Influencers and the hotel industry: opportunity or waste of time?
The scene that every hotel manager has already experienced
You've just renovated your rooftop; the photos are superb, but the booking is stagnating. On Instagram, a «hotel influencer» offers you a free stay in exchange for three stories. Should you accept? Is it a lever or a waste of time? This question comes up at every marketing meeting. Let's tackle the subject head-on: Influencers and the hotel industry: opportunity or mirage? Here you'll find a clear, jargon-free guide to making informed decisions and, if you take the plunge, maximising your return on investment.
Understanding what an influencer is - Hospitality version
| Type of influencer | Community size | For a hotel, it's... |
|---|---|---|
| Nano (1,000-10,000 subscribers) | Local community, authentic exchanges | Filling off-season weekends |
| Micro (10 000-100 000) | Niche audience, good engagement | Promote a specific experience (spa, brunch) |
| Macro (100 000-1 M) | Wide range, higher cost | Rebranding or reaching out to distant markets |
| Celebrity (+1 M) | Overall reputation, high price | A massive but risky spotlight |
Avoid the «bigger is better» reflex. For many establishments, a hotel influencer of micro size is more than enough.
Hotel Web Design is the web agency 100% dedicated to the hotel industryWe can help you with all aspects of digital communication for your accommodation: booking websites, natural referencing specialising in the hotel industry, Google Ads referencing and Google Hotel Ads, social networking campaigns, graphic charters and logos for hotels.
Make an appointment today for free advice on how to optimise the digital management of your accommodation.
The figures that count (and those to ignore)
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60 % of travellers say they trust the recommendations of a hotel designer as much as those of a close friend; this percentage rises to 75 % among 18-34 year olds. sociallypowerful.com.
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The global influence market will top 24 billion $ by the end of 2024, with growth driven by tourism socialhospitality.com.
Remember: travellers listen to influencers, but not just any influencers.
Benefits of working together
- Targeted visibility You're reaching an audience who already dream of travelling.
- Rich content photos and videos that can be reused on your own account.
- Instant social proof A check-in filmed live is reassuring.
- Peak traffic If the link points to your booking engine, the conversion is measurable.
To turn these Insta visits into real overnight stays, always connect the campaign to a tracked booking engine.
Time-wasting traps
| Trap | Why it's a problem | Parade |
|---|---|---|
| Chasing the big numbers | Million subscribers, but off-target audience | Check your location, age and interests |
| No clear contract | Misunderstandings about the number of posts | Draw up a signed brief (dates, deliverables, rights) |
| No measures | Flattering likes, but no reservations | Unique promo code or tracked link essential |
| Free stay on repeat | High hidden cost, perceived injustice for paying staff | Set a maximum barter per quarter |
Current best practice (simple versions)
Reasoned selection
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Affinity of style : the aesthetics of the feed should be reminiscent of your world - no need for “fluorescent” filters for a 5⭐ palace.
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Commitment rate between 3 % and 6 % for Instagram is a good signal.
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Copy test Paste the caption into a search engine; if it already exists, beware.
Timely briefing
A4 is all you need: key message, three highlights to show off (view, breakfast, spa), official hashtags, followed link. Remain flexible: let them choose the setting; it's their talent.
Fair contract
Include: dates, number of posts, publication deadlines, rights of use, remuneration or value of the stay. Even a “night for post” exchange should be formalised.
Essential features for tracking (and proving) ROI
| Function | What's the point? | Available in Hotel Web Design? |
|---|---|---|
| UTM auto link | Track every click through to booking | Yes |
| Promo code dated | Converting a hot audience into a live audience | Yes |
| Comparison table | See influence channel vs OTA | Yes |
| Mobile Dashboard | Follow the campaign from reception | Yes |
Discover the complete tool → Hotel Web Design - Marketing tools
The trends to follow
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Short vertical stories 15 seconds is all it takes to show a room.
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Long-term partnerships less one-shots, more ambassadors; 71 % of influencers lower their rates on a 3-month contract sproutsocial.com.
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UGC amplified Customers themselves become micro-influencers.
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Mix reality & AI Before and after“ filters to showcase a renovated suite.
Hotel Web Design is a Google partner with the Google Hotelsincluding our customers enjoy every day: information about your accommodation, availability and prices is sent continuously to the search engine, which displays booking links free from Google search, directly to your booking page. These free links represent around 15% of additional commission-free bookings for our customers in 2022! Read our article on free booking links from Google
Case in point: the #RivieraSunset campaign
| Steps | Actions | Expected results |
|---|---|---|
| Target | 2 “slow travel” micro-influencers, 30,000 FR/IT followers | European audience, reasonable budget |
| Brief | 1 reel sunrise + 3 spa stories, UTM link + SUNSET10 code | Consistent content |
| Stay | 2 nights in low season + free brunch | Actual cost: €320 |
| Publication | Reel 45 K views, 1,700 clicks to the site | Traffic +40 % in 48 h |
| Conversion | 23 direct bookings, average shopping basket €186 | TURNOVER: €4,278 |
| Ratio | ROI x 13.4 | Measured success |
Step-by-step guide to launching your first collaboration
- Set a simple objective 15 nights out of season or 50 new e-mail subscribers.
- List 10 targeted accounts location, style, commitment.
- Contact us politely A short e-mail with a link to your website.
- Negotiate : night + meal + shoot > cash rate? It all depends on the size.
- Draw up a micro-contract (dated, signed PDF).
- Generate the UTM link in your Hotel Web Design back office.
- Welcome like a paying customer welcome drink, mini-brief pitch.
- Relaunch the publication Share your stories and tag them.
- Analyse the result in Analytics.
- Decide : extend, adjust or stop.
How can you tell if it's a waste of time? Three warning signs
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Off-target audience A lot of likes... from another continent.
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No call-to-action the publication forgets the link or the code.
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Staff sold out too many free requests becomes toxic.
If you tick all three boxes, put on the brake.
Two resources to take you further
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Google Ads “Working with Creators” guide” - Official best practice for measuring impact (PDF) siteminder.com.
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Forbes Business Council study “Influencer Marketing in Hospitality”.” - state of the market forbes.com.
Conclusion: a simple lever... if you measure everything
The hotel influencers can fill your rooms, raise your profile and boost direct sales, provided remain strategic: good targeting, a clear contract, rigorous tracking, a sincere welcome. Hotel Web Design tools do the rest: tracked links, promotional codes, dashboard. The result: fewer OTA commissions and more enthusiastic customers.
Booking / reservation website
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Direct booking for your accommodation
- Bespoke booking/conversion site delivered turnkey, with training on the administration interface on delivery
- Adapted logo and graphic charter. Possibility of using your existing elements
- Specific referencing for holiday lets
- Integration of reservations module internal
- or integration of an external booking engine (Reservit, D-EDGE, MisterbookingRoomcloud, etc)
- Integration of specific HTML elements (review portals, customer reviews, weather, press, pop-ups, direct chat, etc.)
- Secure SSL / HTTPS
- Multilingual website & booking engine
- Simple, intuitive user interface
- High-availability hosting and domain name
- Delivery usually within 30 days
