4 Ways Video Can Drive Bookings for B&Bs
The bed and breakfast industry is in the midst of a digital awakening. The alternative accommodations space is becoming a fast growing, multi-billion dollar industry — indicating that consumer preferences are moving in favor of more personal, social experiences. And consumers aren’t just looking for more personal, social experiences when it comes to accommodation — they’re also looking to engage with potential hosts when looking for a place to stay. Social media, and specifically video, offers local B&Bs a host of new ways to extend their reach and increase bookings.
On Facebook alone, eight billion videos are viewed per day and, according to a survey from BnBFinder, photos and video make up 25% of the top factors consumers consider when choosing where to stay. Additionally, an Animoto survey found that 56 percent of consumers believe that if a company has a website, it should have video. Video marketing is a great way for potential visitors to get a much better sense of a place than they can with text and photos.
Animoto offers four ways B&Bs can use video marketing to stand out:
Feature on-location amenities
What on-location amenities do you offer? From beautiful scenery to homemade breakfasts, a video can show off your B&B’s special offerings. Featuring on-location amenities can also increase your customer conversion rate. Research shows that consumers are 64 percent more likely to become paying customers after viewing a video. It's important to include details about each of the areas guests will have access to, such as where they’ll be staying and the services you offer.
Show off the neighborhood
What local charms does your location and neighborhood have to offer? How far are you from popular attractions? When traveling, visitors want to make sure that where they're staying fits their needs, whether that's to "get away from it all" or to be centrally located. Including video of what they'll find in the surrounding area will not only make your B&B’s location more appealing, but will also show potential guests that you are an expert on the local area.
Capture customer testimonials
Customer testimonials are also a great addition to your video marketing arsenal. When consumers hear from their peers that a place is great, it builds a sense of trust. Not to mention, 70 percent of consumers seek out online customer reviews before considering a brand. If you’ve built rapport with them during their stay, ask happy customers if they’d be willing to shoot a quick testimonial before they leave.
If you don’t have any footage of customer testimonials yet, you can repurpose existing online reviews and use them to create a testimonial video. This could include showcasing customer quotes or even showing screenshots of positive Yelp reviews.
Showcase your personality
A B&B offers a different kind of experience than a hotel. At a B&B, guests enjoy a personalized experience and often interact directly with their hosts, unlike at a hotel. With video, you can create an “About Me” video to share a little bit about yourself and personality and build trust with potential guests. Let the viewer get to learn about the personalities of their hosts and the personal touches that they bring to the guest experience at their B&B.
Video marketing content is a vital asset for B&Bs looking to branch out into new channels to reach consumers. Video not only increases reach on social media, it is the way people prefer to consume marketing content. Video also helps travelers, families and other vacationers see, in a dynamic way, what the unique guest experience is like at your B&B. If you're not using video yet to market your B&B, there's no time like the present to start.
On Facebook alone, eight billion videos are viewed per day and, according to a survey from BnBFinder, photos and video make up 25% of the top factors consumers consider when choosing where to stay. Additionally, an Animoto survey found that 56 percent of consumers believe that if a company has a website, it should have video. Video marketing is a great way for potential visitors to get a much better sense of a place than they can with text and photos.
Animoto offers four ways B&Bs can use video marketing to stand out:
Feature on-location amenities
What on-location amenities do you offer? From beautiful scenery to homemade breakfasts, a video can show off your B&B’s special offerings. Featuring on-location amenities can also increase your customer conversion rate. Research shows that consumers are 64 percent more likely to become paying customers after viewing a video. It's important to include details about each of the areas guests will have access to, such as where they’ll be staying and the services you offer.
Show off the neighborhood
What local charms does your location and neighborhood have to offer? How far are you from popular attractions? When traveling, visitors want to make sure that where they're staying fits their needs, whether that's to "get away from it all" or to be centrally located. Including video of what they'll find in the surrounding area will not only make your B&B’s location more appealing, but will also show potential guests that you are an expert on the local area.
Capture customer testimonials
Customer testimonials are also a great addition to your video marketing arsenal. When consumers hear from their peers that a place is great, it builds a sense of trust. Not to mention, 70 percent of consumers seek out online customer reviews before considering a brand. If you’ve built rapport with them during their stay, ask happy customers if they’d be willing to shoot a quick testimonial before they leave.
If you don’t have any footage of customer testimonials yet, you can repurpose existing online reviews and use them to create a testimonial video. This could include showcasing customer quotes or even showing screenshots of positive Yelp reviews.
Showcase your personality
A B&B offers a different kind of experience than a hotel. At a B&B, guests enjoy a personalized experience and often interact directly with their hosts, unlike at a hotel. With video, you can create an “About Me” video to share a little bit about yourself and personality and build trust with potential guests. Let the viewer get to learn about the personalities of their hosts and the personal touches that they bring to the guest experience at their B&B.
Video marketing content is a vital asset for B&Bs looking to branch out into new channels to reach consumers. Video not only increases reach on social media, it is the way people prefer to consume marketing content. Video also helps travelers, families and other vacationers see, in a dynamic way, what the unique guest experience is like at your B&B. If you're not using video yet to market your B&B, there's no time like the present to start.