• Magazine Archive
  • Advertise With Us
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
  • Login
Hotel News ME
  • Hotels
  • Catering
  • Reviews
  • Suppliers
  • People
  • Videos
  • Events
    • GM Leaders Conference
      • Conference 2020
    • Leaders in Hospitality Awards
      • Awards 2021
    • Leaders in F&B Awards
      • Awards 2019
    • The Big F&B Forum
      • Forum 2019
    • Executive Housekeepers Conference
  • Business Connect
No Result
View All Result
Hotel News ME
  • Hotels
  • Catering
  • Reviews
  • Suppliers
  • People
  • Videos
  • Events
    • GM Leaders Conference
      • Conference 2020
    • Leaders in Hospitality Awards
      • Awards 2021
    • Leaders in F&B Awards
      • Awards 2019
    • The Big F&B Forum
      • Forum 2019
    • Executive Housekeepers Conference
  • Business Connect
No Result
View All Result
Hotel News ME
No Result
View All Result
Home Interviews & Features

OPINION: The rise of social influencers

Patrick Ryan by Patrick Ryan
January 2, 2018
in Interviews & Features
A A

In the first of a series of monthly columns from the team at Anantara Al Jabal Akhdar Resort, Firas Rashid, director of sales and marketing looks at the rise of social influencers…

ANANTARA-24TH-28TH-NOV-2017-87 copyWith social media now dominating our media consumption, influencer marketing has become one of the most effective ways for hotels to attract guests, opening up a new channel to connect directly and increase buzz.

In the past, we have turned to Hollywood and Bollywood actors, musicians and athletes to spread our message, however in recent years this has begun to change. “Influencers” – normal people who are trusted by a large audience – are increasingly overshadowing celebrities and traditional media to become powerful marketing tools due to their online fame and credibility.

Let’s go back a few years to recall how all of this started. Facebook was founded in 2004, followed by Instagram in 2010. They developed their platforms and apps based on consumer behaviours, providing guests with the ability to record their life experiences instantly and share with their followers. This has turned the traditional model on its head, limiting TV, print and radio and connecting audiences in real-time campaigns. Unlike a celebrity who has been in the public eye for many years, influencers are far more relatable and approachable, resulting in their followers tending to trust their recommendations.

The most effective platform for hotels is currently Instagram as it relies on visuals, providing the opportunity to showcase the best of a hotel product through photos and real live videos (Instagram stories). However, when working with influencers we do aim for an integrated approach, using multiple platforms to ensure maximum effectiveness for a campaign.

Firstly, it is important that we find the right influencers to engage with. They don’t necessarily need to have the highest amount of followers, however they do have to fit with our brand and drive engagement with people who are likely to stay with us. As you can imagine, we receive a huge amount of requests from people claiming that they are influencers, so it is vital that we have a strong PR and marketing team who can evaluate each one by researching their demographics and target markets in order to determine whether they are the right fit for our brand. Unfortunately in this region, influencers who buy fake followers are a common problem, so we have the tools in place to spot this too.

Once we’ve identified influencers to work with, we need to decide how to compensate them for their posts and content. At Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, we are fortunate enough to have a valuable offering when it comes to influencers due to the fact that we’re relatively new and the resort is luxury and photogenic. We are therefore able to work with influencers on a barter basis, with most influencers enjoying a complimentary stay alongside meals and an array of tailored activities. However, because no payment exchanges hands, we have no control over the content and number of posts received. We work closely with our PR agency to navigate this, and more often than not the risk pays off. If done right, influencer marketing can be the most cost-effective and fastest growing channel to build awareness and revenue.

That being said, a significant part of our marketing campaigns still relies on traditional media. Since opening last year, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort has been reviewed by a multitude of journalists from high-profile publications, which not only reach our target audiences but also add third party credibility from a reliable and professional source.

To summarise, working with social media influencers is a great way to drive engagement and sales, however it is vital to choose who you work with carefully and incorporate it as part of a comprehensive marketing strategy that integrates both traditional media and digital media.

Tags: Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar ResortGCCHotel News Middle Eastmiddle eastoman

Related Posts

Taking it up a Notch: Meet MASTI Dubai Head Chef Prashant Chipkar
Catering

Taking it up a Notch: Meet MASTI Dubai Head Chef Prashant Chipkar

March 2, 2021
Coming up Roses: Meet the founder of the UAE’s first 3D café
Catering

Coming up Roses: Meet the founder of the UAE’s first 3D café

February 28, 2021
A Culinary Sensation: Chef Burak Özdemir reveals his secrets to success
Catering

A Culinary Sensation: Chef Burak Özdemir reveals his secrets to success

February 24, 2021
Please login to join discussion

Trending

sbe names general manager for SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences
Appointments

sbe names general manager for SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences

by Dina Maaty
February 24, 2021

Read more
Award-winning Chef Heinz Beck to host one-off dinner series in Dubai
Catering

Award-winning Chef Heinz Beck to host one-off dinner series in Dubai

by Dina Maaty
February 25, 2021

Read more
Spoilt for Choice: Nakheel’s multi-venue dining concepts in Dubai
Catering

Spoilt for Choice: Nakheel’s multi-venue dining concepts in Dubai

by Dina Maaty
January 7, 2021

Read more

Digital Magazine

Hotel News ME

Copyright © 2021
BNC Publishing. All Rights Reserved.

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Hotels
  • Catering
  • Reviews
  • Suppliers
  • People
  • Videos
  • Events
    • GM Leaders Conference
      • Conference 2020
    • Leaders in Hospitality Awards
      • Awards 2021
    • Leaders in F&B Awards
      • Awards 2019
    • The Big F&B Forum
      • Forum 2019
    • Executive Housekeepers Conference
  • Business Connect

Copyright © 2021
BNC Publishing. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In