threesixadmin

27 Nov 2023

Though it launched in 2016, TikTok shot to popularity during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. In fact, with over 1 billion active users every month, TikTok is well on its way to becoming the most popular social media platform in the world if it hasn’t achieved that status already.

We can’t log into our other social accounts without seeing various TikToks taking over Instagram, Facebook, and even LinkedIn feeds. TikTok users are young, and there’s no denying that. However, as their base continues to expand, it’s crucial for businesses, hotels included, to begin looking for opportunities for advertising to increase brand awareness and engagement.

 

The Old Facebook Way

Once upon a time, the most accessible social media advertising platform was Facebook. We did everything on Facebook, from catching up with friends to running our businesses. As platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and, eventually, TikTok began to take over, there was a visible shift in marketing tactics by companies of all sizes.

We’re not saying that you can’t make money using Facebook ads. Facebook still has a massive user base, but it could take quite a bit of your marketing budget to reach them, hence the shift to TikTok hotel advertising.

Facebook and TikTok differ significantly regarding their ad setup. However, Facebook has become completely oversaturated with ad content. Because of this, Facebook users have trained their brains to skim past the content, even if it’s something that might catch their interest, like a hotel marketing or resort marketing campaign.

Chances are you’re treating your own Facebook feed as if it were full of junk mail, reading only the headlines that catch your eye. The problem isn’t so much Facebook ads as their low click rate with most audiences.

Facebook notoriously decreased its organic reach over a decade ago and its ad reach right along with it. Today, to get a substantial audience with your Facebook ad, you’ll spend almost 20 times what you’d spend on TikTok. In short, whoever pays the most for ads will reach the largest audience. If you don’t pay for ads on Facebook, you’ll be lucky to contact even 1% of your followers with your content.

The bottom line is that Facebook is no longer the preferred social platform. As Gen Z  works their way into their 20s, you must go with them. You can rake in business with TikTok hospitality adverts, reaching a whole new audience without blowing your marketing budget.

 

The New TikTok Way

Hospitality marketing is essential to the success of your hotel. TikTok is proliferating, so why not grow with it? TikTok isn’t a one-and-done type of application. Almost 90% of TikTok users log on to check the app more than once daily, giving your business ample access to its target audience.

The engagement on the app is undeniably high, offering many chances of your content going viral, resulting in more followers. TikTok requires the creation of video content, so it takes a certain level of creativity for your content to stand out. Still, never underestimate spoken videos that provide valuable information.

You can use TikTok to showcase everything from booking deals to your hotel amenities, which often provide a high level of engagement. The TikTok audience is young and accustomed to living in a world where social media reigns supreme. They expect to see ads on their TikTok feed, and if the content is good, they’ll engage with it.

 

TikTok and Hotel Demographics

There aren’t too many active hotel accounts on TikTok. At least, there aren’t many that are prominent on the platform. TikTok can be pricey, depending on the type of campaign you’d like to run, but it also allows budget-friendly options for companies that don’t have much tucked away for advertising.

TikTok offers massive room for growth, and the time to begin brainstorming for content ideas is now. It’s all about innovatively showing your most vital selling points to increase your brand awareness on a platform that has a much more engaging concept than Facebook.

 

How Hotels Use TikTok

While your hotel won’t be the first on TikTok, it’s definitely not the last. There are dozens of ways that hotels use TikTok, from showcasing room specials to delicious cuisine served in the hotel or surrounding restaurants. Before you start creating content or establishing your ad set on TikTok, it’s essential to know the best practices for reaching your TikTok audience, as the platform differs incredibly from Facebook.

Keep It Short

Succeeding on TikTok as a hotel means keeping your content short but flashy. Draw your audience in with the first sentence, and pay close attention to the setting and other visuals. You don’t have to create a complete explanation of your services or locations, but instead, drop little bits of information that will keep users engaged and wanting to follow you.

Make It Funny

Funny content performs well, regardless of the business industry or niche. Most people log onto TikTok to watch their favorite creators pump-out content that makes them laugh. You’re running a hotel, not a comedy club, but it’s okay to use humor as freely as you’d like, but make sure it’s appropriate and relevant.

Know Your Audience

Before you do advertising of any kind, you should have a firm grasp of your audience. TikTok is no different from any other advertising platform when working your way into the algorithm. With your TikTok ads, you’ll want to target those who’ve engaged in videos about travel, your city, or hotels.

Brand Collaboration

Reach out to local brands you can collaborate with (including influencers) to create an entirely different angle, keeping your target demographic on the hook. The best thing about TikTok is its quick visuals, so try to take advantage of them from every angle possible.

Audience Engagement

Responding to comments on TikTok ads is just as crucial as on Facebook, but since TikTok users show up more, they have a better chance of noticing your engagement. Your audience wants to know that you see them, so let no comment (even the negative ones) go unanswered.

 

The (Potential) Demise of Facebook

Hotels have a much better chance of reaching the audience they want through TikTok. As a platform, Facebook is on its way to irrelevance as it struggles to provide users with factual content. From misleading political ads to groups dedicated to violence, Facebook is gaining a poor reputation, primarily with the younger generations in America.

It’s difficult for companies to commit to advertising on a platform people don’t always trust, and TikTok has a way of presenting information, ads included, more factually and transparently. The primary audiences on Facebook continue to grow older, and while there’s nothing wrong with running a targeted ad or two (if you know how to do it successfully), placing a heavier focus on more relevant platforms will prove fruitful.

The ebb and flow of popular items and social trends are always happening. As we reach the possible end for Facebook, businesses have begun to explore new ways to advertise, and TikTok stands out starkly among the social channel competition.

 

The Perks of TikTok Ads

If you’re planning to use TikTok for your ads as we wrap up 2022 and head into 2023, it’s essential to understand what makes the platform so popular for resort and hotel marketing.

Grow Brand Awareness

Unlike Facebook, TikTok caters to businesses. They have helpful e-learning centers that allow you to create the right ads for the right audience, which means you’ll waste less time and money. TikTok listens to what its users like and don’t like, so your ads will land with the right demographic.

Increase In Leads

With the growth of brand awareness comes the inevitable increase in leads, prospects, and website clicks. Your lead pool will expand dramatically when your ads appear for the right demographic. Proper ad placement is one thing TikTok rarely gets wrong, proving beneficial to hotels worldwide.

 

The TikTok Revolution

Though TikTok feels like it’s geared toward a younger audience, the times are changing. The shift from Facebook is undeniable, and there’s no point in waiting for it to become more irrelevant to begin rethinking your social platform ad strategies.

TikTok works phenomenally for many hotels, and it can do the same for yours. You’ll need a good marketing strategy and solid content creators, but it’s well worth a shot at substantial growth. While TikTok was once primarily for Gen Z (who currently books plenty of vacations and getaways of their own), it’s beginning to take on more Millenials and Gen X members.

If you’re still on the fence, let’s look at one more TikTok statistic before moving on. In March 2020, Americans 18 and up spent almost 1.5 billion hours on TikTok. Facebook definitely can’t say the same. TikTok is the new hotel marketing tool, and we’re happy to help you get started today!