We caught up with the talented folks at Wonderhatch, a leading visual content agency focused on producing the very best in photography and film to talk about film, and why it is one of the most powerful tools available to the Hotelier…
“Film is now responsible for over 80% of all online traffic. It’s recognised as an essential part of any successful marketing strategy, but particularly so in the travel and hospitality sector.
In communicating your hotel in an evocative way, whether by showcasing your amenities, your F&B offerings or simply the level of service you provide, film gives people the desire to come see for themselves and to experience the warmth of your welcome. It drives people to make positive decisions, and to invest in themselves.
Film does this instantly, and in an easily shareable way. Google claims film is the new frontier for hotel marketers, and at Wonderhatch we agree. It should be the tip of your communications spear, driving emotional commitment from your customers”.
So, why is film so important?
Great film delivers concentrated encounters with the hotel experience, giving a glimpse into a life that could be yours. They let those of us at home in, helping us to envisage ourselves poolside, stateside, or simply outside. Content, whether film or premium photography, reminds us of what we have all been missing over these last 2 years.
The ONS recently reported that there has been a 96% decrease in visits abroad compared to the previous year, driving a huge increase in more localised travel. Film and photography are influencing and determining choice like never before, proving to be a real catalyst for change in buying behaviour. People are making choices based on the quality of the content that is offered up to them. Put simply it is making people make decisions and getting them packing again.
The numbers speak for themselves. According to Renderforest, sites using film see a 78% increase in web traffic, and Unbounce reported that by including a film on your landing page, you can boost conversions by up to 80%. Film content not only draws potential customers in but converts them. It’s not surprising to read that Hubspot found over half of marketeers questioned said film was the content with the greatest ROI.
But what is it that makes for a great hotel film?
Firstly, it is important to understand that film content comes in all shapes and sizes, serving a multitude of different functions for you.
- Lifestyle content communicates the feeling the hotel will deliver, pulling at the emotional levers and helping customers to really imagine themselves there. This delivers the WHY.
- Informative content, which introduces the facilities and the space in a much more prescriptive way, will showcase the key features of your particular offering, communicating the WHAT that is your very specific offer.
- And then there is content which introduces the people and the processes which deliver the elements that make your hotel so very special. This delivers on the HOW. Ideally, your content should incorporate a blend of all of these key elements.
Here at Wonderhatch, an independent visual content agency specialising in photography and film, we’re seeing an increase in our clients looking for media that tells a story. Whether we’re pulling at people’s heart strings, making people laugh, or chasing lovers down hotel corridors, the importance of storytelling is crucial.
We believe that you don’t need to spend a fortune to create content that significantly elevates your hotel and tells your brand story. While there’s no doubt bigger budget films can have a major impact, take a look at our St Pancras project, or explore the film we produced for Sexy Fish. It’s crucial to capture the essence of your space, to transport your customers there and to compel them to book.
Premium film content is absolutely essential in order to compete in the global marketplace. Your future customers expect it, relying on it to give them the confidence to commit. Film gives prospective customers the chance to really “see it, to believe it”, to grasp and understand the very essence of your offering. If you don’t have a film for your hotel, ask yourself why? And if you do, then ask yourself “is it actually good enough? And what story is it that I’m actually telling?”
At Wonderhatch we help you to tell the right story, creating inspiring content that works.
But how do you convert these additional web visits into booked guests? How do you best use great film and photography to drive direct bookings? Well, let us introduce you to allora.ai…
allora.ai is a unique and innovative AI tool, created by Avvio. It harnesses 4 years of booking data (that’s over 400m guest interactions) to understand the guest and predict patterns in future booking behaviour; it learns continually and combines a wide range of helpful features for the hotelier that allow you to not only personalise the experience from the moment a guest arrives on your website, but to also drive direct bookings, reduce cancellations and maximise revenue. Find out more here.
