Social media plays a vital role in B2B public relations. It has the power to increase the visibility of your short term rental technology business’s core brand message and can expand your market reach. Of course, you know all of this. You’re probably already on LinkedIn, Twitter, and maybe even Instagram. But, it may come as a surprise when we tell you that the trendy app TikTok can also be hugely beneficial for raising the profile of your hospitality tech business. We’re increasingly seeing short term rental tech brands using this platform to gain greater influence and build a community.
Short term rental brands flourishing on TikTok
Big names in the travel industry like Marriott’s loyalty program Bonvoy and Expedia Group-owned Hotwire have launched campaigns through the social media app using hashtags to gain global engagement. Booking.com launched its first TikTok campaign earlier this year. Last year, American Airlines even began allowing passengers to access TikTok for half an hour during their flight without having to purchase WiFi.
Short term rental tech brands using the platform –
- Guest experience focused short term rental tech company, Enso Connect.
- Marcus Rader, Founder & CEO of PMS and channel management company, Hostaway.
- Property management software company Guesty.
Not sure if the platform is right for what you do? The perception may be that TikTok is for a younger audience, but that’s not entirely true. What if we told you that the social media app records over one billion active users per month? Just having a presence on the app could raise awareness of your short term rental business, not to mention the potential for appealing to, informing, and converting customers. Piqued your interest? Let’s find out more…
What is TikTok?
TikTok, is a social media app in which users can create, upload, and share short video content. With the ability to add music, filters, text, and hashtags to videos – the platform has taken the world by storm in recent years. And much like Twitter and Instagram, it didn’t take long for short term rental businesses to start utilizing the tool for promotional purposes.
5 ways TikTok can boost your business
We work in the world of hospitality and lodging technology, which in itself is innovative and ahead of the curve. So, your short term rental tech brand should be too. Below are 4 reasons why you could start using TikTok for business.
1. Increases visibility and expands your market reach
Did you know that TikTok’s audience spans way beyond the younger demographic? Only a quarter of its users are aged between 10 and 19 years old. The majority, 64%, of users are 20 to 49 years old. There are even users over the age of 50 using the app.
A social media platform with access to every generation or market type is a goldmine for businesses looking to appeal to more customers, widen their reach, and attract new demographics. It’s the perfect place to grow your hospitality tech business’s brand awareness.
2. Offers a space for free marketing
The bonus of using social media for marketing your business, is that it allows the reuse of repurposed content (which, since it’s already written/recorded, is basically free). You don’t need to spend your time or money creating something new to reap the benefits of social media marketing.
Posting regularly across your platforms keeps your business in front of your audience – so, repost those blogs, articles, bylines, podcasts, and everything else you have in your back pocket ready to promote your short term rental tech business.
3. Educates your audience
Conversions can be lost when your customers don’t fully understand what your business offers. So, make this information easily accessible. Take advantage of short-form content and create snappy (yet memorable) educational videos, showing your market what you do and how you can solve its pain points.
Emotion has the potential to influence buying decisions, and with a platform that enables a little more creative license, you may be able to make a lasting impression. This is especially true for B2B marketing, as buyer behavior can be influenced by factors including aligned values, excitement, and trust.
4. Connects with influencers
You may be thinking “I’m a hospitality tech brand, not a makeup company” but the power of making connections with influencers is still very important for brand awareness. Especially when there are influencers for everything now. Short term rental reviewers? Influencers. Airbnb educators? Influencers. Travel experts? Influencers.
As a business professional, you understand that who you know is important. Connections have the potential to bring about otherwise unreachable opportunities for yourself and your brand. And when it comes to influencers, who often have thousands if not millions of followers watching and copying their buying habits, connections have the power to boost sales.
5. Creates a community around your brand
The internet, and more specifically social media platforms, have the power to bring people together. With a designated space where your business can speak directly to your market, you’ll be able to create a community for your brand.
Communities such as these can help consumers feel more connected to a business, building that all-important trust between brand and consumer. It provides a place where they can engage with your company, ask questions, gain insider insight, and therefore they’ll feel better connected to who you are and what you do.
Opportunity to trend worldwide
Due to the nature of the social media platform and how videos are shared – when creating content for TikTok, with the right video, your brand and what your business offers have the potential to become a worldwide trend. And as we know, publicity encourages even more publicity, including press coverage – who wouldn’t want that?
There’s a place for your short term rental tech business on TikTok. Harness the platform’s global and multi-generational reach, and the creative freedom of short video content, to build your market, trust, and excitement for your brand, product, or service.
Want to know more about how your hospitality tech brand can boost awareness and build a reputation in the industry? Book a call with us today.
