Managing social media for your hotel can be tough, especially when people swing from one platform to another. However, narrowing down which platforms are most profitable is critical to ensuring you’re not missing opportunities to connect with customers and potential customers. With that in mind, let’s explore how to make the most of TikTok for hotels.

Why should hotels be on TikTok?

With its rapidly growing user base and unique content format, TikTok offers numerous benefits for hotels looking to enhance their online presence and engage with potential guests. Through short videos, hotels can highlight their unique features, stunning locations, and exceptional services, capturing users’ attention and scrolling through the platform.

It’s also an excellent way to reach a younger demographic that may not be as active on other social media platforms. With its predominantly youthful user base, hotels can tap into this demographic by creating content that resonates with them, like showcasing trendy amenities or sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses of hotel operations.

Additionally, TikTok’s algorithm-driven nature enables content from lesser-known accounts to go viral quickly. This means even small and independent hotels have the potential to gain significant exposure and increase brand awareness on the platform.

Lastly, being present on TikTok gives hotels an edge over competitors who have yet to embrace it. By staying ahead of the curve and leveraging the growing popularity of TikTok among consumers worldwide, hotels can position themselves as innovative brands that understand and cater to evolving consumer preferences.

Now that you know what your hospitality digital marketing strategy can gain from having your hotel have a TikTok account, let’s cover some of the approaches that can lead to your TikTok success.

1. Collaborate with TikTok travel influencers

One of the more powerful marketing tactics businesses have adopted is working with influencers. There are plenty of TikTok travel influencers you can work with to help you promote your business to travelers. One of the significant benefits of working with TikTok travel influencers is the potential to tap into a vast audience that your smaller TikTok account may not reach. These influencers have built a loyal following who trust their recommendations.

The influencer’s audience may even fit your target audience, making them more likely to check you out if the influencer recommends you. By partnering, you can start building your account’s audience without waiting for the algorithm to do its thing. For example, Marriott partnered with “Carpet Dad” for an innovative hotel marketing campaign.

When selecting someone with whom to partner, look at their engagement rate rather than just the followers to ensure the money you spend won’t go to waste. There are a variety of common influencer marketing mistakes that can fumble your campaign. Look to other travel brands that are crushing influencer marketing for inspiration.

2. Showcase what makes your hotel unique

Let’s be clear: you won’t be the first hotel to have a TikTok presence. And you won’t be the last. But, what you can do is showcase your uniqueness to stand out from your competition. Whether it’s breathtaking views, luxurious amenities, or exceptional customer service, capturing these elements in engaging and creative TikTok videos can pique the interest of potential guests.

One way to showcase your hotel’s unique offerings on TikTok is by creating behind-the-scenes content. Take viewers on a virtual tour of your property, highlighting exclusive areas or hidden gems that only guests sometimes see. It’s an authentic glimpse into the experience a traveler can expect when choosing your hotel.

3. Keep the excitement alive by posting regularly

Once you start posting and getting a lot of interest and traffic, be sure to maintain that momentum. If you don’t consistently post, you can quickly lose the interest of your potential customers. The TikTok algorithm moves quite fast. TikTokkers create a lot of content, so it’s easy for you to lose the eyes and attention of your target audience. Keep your presence alive by posting regularly. Dedicate time to your posts to stick to that schedule; that way, your audience can expect posts from you regularly. This will help you get more followers on TikTok, too.

4. Ride the wave of TikTok trends

Many marketers will tell you you should create evergreen content, but that doesn’t always apply to TikTok. Trends and challenges crop up so often and change just as fast. If you correctly participate in one of these challenges or trends, it can boost your hotel’s presence and help you grow your TikTok followers. Not sure where to start? Keep an eye on trending TikTok hashtags. Of course, it’s best to be mindful of which TikTok trends fit your brand image more and which ones are most appropriate for your brand to jump on.

5. Brainstorm fresh and exciting content

Creating short-form content constantly is more challenging than it looks. Take time to brainstorm what content will be most beneficial. Consider looking into current trends or your competitors’ content for ideas. If you have additional budget, consider advertising on TikTok for expanded reach.

6. Share experiences and activities

One of the things that you should showcase about your hotel on TikTok would be the experiences and activities that your customers can do there. However, ensure you don’t show it to them in an obvious way since people aren’t that receptive towards content that is so palpably an ad. You can do that by showcasing nearby amenities and experiences in your hotel’s locality instead.

7. Actively engage with comments

One key performance indicator you should consider is your user engagement metrics. Having a lot of views on your TikToks is one thing. It’s pretty achievable to get thousands of views on the platform. However, having a very engaged audience is a different matter. That’s why you should dedicate time to actively engage with comments on TikTok. Unlike other platforms, the TikTok comments section is usually more playful and fun, so keep it light tone whenever possible.

8. Add captions to your videos

If you plan to make videos, even short ones, add captions to them. Captions make your content more accessible, so you expand the kinds of people who can consume your content. This is one of those critical TikTok marketing techniques that makes your brand much more approachable.

9. Share exclusive behind-the-scenes

TikTok is a great platform to show the behind-the-scenes of your business operations in a more approachable and casual way. Some consume just that specific kind of content, so it’s a good way to humanize your brand to your online audience.

Conclusion

These TikTok marketing tips should give your hotel a boost in brand awareness and more. Follow these tips to reach more customers and expand your audience on TikTok.