February may have been short and sweet, but that didn’t stop our clients pulling in some serious gift card sales. Between Valentine’s Day and folks desperate to escape the Irish rain with short breaks, vouchers were flying off the virtual shelves. We couldn’t help but notice that clients who promoted their gift cards by using viral trends, sounds, and marketing techniques reaped some of the greatest rewards. This inspired us to switch things up a bit this month by highlighting social media and marketing trends that could result in similar success for your brand. As you know, trends come and go, so while these may be fleeting, they’re excellent indications of the kinds of content that resonate with audiences of all ages and across all platforms.
1. 2016 is Back: It’s been 10 years since Pokémon Go, Hamilton, Stranger Things, and Beyoncé’s Lemonade took the world by storm. We’re sure you’ve already noticed Gen Z’s penchant for nostalgia, channeling 90’s and Y2K fashion while shifting to analog technology like polaroid cameras and early generation iPods. Looks like 2016 has become the new fascination, with many recreating trends and memes from the era such as the “Mannequin Challenge” and the “Running Man Challenge”. Consider how you could get in on the trend to maximise your reach and engagement. For instance, seeing as internet users are becoming increasingly hungry for content featuring real people, ask reception, housekeeping, wait staff, and management if they’d be comfortable partaking in the “Mannequin Challenge” to help showcase your property as well as introduce the friendly faces customers will encounter when staying with you.
2. “Allow Me to Introduce Myself”: If your social pages have been running for a long time, new followers might benefit from getting to know your brand, team, property, and gift card offerings better. We sometimes take for granted that our audience is familiar with our brand and what exactly we stand for, but where fast-paced growth is concerned, it’s worth taking the time to re-introduce yourself to maximise engagement and brand recognition. With the “Allow Me to Introduce Myself” trend popping off, there’s no better time to reintroduce your team, property, and deals than right now.
3. Aperture by Harry Styles: Viral sounds are an enormously efficient way to reach a large audience in a short space of time. With international pop-star, Harry Styles, releasing his new album next month, his latest single, Aperture, is spreading across the Internet like wildfire. Doing something as simple as adding a particular track to your video content to make all the difference. Whether you add viral songs or sounds to TikTok videos or Instagram shorts, the algorithm is sure to give it a boost.
4. “Treatonomics”: You’ve heard the saying, “treat yourself!” time and time again. Well, now, it’s showing up with small but frequent indulgences amongst consumers. This is particularly pertinent when it comes to gift cards as many are taking short but regular breaks, prioritising their wellbeing with relaxing spa days, and nourishing their bodies with healthy meals. If you’re an accommodation, wellness, or food provider, give the people want they want! Consider offering discounted vouchers or inspiring them with irresistible offers.
5. Tempering AI Use: As mentioned above, audiences are eager to see real people. This extends beyond social posts and video content into other essential facets of businesses such as customer support and user interface. If employing AI, it should be in essential areas and very importantly, invisible. A mode of subtly enhancing your services rather than overtaking them. Otherwise, the wheels risk coming off. Ultimately, people crave the personal touch, so be sure to give it to them every step of the way.
Not already utilising the In1 Solutions gift card system? To set up your very own bespoke gifting platform, contact us on sales@in1solutions.com. Our gifting platform is the perfect fit for accommodation providers, hotel groups, restaurants, retailers, large shopping malls, furniture stores, adventure experience outlets, and more.