We all know that social media is a great way to increase visibility for your wedding business, but did you know that Instagram is one of the most effective platforms for advertising your venue?
Instagram’s visual nature means it’s a simple and quick way to share brand images with your customers. Since Instagram is an image-based platform, it’s not surprising that businesses have found success using Instagram for marketing purposes. You can reach out directly to potential customers who are interested in what you have to offer and it also allows you to create brand loyalty and customer satisfaction at the same time.
In our 2023 Wedding Industry Report a tremendous 67% of brides in Ireland and 52% in the United Kingdom told us Instagram is their go-to platform for wedding inspiration. While they are influenced by Instagram only 10% in Ireland and 7% in the UK tell us they are impacted by influencers. This means that it’s vital for venues to be on Instagram but just as importantly, suppliers and venues need a strategic approach to capture and boost the organic content created by brides, grooms, vendors and guests. Include your social media handles in your printed marketing collateral, ask visitors and wedding parties to tag your venue in their posts, create a special hashtag and offer incentives like an online giveaway for using them.
An excellent example of venues focusing on communicating their wedding offers on Instagram is The Kings Head Hotel in Cirencester. Daisy Hall, their wedding event planner, created a separate Instagram account focused on weddings at their venue. She uses this account to communicate with couples and to share advice.
“I post tips there just trying to interact with the couples because I can’t speak to them all the time, but they always want guidance. So it works well. Sharing different photos of previous weddings and stories also works. And it’s really nice because then they send me messages. It’s showing me what they’re up to and they’re sending me their menu place cards and everything which is great,” says Hall.
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We all know Instagram is the place where our clients go to look for inspiration. But did you know Instagram has a ton of other benefits for wedding venues, too?
You can use Instagram to:
- Showcase your venue in a way that’s not just about the venue, but about the couples who will be getting married there.
- Build relationships with potential clients by showing them behind-the-scenes looks at what goes on when setting up a wedding, offering them advice and showing off your staff’s personality.
- Generate referrals by tagging your clients in posts, and asking them to tag friends who might be interested in booking a wedding at your venue.
- Grow your social media following so that when you do want to advertise on other platforms, you’ll have a large audience already waiting for you.
- Answer frequently asked questions from your audience and share important information that couples might be looking for.
Social media popularity is on the rise and engagement with your venue will help grow your brand recognition among engaged couples as well as increase brand loyalty among past clients who’ve married at your venue. In time this will translate into more referrals allowing you to expand your reach and overall visibility.
Here are 5 venues that are shaking things up on Instagram:
1. Billesley Manor Hotel and Spa
Hosting weekly Instagram Live events featuring different suppliers where they answer questions about different aspects of wedding planning. They also have a hashtag for weddings held at the venue for couples to use #BillesleyBliss that they promoted with a giveaway.
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2. Falcon Manor
Beautiful real weddings are showcased on their profile along with thorough FAQ highlights and information about getting married at the venue.
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3. Carnoustie Golf Hotel and Spa
When a couple books Carnoustie Golf Hotel and Spa as their wedding venue they take a picture of themselves holding a sign saying “We said yes” and share it on their account. We think it is very special to capture such a big milestone in their journey.
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With a special Instagram account dedicated to real weddings, Ellenborough Park is showcasing the best backdrops to take pictures and build lasting relationships with the couples that choose their venue for their special day.
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The Millhouse has taken great care to set out dedicated highlights on their Instagram account showcasing different wedding aspects. They’ve included testimonials from previous couples, photos and videos from the different areas of the venue like the gardens, and ceremony room and a 10-minute virtual tour video.
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This data was pulled from our 2023 Wedding Industry Report and is a must-read for anyone working in sales or marketing in the wedding industry. We’ll be sharing more helpful content so be sure to follow us on social media for the latest news, updates and info.
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