Video advertising is an increasingly popular way to help hotel brands stand out from the competition. It’s more effective than static photos or text-based ads, and it allows you to tell a story and connect with potential guests in an engaging format. Video allows you to create a narrative about your brand that will inspire people to stay at your hotel.

There are some tips and tricks that can help ensure your video campaign engages potential customers effectively.  To get started, let’s discuss what video ad campaigns really mean for hotels.

Definition of video advertising

Video ads are a form of online advertisement that uses short videos to promote products and services. They can be anything from text, images, or even animated graphics. Video ads are typically accompanied by text, but they may also include audio (such as sound effects).

Video ads are usually only 15 seconds long, which makes them ideal for mobile devices like smartphones or tablets because people don’t have time to watch long video clips on their phones.

Video advertising is a great way to stand out from the competition as well. It’s an opportunity for you to tell your brand story, showcase your hotel’s best features and create trust and confidence in your brand.

Video ads can help hotels get found on Google search results when people are looking for things like “hotel near me”. When customers are looking for hotels online, video advertising is often at the top of their list because it helps them find exactly what they want with ease. When customers find what they’re looking for, they’ll be much more likely to book it.

Benefits of using video advertising for hotels

Create rememberable content

Video advertising is a great way to create content that people will remember. You can use video ads to engage with your audience and drive business, but only if you know how to make them stand out from the crowd.

Increased visibility

Video advertising can help you reach a larger audience. It is easy to share videos through social media platforms, which increases the reach of video ads even more. Also, with video ads, you can show your audience exactly what you have to offer.

Build trust 

Video ads are a great way to build trust and confidence in your brand. They can help convey a message that is more effective than text alone, as well as provide an opportunity to show what makes you unique. This can lead to repeat bookings and positive word-of-mouth recommendations.

Overview of Video Advertising Platforms

Popular platforms for running video campaigns

When you’re considering which platforms to use, it’s important to keep in mind how many people are likely to be interested in your hotel. If you have a small budget and only want to advertise on YouTube or TikTok, then those two platforms will be good choices for you.

YouTube is an excellent platform for hotels to advertise on as it offers a wide range of targeting options, such as demographic and interest-based targeting, to reach the right audience. TikTok, on the other hand, is a newer platform that is focused on short-form videos, usually less than 60 seconds. This platform is particularly popular among younger audiences and is a great way for hotels to reach a new generation of travellers.

However, if there are other options that may be more suitable for your business (say Instagram or Snapchat), then by all means, go for those instead.

Considerations for selecting the right platform for your video advertising campaign

Audience demographics: One of the most important factors to consider when choosing platforms for your video advertising campaign is the demographics of the users on each platform. For example, if your target audience is primarily millennials, it makes sense to focus on platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat that are particularly popular among this age group.

Video format: Different platforms have different video format requirements, so it’s important to make sure that your video content is optimised for the platforms you choose.

Advertising options: Each platform offers different advertising options and targeting capabilities. Some platforms, like Facebook and YouTube, offer a wide range of targeting options, such as location, interests, and behaviour.

Budget: As with any advertising campaign, budget is an important consideration. Some platforms, like Facebook and Google, have more expensive advertising options, while others, like TikTok and Instagram, have less expensive options. Be sure to consider how your budget fits in with each platform and its advertising options.

Designing an Effective Video Campaign

The benefits of video marketing are plenty. However, in order to reap the benefits, it is crucial to create an effective video campaign. The most important aspect of it is creating the right message. Read on to learn how.

Creating a message and visuals that will attract guests to your hotel

When deciding on the message of your video ad, think about who your target audience is and what they want to see. Use a friendly tone so that people are more likely to engage with the video content on your site or app.

Your message should be clear and concise, highlighting the unique features and benefits of your hotel. It should also be consistent with your overall branding and marketing efforts.

Tips on developing creative video ads that engage potential customers

• Keep it Short and Sweet: Attention spans are shorter than ever, so it’s important to keep your video ad short and to the point. Aim for a length of 30 seconds or less.
• Use High-Quality Footage: Poorly produced videos will only turn potential guests off. Invest in high-quality footage and equipment to ensure that your video ad looks professional and polished.
• Showcase Reviews and Testimonials: Including real reviews and testimonials from guests can help build trust and credibility with potential guests. This can also increase the trust in your hotel
• Use Captions: Not all viewers will have the sound turned on, so it’s important to include captions in your video ad. Make sure they’re easy to read and include important information.

Tracking and Optimising Your Video Ads

Once you’ve set up your video ads, the next step is to track them. Tracking will help you understand what kind of results you’re getting from each ad and how effective it was at attracting customers.

Ways to measure the success of your video campaigns

You should measure how well your video campaigns are doing. This is important so you can make sure they are working as expected and can then be used in the future. You can also use other tools such as Google Analytics or another third-party tracking service like KISSmetrics, AdRoll or Keyword Tool Spy to track data about these metrics over time.

Here are the measurements you need to know to learn what’s going on with your video campaign:

• View count – Number of views on your video ads.
• Engagement rate – Percentage of viewers who engage with your video, such as by liking, commenting, or sharing it.
• Click-through rate – Number of viewers who click through to your website or booking page.
• Bookings – Number of bookings that result from your video ads.
• Cost per booking – Total cost of your campaign divided by the number of bookings it generates.

Strategies to optimise your video ads to maximise ROI

Targeting: Targeting the right audience for your video ads is crucial. You can use demographic and geographic targeting to ensure that your ad is reaching the people who are most likely to book a stay at your hotel. You can also re-target the ads to increase the chances of turning viewers into customers.

A/B testing: Test different versions of your video ad to see which one performs best. This can include changing the copy, imagery, or call to action to see which elements have the greatest impact on engagement and bookings.

Use captions: Closed captions (subtitles) are a great way to make your videos more accessible and to help them stand out in social feeds.

Optimise for mobile: With more and more people watching videos on mobile devices, it’s crucial to ensure that your videos are optimised for mobile viewing. This includes using a landscape aspect ratio and keeping the video short.

Video advertising is a powerful tool that can help hotels stand out from the competition, but it’s not for everyone. Before starting any campaign, research what platform works best for your hotel and make sure it is well organised to monitor results as they happen. With the cost-effectiveness and engagement of video advertising, it should be a part of any hotel’s marketing strategy to stand out in the hospitality industry.