The Umstead Hotel and Spa is a hidden, 5-Star, 5-Diamond gem of a hotel located in Cary, N.C., right off of Harrison Avenue near SAS campus. It is the only 5-Star hotel in North Carolina at the moment and is ranked 3rd best hotel in the United States and 40th in the world according to Condé Naste Traveler. Travelers far and wide — and locally — enjoy the beautiful scenery, architecture, landscaping, refined guest rooms, luxurious spa, 5-star cuisine and other amazing amenities year-round.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Caroline Jackson Allen, the hotel’s Marketing Manager, regarding the social media strategy behind one of the most upscale hotels in the world.
(Photo credit: Caroline Allen Jackson, @theumstead Instagram)
What Social Media channels do you utilize for The Umstead Hotel and Spa?
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. We also utilize LinkedIn a little for posting job opportunities and articles, but it is strictly business focused as opposed to targeting our leisure guests.
How much time do you spend each week on this Social Media Marketing?
Usually I spend about an hour or two on Monday planning out our social media posts for the week, such as what I want to post and when and add that to my digital marketing schedule. I take into consideration the business needs of the property and various departments, the weather, upcoming events or holidays, new items on the property, anything that might be interesting to a guest. I also review our stats and insights to best determine which days to post and at what time, as well as what will be the most effective on which platform. For example, articles we have appeared in bodes well on our facebook page, whereas quick details are more successful on twitter, and beautiful photography/in the moment shots on Instagram. Then a total of about another hour or so throughout the week for “pop up” items, obtaining necessary pictures, and actual posting. I like to leave a little wiggle room for surprise pictures I find during the week while walking around, such as a pretty bird outside or an interesting display, so nothing is ever set in stone. Also, while you can schedule facebook posts in advance, twitter and Instagram you can’t, so I have to post on those platforms as I go.
How do you engage visitors to participate and share their content?
I think that interacting with visitors is the best way to engage them to participate, as well as reposting their posts. It makes them feel important, almost in a “celebrity” like status, and they continue to want that recognition. Also, by highlighting incredible areas that they would want to be in makes them want to show others that they were there and be seen.
How does this social media engagement benefit the author?
It makes them feel recognized and important, that we are excited they were with us and gives them more sense of value and that they are appreciated.
How does this social media engagement benefit your audience?
It offers a more authentic experience, a more honest look at our business. You are more likely to trust someone else’s opinion because they do not receive anything for it, so when a guest sees something another visitor has posted about, they see it as an honest representation of the business and not an attempt to be “sold” to. Traditional marketing strategies are no longer as beneficial as social media marketing, which is really word of mouth.
Thank you so much, Caroline! It’s been a real pleasure talking to you!
Any time!
This concludes the interview. You can visit The Umstead Hotel and Spa’s Social Media accounts here: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Have you ever stayed at The Umstead Hotel and Spa? How was your visit? Or if someone gave you a free week to The Umstead Hotel and Spa, how would you spend it? Leave your comments below.
