Content marketing – what is it and why should you care?

The following post explains content marketing, so that you can better understand how to use it in an ongoing and collaborative way, in order to lead potential customers to the path of purchase. Read on for some insight into this strategy, which is becoming more and more important to hospitality professionals.

Content marketing is not a sales pitch, but rather a way to connect with potential guests and promote your property’s experience. Content marketing is about building a relationship with your customer. However, this is not a quick overnight solution. This route takes time to foster a healthy relationship with your guests. In the long run it pays off, because people want to do business with authentic companies they like.

According to the Content Marketing Institute, a leading publication about how to use content to drive business results, content marketing is: “The art of communicating with your customers and prospects without selling. It is non-interruption marketing. Instead of pitching your products or services, you are delivering information that makes your buyer more intelligent. The essence of this content strategy is the belief that if we, as businesses, deliver consistent, ongoing valuable information to buyers, they ultimately reward us with their business and loyalty.”

When visual storytelling works well, it makes us feel – and that’s what content marketing is all about. Content marketing involves creating and telling your story online, with an emphasis on helping and informing your prospective customers rather than just selling. 

Content Marketing in Hospitality

Content marketing in hospitality should be useful and valuable to your audience and ultimately, tell your story. Our guidance for hospitality professionals is to draw helpful conclusions for travel shoppers and make the connections simple and obvious. This refreshed marketing approach is a way to provide guests with the resources needed to learn about a property; its characteristics, its place in the community, what your brand stands for, what the experience will be like and so on.

What exactly is content? The image below defines content for you:

Why You Should Invest in Content Marketing

Smart marketers are turning to content marketing now to drive interest and increase bookings – good content is the stimulus that leads enquiring customers through the shopping journey on their road to purchase. 70% of people prefer learning about a company through articles rather than ads and 68% of people say they’re more encouraged to book accommodations after seeing a video of the property’s amenities. Every property has a story, and every consumer is looking for a place that tells their story so they can narrow down their choices and make a decision. Content marketing provides properties with the opportunity to reach and engage travel shoppers on all the channels they’re searching. Content marketing is a proven method of marketing, especially within our divided media landscape. This long-term investment is about creating high-quality, informative content that travel shoppers can find trust in and will ultimately grow loyal to your brand.

Download our eBook Content Marketing 101: What, Why and How for an in-depth look at content marketing, and examples of hoteliers who are doing it right!

To see content marketing in action, check out this community post that features one of our amazing customers who uses content marketing to drive bookings – and learn how you can do it too!