a gallery that features your
top menu items, guests enjoying their meals or a video of the
bartender crafting their signature cocktail.

Barnsley Gardens
Resort (left)
makes the most of
every opportunity
to publish their
story online. From
their website,
to customized
Facebook apps
to third party
channels, this
resort is sharing
their up-to-date
story across
multiple platforms
across the web.

Platform consideration is also part of the publishing step. Beyond
your own standard website, you also need to contemplate your
tablet- and smartphone-optimized sites, and the different needs of
those devices. At this stage you can also consider publishing your
story on social media and online travel sites.

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Tips for publishing content
u Stay current: Refreshing your content is key, especially if your
property or the local attractions go through changes. You want your
guests to see what your hotel is really like, not what it used to look
like.
u Capture your audience “above the fold”—the space of your web
page that’s visible on initial view without any scrolling. This is your
website’s most valuable real estate.
u Take advantage of every opportunity to publish your story,
including on your website, social media channels and in your email
signature.

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Amplify: How, when and
where to tell your story
Make use of multiple channels to tell your
story in a compelling, engaging manner.
Good stories aren’t just told once—
they’re re-told, over and over, often in
different mediums. Your hotel’s story,
and your digital marketing plan, should
follow the same idea. After all, if you’re
not telling your story, you’re not going to
benefit from all the resources you put into
sourcing, curating and publishing your
content!
Sharing, or amplifying your story, can
encompass several different means. You
can share your stories on travel websites,
review sites and OTAs, include links in
your e-mail signatures and even add
them to sales proposals.

You can also tweet about your latest
gallery or multimedia presentation,
share links on Facebook, add photos to
Instagram or create a board on Pinterest.
Ultimately, your goal should be to tell
your story to as many potential visitors
as possible, using all of the channels
available to you. Modern travelers do
their research on a variety of platforms
(desktop, mobile) and channels (website,
social, travel sites). By ensuring a
consistent, visually rich and engaging
presence across these platforms and
channels, you can be confident you’re
always putting your hotel’s best face
forward, regardless of how a prospect
finds you!

vfmleonardo.com



Tips for amplifying content
u Be consistent: While the specific
details of the stories you tell may differ
—and you’ll want to play to the strengths
of each channel and platform—it’s
important to keep your tone and branding
elements consistent so that no matter
where a visitor finds your story, they
know it’s you telling it.
u Keep it fresh: We’ve discussed
keeping your content current in previous
sections, but it’s an important aspect of
amplifying your website as well. You don’t
want to just tweet out the same photo
gallery over and over. People will be
more apt to click and share your links if
your content is refreshed and current!

The King and
Prince Beach &
Golf Resort (left)
empowers people to
amplify their content
across the web
thanks to the visual
smorgasbord of
Pinterest. By sharing
engaging, current
images on their
boards, the King and
Prince allows other
Pinterest users to repin their content and
their message has an
even further reach
online!

vfmleonardo.com


Chapter Four

putting it all
together

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Putting It All Together

Now that you understand the key steps
involved with visual storytelling online,
it’s time to apply these concepts in a
practical way.

your story; leveraging social media to
connect and engage with your guests;
developing an optimized mobile web
presence; and establishing a presence
on OTAs and other travel
channels where consumers
are searching.
Let’s explore each of these
elements in more detail to
learn how to apply your
visual story throughout the
wheel.

Your website
Think of your visual story as the
foundation of your digital marketing
strategy. The pieces that it supports
include your website; using video to tell

Even with all of the other
channels you should
be leveraging as part of your digital
marketing strategy, your website remains
a critical component of your brand and
your story. After all, close to 40% of hotel

stays booked online, are booked through
direct websites19 – and direct websites
account for more than half of the dollar
value of all bookings.20
Key Stat
According to a recent Expedia report, hotels that
doubled the amount of pictures online saw a
4.5% spike in take-up and increased their daily
average rate (ADR) by $3.50.21

When it comes to best practices for
website design in 2014, as discussed
earlier, websites in general are moving
towards visually-driven design, with
striking, high-quality images taking up
a majority of page real estate. Hotel
websites are following the same trend;
take a look at some of the best-known
brands, and the difference is clear.
vfmleonardo.com



2014 Website To-Do List
u Review your current website. Ensure your images are
large, inviting and authentic and your text descriptions are
short and to the point, with exciting language. Use bulleted
lists or bolding when possible.
u Curate a library of images – and update them regularly.
Include your own professional images, but allow room for
photos taken by your guests as well by sourcing from social
media.
u Use multimedia – photos, videos, panoramas, 3D
virtual tours and more – to tell your hotel’s story and truly
showcase the look and feel of your property to your online
visitors.
In addition to informative, professional photos, your hotel website
should feature authentic, engaging images to accent your story.
Take this opportunity to source photos that your guests are

sharing on social media channels. Gather the content and curate
it in a way that tells your story in a clear, engaging way.

Your social media footprint
Social media has become one of the key ways society connects
and communicates today. And while that connection takes place
on a personal level – between friends and family – it also takes
place on a “business” level, between consumers and businesses.
When it comes to social media, hotel marketers need to listen
to the conversation: both the written word and the images being
uploaded. Knowing what people are saying about you will help
you craft your hotel’s story. Once you’ve listened in, it’s time to
join the conversation! The beauty of social media is that it’s a
three-way dialogue. Encourage your guests to share your story
online, thereby amplifying it throughout their own networks.
Sharing images of guests enjoying your property (with their
permission) is a great way of making them feel special and share
your story. As you share images, guests will share more, too.
This creates an ideal opportunity for you to source fresh content
from what is being posted online.
vfmleonardo.com



2014 Social Media To-Do List
u Determine which social sites are best for your property.
Facebook should be at the top of every hotelier’s “must-do”
list; Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest are also important, but
ensure you have the time and resources to manage your
participation on multiple sites.
u Encourage visitors to post content – particularly images
and videos – to social sites. Create a hashtag they can use
when posting to associate the content to your hotel (and
make sure your visitors are aware of it)!

“

Telling a story from the perspective of your guests is great
way to reinforce key value propositions without overtly
promoting. Brewster House B&B in Freeport, Maine
does this effectively in this post on its Facebook page: ‘Cute
couple got engaged here last night. Now enjoying champagne
oranges, banana bread, and blueberry stuffed French toast.’ The
subtext here is, “Come here for romance and a great breakfast.”
The messaging is clever and authentic at the same time. An
accompanying photo
of the couple (with
their permission) or,
Daniel Edward Craig barring that, a photo of
Reknown
the setting, the view or
breakfast, would round
the story out perfectly.

u Use a mix of user-generated and professionallygenerated content to tell your story. The pro-shot and proedited video and the perfectly color-balanced photos sure
look great, but content created by guests will help show
your online visitors what a stay at your property is like.

vfmleonardo.com



Your mark on mobile
When it comes to your digital marketing
strategy, you can’t be satisfied with
a “one-size-fits-all” plan. We live in a
multi-screen, constantly-connected
world. Consumers don’t just “use the
internet” on their PCs anymore; they’re

always online with their phones and
tablets. Optimizing your hotel’s online
presence for these mobile devices is
key to keeping your current and future
guests engaged. Providing a consistent
experience across varied devices is key,
as consumers are frequently beginning
their search on one device, and
completing it on another.
To further understand this
multi-screen world, let’s look
at this study from Google (on
the next page). Planning a
trip is one of the primary tasks
people do on their devices.
Interestingly, 47% of people
start their travel planning
from their smartphone over
a desktop/laptop or tablet.
Again this speaks to context;
that is, what you’re doing,
when you’re doing it and from

where. So you can see how critical it is
to give the consumer the best experience
for the device they’re on.

Key Stat
Mobile web traffic grew 10 times faster than
desktop web traffic last year.23

Consumers are looking for snackable
content while they’re on-the-go, so
mobile is an important medium for a hotel
storyteller.

vfmleonardo.com


Smartphone Most Common Starting Place for Planning a Trip

Started on Smartphone

65%

63%

65%

47%

59%

66%

56%

Started on a PC/Laptop

29%

30%

25%

38%

34%

30%

34%

Started on a Tablet

7%

7%

11%

15%

7%

4%

11%

Searching
for Info

Browsing the
Internet

Shopping
Online

Planning
a Trip

Managing
Finances

Social
Networking

Watching an
Online Video

vfmleonardo.com



Red South Beach Hotel (below)
optimizes the mobile experience by
offering travel shoppers eye-catching
visuals, click-to-call functionality and
easy to access tours. Ideal for the travel
shopper on-the-go, this mobile site offers
an optimal experience!

2014 Mobile To-Do List
u Review and test your mobile-optimized sites. Mobile is a constantly evolving space,
with new devices and updated operating systems appearing on the market regularly.
It’s critical to ensure your mobile sites are optimized for multiple platforms.
u Ensure your smartphone site uses smartphone capabilities. Enable click-to-call and
click-to-get directions functions to make the experience fast, easy and intuitive.
u Show off your guest rooms on your mobile optimized website with great visuals and
informative text descriptions for each.
u Include local attractions as many guests are researching hotels from mobile devices
on the go for last minute bookings!
u Ensure you’re providing a consistent message across website, smartphone and
tablet. This will give travel shoppers the assurance that you’re reliable as they move
between devices.
u Use mobile-optimized photos and videos to tell your story. Thumbnails that lead to
large images and short-form video are ideal for on-the-go visitors; making effective use
of them can help draw your mobile visitors into your story.

vfmleonardo.com



Your use of video
In the last year, a virtual “video arms race” broke out online, with
Twitter first announcing Vine, followed by Instagram adding video
to its service. But it’s no surprise; consumers crave video. Travel
shoppers are no exception: Google’s 2013 Traveler study found
that both leisure and business travelers are watching online video
throughout the travel shopping journey – from the moment they
start thinking about a trip right up until they decide which website
to book on.24
The beauty of video is that there’s no limit to the types of content
you can share, and with simple to use editing software and highresolution video cameras becoming more and more affordable,
(and built in to most smartphones) anyone can become a director.
And of course, every guest that walks through your door is a
potential content source! User-generated videos are a great,
authentic way to show off your property and demonstrate “realworld” people enjoying everything your hotel has to offer.

2014 Video To-Do List
u Create more videos! Virtual tours of your facility are
a staple, but consider more “authentic” video as well –
visitors enjoying your pool or making use of your business
center. Guest testimonials are also worth considering; all of
these help tell your story and give online visitors a feel for
your property.
u Share. Beyond your own site, leverage your videos
across multiple channels. Facebook and OTAs are obvious
channels on which to showcase your video; consider
adding video to your mobile sites as well.
u Be creative. Particularly when it comes to social. A
six-second Vine or 15-second Instagram video might not
seem like much, but users (particularly on-the-go mobile
users) are used to digesting information in snackable
chunks. Showcase the top choices from your menu on
Vine, or create a welcome message from your concierge on
Instagram.

vfmleonardo.com



Have your say on OTAs
Your customers use multiple channels as
they travel through the shopping journey
online. It’s critical that A) you have a
presence on those channels and B) your
presence represents your story and your
brand in an effective and engaging way.
OTAs in particular are a large part of

the shopping journey - making them an
important place to tell your story online.
Well before they reach the booking stage,
customers start comparison shopping
between various properties. In fact,
studies suggest that travelers hit more
than 20 different sites online before
they make a booking decision, including
review sites, search engines, blogs and
social media - as well as hotel websites
and OTAs27 - with the
most common sources for
comparison research being
Expedia.com, Hotels.com,
and Travelocity.com.28
OTAs drive a lot of traffic;
ignoring them is a mistake.
Leverage your presence
on these channels by
presenting your hotel in
a way that sets you apart
from the homogenous list

of hotels, allowing you to compete on
something other than price.

Key Stat
64% of leisure travelers and 57% of business
travelers always comparison shop on OTAs
before booking.29

vfmleonardo.com



2014 OTA To-Do List
u Ramp up your OTA presence. Much like your own
website, strong visuals that tell a compelling story are key
to a successful OTA presence. People are visiting OTAs
during the research and planning phases, so it’s critical
that you put your best foot forward and catch their attention
early.
u Ensure consistency across channels. While you should
definitely adapt your message to make the most of each
specific channel, at its core, your story and branding must
remain consistent – the experience must clearly be you.
Regardless of how the user finds you, each channel needs
to contribute to the “you-are-there” experience.
u Engage with guests and prospects on OTAs and other
channels. Much like social, OTAs and review sites are a
great places for you to engage and respond directly to
guests. Remain aware of what’s being said about your
property, and respond when appropriate.

vfmleonardo.com


Chapter Five

go forth
and be a superstar
storyteller
vfmleonardo.com


Go Forth And Be A Superstar Storyteller

Travel is the world’s largest industry, and together, we can be leaders
and trendsetters when it comes to digital marketing. Planning ahead
and paying close attention to what your peers and competitors
are doing can help keep you ahead of the curve. There’s no other
industry that has an inherently built in story like hospitality. Take
time now to create a 2014 marketing plan that includes developing
your hotel narrative, integrated with rich visuals and context that will
inspire guests.
Source, Curate, Publish, Amplify. Once you’ve completed the 4
essential elements of successful visual storytelling, showcase your
property on all of the travel websites, social media platforms and
devices consumers are using.
Hotel shoppers will be delighted to find that their travel expectations
can be met by your property.
It’s a fun, exciting time to be in hotel marketing. It’s your story; tell it
and enjoy the year!

vfmleonardo.com

BONUS MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR HOTEL MARKETERS IN 2014 / 3 5
DIGITALSECTION

What The Experts Have To Say

What is your reaction to a hotelier that says, “my hotel
doesn’t have a story?”

How can a hotelier assess the value of their hotel’s Facebook
Page?

“

“

A hotel might not have a clearly defined overarching
story, but it still has individual stories, ranging from guest
testimonials to a special employee. Focus on micro vs.
macro. Focus on any ways that the hotel positively impacts the
guest experience, and share those stories. Also, consider topical
content about the immediate neighborhood that will appeal to
specific guest demographics.

Greg Oates
Hotel Strategist

People are engaging with Pages more than ever before.
Your Facebook Page is a one-stop shop for users to learn
all about your hotel. Engaging content is key to attract
Facebook users to your hotel’s Page. Content can range from
compelling photos, videos and timely contests and deals. Hoteliers
can assess the value of their Page by studying the level of
engagement via Facebook Page Insights and using targeting tools,
such as Facebook Exchange, to see if users who are visiting the
Page are also visiting the hotel’s site and booking a stay.

Lee McCabe
Global Head of Travel
Facebook

vfmleonardo.com

DIGITALSECTION


How can hotels gain more “likes” on
their Facebook page?

“

I don’t think gaining likes should
ever be the end goal, but maybe
a means to an end: building a
community of people who share an affinity
with your brand. Hotels focus on likes
because they’re easy to measure and
give the illusion of popularity. But it’s a
vanity metric that has little meaning on its
own. What’s more important is who likes
you. Did they like the page only to win
a contest or would they pay for a room
even if they didn’t win? People are getting
stingier about liking brands because
they don’t want their feed clogged with
promotional messaging. So hotels have
to work hard to build communities. How?
Well, start by being likeable. That means
helpful and curious, plugged into your
destination, responsive, resourceful, and
not too talkative. Funny helps, too. Once

you get people to like your page, great
content and meaningful engagement will
help ensure that they continue to like you
and your content over time.

Daniel Edward Craig
Reknown

Hoteliers always want to drive
bookings through their direct channels
– and specifically their websites. What
role do visuals and visual storytelling
play on hotel websites and why should
hoteliers put an emphasis on this in
2014?

“

It is said a picture is worth a
thousand words. And sharing
visually (either through still images,
video or virtual tour) can offer more
powerfully moving story telling than even
the most awesome poetry.
Proof of that power can be seen in
the popularity of today’s social media
platforms such as Pinterest, YouTube,
Instagram, Vine and others. Or on any
facebook page whose business uses
imagery well to support individual posts.
Check out the sheer numbers of ‘likes’ and
‘shares’ of image/video posts vs. strictly
text posts. That’s all you need to know.

Monica Rafter
Owner
Write On Marketing
Communications
vfmleonardo.com

DIGITALSECTION


What are some of the best
methods for incorporating
video in an online marketing
campaign?

“

The obvious way is
to get your video out
there. YouTube has
over one billion unique visitors
each month, so taking the
time and effort to get your
video on YouTube as well
as add the appropriate title,
tags and descriptions is super
important. The next obvious
one is any social channels
you’re on, Facebook, Twitter,

LinkedIn, encourage your
guests, as well as employees
and friends to share increases
engagement.

Why should hoteliers and
management companies
make mobile optimization a
priority in 2014?

Another key place that is
proven to be very successful
is adding video to your landing
page. The average attention
span is about 8 seconds,
which means you have less
than a few seconds to grab
someone’s attention and
to convey your message.
Adding a video to your page
is one of the best ways of
conveying a lot of information
in a short time, and increase
the amount of time
people spend on your
page.

Mobile is an integral
part of consumers’ lives
and so optimizing is
cost of entry. Optimizing for
mobile is understanding how
consumers behave on phones
and tablets – and not simply
re-sizing web content for a
smaller screen as consumers
behave differently on each
screen.

Colin Osing
Vice President - Marketing
SoMedia Networks

“

Top reasons to optimize:
u Screen Time: Roughly 1/3
of total screen time is spent
on a mobile device and often
outside the home/office
u Smartphone Users are
Social: They are 2-3x more
likely to share information
with friends and their social
networks – they amplify
messages and talk about your
business/brand.

Jed Schneiderman
Co-Founder & President
Tapped Mobile
vfmleonardo.com

DIGITALSECTION


We continue to hear that
mobile has arrived, yet so
many hotels still lack an
optimized mobile presence.
Is mobile here and if it is,
why should hoteliers and
management companies
make mobile optimization a
priority in 2014?

“

There is no question
that all hotels need to
make sure that their
online presence is device
agnostic. Consumer for all
markets today are sourcing
information and engaging

with hotels in a variety of
methods; we need to be
responsive to the behavior of
our current and prospective
customers. I think the large
brands have been able to
manage this evolution but
it’s independent hotels and
resorts that need to identify
a method to stay abreast of
emerging distribution patterns
and confirm that they have
resources dedicated to
managing this internally or
outsourcing the strategy and
tactics.

Robert A. Gilbert
President & CEO
Hospitality Sales & Marketing
Association International

How should hotels deal
with “3 screen” marketing
strategies?

“

As mobile and tablet
continue to stake their
claims in visitor device
share, three screen marketing
is becoming that much more
crucial for hotels to adopt.
In the past, television was
traditionally the third screen in
the cluster of devices. While
users do search through their
televisions with Apple TV,
television apps, and game
consoles, conversion rates

for hotels are typically seen
through desktop, mobile, and
tablet.
Whether you’re targeting
users with completely different
site versions or a responsive
website, designing and
optimizing for each type of
device and considering the
behavior associated with each
will create the strong user
experience that will promote
bookings and return visitors.

Katharyn Vera
Senior Account Manager
Blue Magnet Interactive
vfmleonardo.com

DIGITALSECTION


Describe the role you see social media playing in the travel
shopping journey today and why you see this as important?

“

The relationship between social media and travel has
changed over the last few years. Facebook is playing an
increasingly important role in the travel experience. I like
to think about the traditional five stages of travel – Dream, Plan,
Book, Experience, Share. Facebook not only impacts each one,
but it has also evolved the five stages. Sharing is no longer the
last silo stage; it is now at the heart of every stage. The last stage
should now be “reflect.”
u People are Dreaming about travel on Facebook.
u People are Planning travel on Facebook.

Travelers are 80% more likely to book a trip from a friend liking
a Page than they are from responding to traditional advertising.
Experiencing – Users are updating their status and/or sharing
photos and videos while traveling. People return home, curate and
Reflect on their favorite vacation photos on Facebook.
For their friends viewing these photos, it’s a major factor in not
only inspiring them to book a trip, but determining their next travel
destination.

Lee McCabe
Global Head of Travel
Facebook

u People on Facebook are influencing Booking decisions.

vfmleonardo.com

DIGITALSECTION


How can hotels gain more
“likes” on their Facebook
page?

“

I don’t think gaining
likes should ever be the
end goal, but maybe
a means to an end: building
a community of people who
share an affinity with your
brand. Hotels focus on likes
because they’re easy to
measure and give the illusion
of popularity. But it’s a vanity
metric that has little meaning
on its own. What’s more
important is who likes you.

Robert Cole
Founder
RockCheetah

Did they like the page only to
win a contest or would they
pay for a room even if they
didn’t win? People are getting
stingier about liking brands
because they don’t want their
feed clogged with promotional
messaging. So hotels
have to work hard to build
communities. How? Well,
start by being likeable. That
means helpful and curious,
plugged into your destination,
responsive, resourceful,
and not too talkative. Funny
helps, too. Once you get
people to like your page,
great content and
meaningful engagement
will help ensure that they
continue to like you and
your content over time.

What are some best
practices for creating an
amazing hotel video?

“

A few come to mind,
first of all, be careful
not to jam too much
content into one video. The
good news is hotels have the
luxury of a lot of great visuals
to play with; the bad news
is you can fall into a trap of
jamming too much stuff in one
video. I’d recommend being
careful choosing the theme of
your video. In my experience
it’s better to create shorter

videos and even create a
series instead of one 5 or 6
minute video.
In terms of types of videos,
there are video tours, featured
guest rooms that differentiate
you from competitors.
Reviews or testimonials are
very effective, having guests
talk about their stay, a hosted
profile where an employee
speaks about a feature of the
hotel, it’s a personal way to
connect with viewers, or do
a traditional overview with a
voice over and music.

Colin Osing
Vice President - Marketing
SoMedia Networks

In terms of timing,
and the sweet spot
for length, we find
that 60-90 seconds is
best.
vfmleonardo.com

DIGITALSECTION


Hoteliers always want to drive bookings through their direct channels – and specifically their websites. What role do visuals and
visual storytelling play on hotel websites and why should hoteliers put an emphasis on this in 2014?

“

Direct channels are most
attractive for hotels as they
represent the lowest distribution
cost. Unfortunately, the traveler could
really care less about the hotel’s cost
drivers – Most simply want a website
that will make the hotel selection process
simpler and less painful. This is normally
accomplished by providing useful
information in a fresh and innovative
fashion that makes it easy to understand.
Most importantly, it must make the
customer feel appreciated by honestly
and transparently communicating that
satisfying their needs is the top priority.

those similar to your typical guests taking
advantage of its unique features and
services of the property are much more
compelling. Similarly, videos, featuring
hotel staff members introducing the hotel,
its services and highlights of the local
area create an instant connection with the
guest and help bridge the shopping and
travel experience.

Robert Cole
Founder
RockCheetah

“

Travel is an emotional experience.
Quality photos/videos communicate
that emotional experience in a
visceral way, and they make a stronger
imprint on our memories. Also, as more
and more people research travel on
mobile devices, the visual impact of
photography and videos plays an even
more significant role leading to direct
bookings.

Greg Oates
Hotel Strategist

Creating a compelling narrative, with
your guest in the lead role, can be
most effectively accomplished by using
visuals. While most hotels rely on sterile
architectural shots, photos and videos of
vfmleonardo.com

DIGITALSECTION


What do you anticipate the impact of visual media (photos,
virtual tours, and videos) will be on consumer behavior and
interaction?

“

Managing consumer behavior and trends has always been
difficult for a hotel company. In many organizations, the
legacy model of operating or marketing hotels and hotel
companies has formed structures or silos that make it difficult to be
responsive or even understand the implications between functions
that didn’t use to exist. Visual media is definitely an increasingly
important part of the “content” that consumers should have access
to if a hotel or hotel brand wants to differentiate itself from a
competitor. Hotels can provide a very personalized experience;
the technology available today to communicate this experience to
a global universe of potential customers – or even a very targeted
audience – has never been easier. The impact of visual media
will only become more important to consumers in the future and
therefore hotels
Robert A. Gilbert
have to use and
leverage this type
President & CEO
of content.

Hospitality Sales & Marketing
Association International

What hotel marketing trends and developments surprised you
in a good or bad way in 2013?

“

One of the trends from 2013 that I am most surprised with
is the hashtag. Although used in certain channels prior to
2013, the hashtag became very prominent in the social
sphere this year, now used across Twitter, Facebook, Google
Plus, Instagram, Vine, Tumblr, Pinterest, and the like, and as of
March of this year, a RadiumOne study showed that 71% of social
media users use hashtags in their posts or to find new content.
While its use is less integral or prominent in certain channels,
it’s arguably the easiest way that users and businesses can
leverage extra exposure, organize types of posts, and create
fun or interesting contextual information around their content.
The hashtag is so trendy right now that users add them in posts
on platforms that don’t even support them and actually hashtag
verbal conversations,
showing how
Katharyn Vera
expansive, surprising,
Senior Account Manager
and even viral its
usage is.
Blue Magnet Interactive

vfmleonardo.com

DIGITALSECTION


What tone should hotel marketers take
when posting on social media?

“

The art of successful social media
story telling mirrors successful
cocktail party conversation. The
fundamentals are these:
u Remember why you are there. To see
and be seen. To mingle with those you
know quite well, those you know a little
and to hopefully meet and engage a few
new friends.
u Work the crowd. Connect.
Acknowledge. Seek out and interact with
those who presumably already like you a
lot, those who like you a little and those
whom you don’t know. Yet.
u Engage. Make others want to be
with you. No matter what you’re sharing.

Because they’ll come to like you THAT
much!

Share; not tell. Discover and explore
common interests. And then, follow up.

u Be conversational. Spin and weave
stories or information of interest to your
listeners. Don’t launch into a presentation
all about YOU. Because nobody cares!
Not until you give others a reason.
Instead, seek common ground. Learn
THEIR interests. Listen to what’s new with
THEM. Get to know what’s important to
THEM.

Whatever the social media platform,
consider each post every time a virtual
cocktail party.

Monica Rafter
Owner
Write On Marketing
Communications

u Cocktail party ‘tone’ is most effective
when it is sincere, warm, friendly, familiar.
Occasionally playful or direct. Never
overly dramatic. And ALWAYS in the voice
of the brand.
u Keep the conversation going by
always first being interestED; then being
interestING. Mix it up. Share; not sell.
vfmleonardo.com


About VFM Leonardo
VFM Leonardo is a technology and online media company for the global hospitality industry. We
provide e-marketers at hotel brands, management companies and hotel properties with technology,
sales conversion tools and a global travel media network that enables them to better visually
merchandise their hotels to millions of in-market travel shoppers monthly.
Our core products, the VScape® Digital Asset Management System and VBrochure™ Online
Merchandising System, leverage the VNetwork™ - the largest media syndication network in the
industry. It includes all major search engines, Global Distribution Systems, online travel agencies,
travel research and supplier websites, search portals, review, travel editorial, local directories and
major social media and video sharing sites.
Taking advantage of VBrochure’s mobile and social media platforms, hotels can ensure that their
rich visual presentations reach consumers on their mobile devices and through their social graphs.
For more information about VFM Leonardo, visit www.vfmleonardo.com.

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SOURCES 1 http://smartblogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/SSS_Infographic_5_1-page-001.jpg 2 Pop Photo: How Many Photos Are Uploaded to The Internet Every Minute? (http://www.popphoto.com/
news/2013/05/how-many-photos-are-uploaded-to-internet-every-minute) 3 TheNextWeb: Pinterest now has 70 million users… (http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2013/07/10/semiocast-pinterest-now-has-704
million-users-and-is-steadily-gaining-momentum-outside-the-us/)
The Verge: Vine hits 40 million users… (http://www.theverge.com/2013/8/20/4641980/vine-hits-40-million-registered-users-but-how-many5
are-active)
Forbes: So Much For Facebook Ruining Instagram… (http://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthof/2013/09/08/so-much-for-facebook-ruining-instagram-it-just-hit-150-million-monthly-active-users/) 6
TechCrunch: Snapchat Now Sees 350M Photos Shared Daily (http://techcrunch.com/2013/09/09/snapchat-now-sees-350m-photos-shared-daily-up-from-200m-in-june/) 7 Business Insider: Suddenly, Google Plus
Is Outpacing Twitter (http://www.businessinsider.com/google-plus-is-outpacing-twitter-2013-5) 8 Wired: YouTube hits 1 billion monthly users (http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/03/youtube-1-billion-monthlyusers/) 9 Marketing Land: Online video ads to eclipse $4 billion 2013 (http://marketingland.com/report-online-video-ads-to-eclipse-4-billion-in-2013-43726) 10 Google: The 2013 Traveler 11 Tnooz: Latest online
video stats show continued domination of short-form content (http://www.tnooz.com/article/latest-online-video-stats-show-continued-domination-of-short-form-content/) 12 Google: The 2013 Traveler 13 Gartner:
Smartphone Sales Grew 46.5 Percent in Second Quarter (http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2573415) 14 Mobify: 13 Stats to Convince Your Boss to Invest in Mobile in 2013 (http://www.mobify.com/blog/13-statsto-convince-your-boss-to-invest-in-mobile-in-2013/) 15 Google: The 2013 Traveler 16 Mashable: How mobile tech is changing travel (http://mashable.com/2012/09/03/mobile-tech-travel-infographic/) 17 Google:
The 2013 Traveler 18 Google: The 2013 Traveler 19 Google Think Insights: The Hotel Traveler’s Road to Decision 2012 (http://www.google.com/think/research-studies/hotel-travelers-road-to-decision-2012.html)
20
HotelNewsNow: Consumer Booking Behavior in the Age of Comparison Shopping (http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Article/4861/Consumer-booking-behavior-in-the-age-of-comparison-shopping) 21 Tnooz.com:
Five Tips From Expedia on how Hotels can Convert OTA Traffic into Bookings 22 Digitalbuzzblog: How to get your content shared (http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/How-To-Get-ContentShared-XLarge.jpg) 23 BrightEdge: Mobile Share Analysis (http://info.brightedge.com/rs/brightedge/images/BrightEdge_2013_Mobile_Share_report.pdf) 24 Google: The 2013 Traveler 25 Digiday.com: 15 must-know
stats for online video (http://digiday.com/brands/celtra-15-must-know-stats-for-online-video/) 26 Forbes: Video + Tablets: The Mobile Catalyst for E-Commerce (http://www.forbes.com/sites/darcytravlos/2012/08/18/
video-tablets-the-mobile-catalyst-for-e-commerce-watch-out-amazon/) 27 Travel Daily News: Study Sees Travel Distribution Transformed (http://www.traveldailynews.com/news/article/52490/study-sees-traveldistribution-transformed) 28 Google Think Insights: The Hotel Traveler’s Road to Decision 2012 29 Google: The 2013 Traveler
VFML_eBook_2014_0145

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