The hospitality trade is at a turning level the place authenticity is trumping movie star standing, and probably the most profitable eating places are utterly re-imagining their influential advertising and marketing technique.
On this recap of Social Pulse: Hospitality Version, Alexandra Seward shares her real-world expertise. She’s a digital advertising and marketing powerhouse who’s managed social media for over 50 restaurant manufacturers and present social media chief for the Briad Group and former advertising and marketing strategist for Atlas Restaurant Group.
[Listen to the full episode below, or read along for the transcript of the Social Pulse: Hospitality Edition, powered by Agorapulse. Try it for free today.]
Share an instance of a micro influencer marketing campaign that, in your opinion, outperformed a type of movie star partnerships that you just would possibly’ve had on your eating places
Alexandra Seward: Completely. I can consider the most important one. We had a grand opening for a brand new rooftop that we now have in San Diego. It’s above an exquisite resort, a really type of popping space. It was on Fifth Avenue in Gaslamp. So we had a media night time the place we invited a wide range of influencers. We had micro influencers with 5 to 10,000 followers. We had health influencers that’s an enormous factor in San Diego. We had a bunch of Padres gamers, Housewives stars. We had some celebrities from The Bachelor, an enormous group of them reside within the downtown San Diego space.
And so after this occasion, we requested everybody to put up the content material. So we began to see all of the posts coming in. And we began to match and distinction, and the put up that carried out the perfect was from an influencer who lived in downtown San Diego, steps from our resort, and she or he had 15,000 followers, and it was an exquisite video. She did a voiceover. It was a minute and a half lengthy showcase, and the complete expertise began to complete. It was unbelievable. It was so top quality, filmed on her iPhone. After which we had a Bachelor star with thousands and thousands of followers and a Padres participant with thousands and thousands of followers, they usually simply did one little static put up that they shortly deleted. Most likely inside two weeks of the occasion. And we had been capable of seize some engagement from that, but it surely didn’t practically carry out pretty much as good as that micro influencer. She was about 25, 26, simply native within the space.
In order that was very telling. I used to be blown away by her engagement in comparison with the celebrities.
Alexandra Seward: Completely. We take a look at The Briad Group by way of a bunch of various standards. So the primary is viewers relevance.
I prefer to be sure that, are their followers, are they foodies? Do they reside within the space? Do they like elevated eating experiences? How are their followers interacting with their food-targeted posts? That’s all the time very attention-grabbing to see the viewers’s relevance. The engagement high quality I need to see is the feedback from each followers which are identical to one little emoji, and it’s a pretend follower, or are they full sentences, lengthy, full conversations occurring within the feedback from actual followers? Actual engagement. That’s all the time necessary to see. I like to see the content material fashion and consider that. Are they genuine, high-quality visuals that align with our restaurant aesthetics? I like to see quite a lot of Reels. Is that this influencer solely doing static posts? We’ll in all probability not work with them. If the influencer is doing voice-overs which are 30 seconds to a minute lengthy. We like to see that. I additionally love to have a look at the placement. Are these influencers? Have they got a robust presence in our restaurant’s goal geographic space, our rooftops at The Briad Group?
We now have the Concourse Membership in Woodridge, New Jersey, about half-hour outdoors the town. After which we now have the Bradford Rooftop, which is about an hour and a half outdoors of the town. So we do have quite a lot of them. New York Metropolis influencers are reaching out to us for staycation collaborations, which I’m truly very open to. We’re seeing quite a lot of staycation influencers reaching out to get out of the town, strive one thing new.
However outdoors of that, we’re solely influencers in our area as a result of it simply makes probably the most sense for us. I additionally like to have a look at. Character. Are they enjoyable? Are they humorous? Is it actual?
I additionally prefer to see their earlier partnerships. I need to see if they’ve a monitor file of working with related eating places? Are they working with a bunch of chains? Are they working with beverage manufacturers? For us, we’re very elevated. Rooftops we’re open at 5 o’clock. We’re closed Sunday, Monday, so we don’t need brunch, breakfast, or daytime affect.
We would like the elevated nightlife, nighttime influencer. And we additionally prefer to see the viewers demographics. It’s very attention-grabbing from the restaurant accounts. I like to see, do we now have any mutual followers? Are we following a few of the similar? Tourism accounts for Go to New Jersey. Are we following New Jersey Digest a few of these huge media accounts? I prefer to see if we now have any mutual followers there.
In order that’s the factors that we take a look at for evaluating these potential partnerships.
How are you structuring your partnerships? How are you approaching that relationship with these micro influencers?
Alexandra Seward: I believe greater than ever, transparency is essential. I’ve now turn out to be nearly over particular with all of the clear deliverables that I need to see from influencers as a result of I’ve made the error of not specifying what I would like, and I get disillusioned with the end result of the standard of the content material. It’s a must to specify every thing. Now, whether or not it’s a put up, a static put up versus a Reel, and the way lengthy the Reel is. I had an influencer as soon as put up simply, it was like a ten-second video clip of a burger, and it simply didn’t showcase the restaurant. The vibe, the ambiance in any respect, and it didn’t do something for us.
So I prefer to specify the precise content material codecs at the start. Okay. We would like a minute-long Reel. In addition to a posting schedule as a result of oftentimes these influencers have a bunch of name offers that they’re working with or a bunch of collaborations, and your posts would possibly get pushed to the underside of their to-do listing, so I need to be certain that. Okay. Can this be posted inside three days of your go to? Possibly every week. All of it is dependent upon your private content material calendar, however for me, I prefer to see the put up exit inside three to 5 days of the go to, specifying the tagging necessities for us. Our rooftop venues are situated on prime of accommodations, so I need to be certain that the influencer is all the time inviting each the resort and the rooftop to collaborate. If we now have an enormous chef that we need to showcase, tag the chef as nicely. That is all essential to specify, whilst little as what dishes you need them to showcase.
In order that type of comes all the way down to the compensation. I like to put out the offers of their complimentary eating expertise. For probably the most half, we’re working with influencers who need to collaborate for a free meal and the free eating expertise, free brunch. So with that, you even must specify what number of dishes they must get, and what number of cocktails they must get.
Please kindly tip your server, lay all that on the market, as a result of I’ve had the influencer stroll in, attempt to order the entire menu, and simply stroll out with out tipping your server. As particular as potential with the compensation. After which I like to have a look at the long-term relationship constructing, if it’s an influencer, the place I’m enthusiastic about this partnership, and I need to see if we will collaborate on many occasions, holidays, women ‘ night time outs, no matter it’s. I like to have a look at whether or not there are multi-visit alternatives relatively than only a one-off put up. And for us, we discovered this sister duo that’s primarily based out of New York Metropolis, and we’re like their go-to staycation collaboration vacation spot. And it’s been superior.
They’ve celebrated birthdays with us, now they’ve celebrated holidays, they usually’ve finished in a single day stays on the resort. So it’s been superior, and it’s become an superior partnership for us. And lastly, simply the cross promotion, simply to be sure that they’re all the time inviting you to collaborate, tagging, posting on all platforms, Fb, TikTok tales, all that’s necessary.
So necessary to construction the clear deliverables upfront.
Do you ever work with a number of influencers on the similar time, the place you’ve got them collaborate along with the manufacturers?
Alexandra Seward: Actually, I’ve by no means finished that earlier than. That’s truly not a nasty thought as a result of quite a lot of them are mates. Which I’ve discovered good after we’ve had these media nights or grand opening occasions, they’re all mates, all of them come collectively, all of them hang around the entire night time. They’ll seize a drink afterwards. So that’s an space of alternative for positive, to simply invite a pair and do one huge collaboration with a number of influencers. That’s an excellent thought.
Mike Allton: I stole it from Adobe. I took that from Adobe. It’s one thing that they do with their annual Adobe Summit. They’ll invite a cadre of influencers, they’ll pay for his or her journey, they’ll convey ’em out to, I believe it’s Las Vegas. To their occasion. So a few years in the past, it was of us like Goldie Chan, Leon, possibly Rodriguez, I believe was there, and a few these are huge names in advertising and marketing, proper? It’s notably B2B advertising and marketing, they usually all know one another. And they also present up, they usually all have the identical occasions. They’re taking selfies with one another. After which most significantly, they’re interacting and interesting with one another’s social posts and tagging one another. In order that they’re all amplifying one another’s posts and Adobe’s posts. It’s an excellent tactic. I’ve used it many instances for Agorapulse. So that you, all people listening, undoubtedly take a look at how you can usher in a pair totally different or three totally different influencers without delay. Introduce ’em in the event that they don’t already know one another and get ’em to collaborate with one another.
What’s the most important shock that you just’ve found by working with micro influencers versus celebrities?
Alexandra Seward: Yeah. I believe there are quite a lot of micro influencers who’re prepared to collaborate without spending a dime. They’re within the eating expertise. They need to strive a brand new restaurant. They need to convey their mates, they need a free dinner. And quite a lot of influencers have these full-time day jobs the place that is their interest. It’s a separate account for them. It’s enjoyable, and I typically want working with some of these micro influencers versus these whose sole job and first supply of earnings is their influencer platform that tries to cost you loopy charges, 1000’s of {dollars} for posts. In order that’s in all probability one of many greatest surprises: discovering the influencers who’re prepared to collaborate without spending a dime.
Additionally, it’s simply higher content material high quality. I discovered they produce extra inventive, genuine content material than celebrities. They’re creating the content material themselves. I’ve discovered some celebrities who rent outdoors content material creators to completely supply the content material for them. I believe additionally there’s only a stage of relationship depth that you just get with these micro influencers. They typically construct real connections with not solely their followers but in addition the restaurant. They like to get to know the chef, they need to go within the kitchen. It’s a really actual relationship that may come out of this partnership.
Additionally, the continuing engagement. These influencers typically proceed to advertise your restaurant organically after the partnership ends. I discovered this with so many influencers the place they are going to are available in for a go to they usually’ll have a good time their birthday there a number of months later. They’ll proceed to come back again, they’ll come again for brunch. They’ll nonetheless tag you. They are going to nonetheless put up simply because they love the spot that a lot. Additionally, these micro influencers have a fast turnaround, they usually can launch campaigns in a short time. There’s no want for any prolonged contract negotiations, and generally with these bigger celebrities, they simply take some time. It may very well be months earlier than you see the precise content material come out. And I discovered that you just all the time must observe up. And generally. Nonetheless by no means see the put up. It simply will get misplaced in translation and the shuffle of all their different model offers that they’re working with.
These are all huge surprises that I discovered whereas working with these micro influencers.
How are you measuring success total with these micro-influencer campaigns?
Alexandra Seward: Yep. So we use Resy for our rooftops, so I’m continuously my Resy app on the backend, and I can see reservation spikes after campaigns go reside. Oftentimes, the follower will increase and impressions total are the three huge ones. We take a look at the brand new menu efficiency as nicely. So we’ll discover if an influencer is speaking about one dish particularly, or one cocktail particularly, the gross sales for these particular dishes will go up tremendously.
We’ll additionally take a look at simply web site site visitors evaluation on the backend. What number of clicks? Web site faucets, and I’ll all the time observe up with the influencer afterwards to ship us a pleasant recap of the analytics from her finish and evaluate that to ours. And I believe the follower will increase and the reservation spikes are the massive ones that I discover. I’ll monitor these, I’ll benchmark these, and take word for future influencer visits. And it’s good to match and distinction with a bunch of influencers that you’ve got in and see who’s performing the perfect, but it surely’s unbelievable the influence that they will have.
What are some frequent errors that you just see different eating places making once they’re attempting to work with influencers?
Alexandra Seward: I’ve some mates who’re additionally within the house, and I discovered that these eating places are prioritizing follower rely with these micro influencers versus their engagement high quality and the viewers relevance. They’re simply the variety of followers, they usually’re not trying on the shares, the feedback, the saves.
And that’s all tremendous necessary to have a look at, and I’ll want the influencer with so many shares and saves over the influencer with tons of of 1000’s of followers all day lengthy.
I additionally discover that these eating places are offering simply inadequate model pointers whereas nonetheless anticipating very particular outcomes.
So it goes again to the clear deliverables there. I discover that eating places are additionally anticipating quick outcomes with out permitting time for the content material to carry out. So I believe eating places get hasty, they usually count on immediately that they’ve to achieve 100 thousand followers after this put up goes reside. However it takes a minute, it takes 5 days for it to hit the algorithm. Possibly you enhance the posts, see how that goes, however you may’t count on quick outcomes. And I believe these eating places get hung up on that. And I believe they’re focusing an excessive amount of on the brief time period with these collaborations versus the long-term results of the posts and the long-term relationships.
I particularly discover that with actual collaborations that we do, that are no less than a minute and a half lengthy. We are going to discover the followers are available in sluggish and regular, but it surely’s sluggish development there, but it surely’s definitely worth the wait. Positively.
Has that [unpolished iPhone look] impacted your influencer advertising and marketing technique?
Alexandra Seward: Sure. So we now have labored with superb videographers and for horizontal web site movies which have carried out fantastically on our web sites. Nevertheless, with Reels and stuff. It seems to be an excessive amount of like an advert. It seems to be too business. And we now have discovered that customers simply aren’t participating with the skilled video. At the least with our rooftops and accommodations.
I believe the iPhone simply exhibits extra character. Such as you stated, it’s much less polished. And I believe the iPhone is simply extra in the intervening time. I really like when influencers will put up a bunch of Tales reside within the second from their iPhone tagging us whereas they’re taking that first chunk of the burger, and we’ll get quite a lot of eyes on these posts solely simply because it’s iPhone, it’s actual, it’s within the second and it’s genuine.
So I undoubtedly agree. The iPhone is simply performing higher. I’ve checked out different manufacturers, finished some analysis, and I’ve seemed on the likes I’ve scrolled down, and there’s not quite a lot of likes going for these high-end movies. So I undoubtedly assume it’s price it for the web site for positive. However undoubtedly not for Reels.
Be taught knowledge and insights from hospitality specialists in each episode of Social Pulse: Hospitality Version.
Alexandra Seward: Yeah, there’s a lot occurring, so I very a lot simplified my assets that I’m utilizing.
- Hey Orca is an incredible publication that I get emailed each week. Additionally they have weekly webinars the place they’re all the time speaking in regards to the newest app updates. They’re speaking about traits, they’re speaking about every thing. In order that’s an unbelievable useful resource, Hey Orca.
- I additionally attended the Social Media Advertising and marketing Summit in New York Metropolis final 12 months, they usually had a bunch of audio system, and it was in particular person. It was superb. An important number of audio system from totally different manufacturers and industries, however they undoubtedly touched on influencer advertising and marketing quite a bit in AI as nicely.
- And lastly, podcasts: The Advertising and marketing Completely satisfied Hour, the Influencer Advertising and marketing Lab, the Skinny Confidential, these are my three huge ones, the place they typically have quite a lot of influencers, micro, macro celebrities which are all the time speaking about social media. The traits, the dos and don’ts. It’s all nice podcasts there.
Thanks for studying the highlights of this episode of Social Pulse: Hospitality, powered by Agorapulse.
And don’t neglect to search out the Social Pulse Podcast: Hospitality Version on Apple, in addition to different editions just like the Retail, Company, and B2B.
