Luxury hotels are being inundated with requests from self-described influencers • Hacker News Board

Re: Luxury hotels are being inundated with requests from self-described influencers

#101

Post by code_duck » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 10:38 PM UTC

pjc50 wrote: post #45

Hnrobert42 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do people trust your recommendations? I’m not saying you are untrustworthy. I don’t know you. But that is my point. Why do people trust “influencers”? I would feel like a tremendous fool even following a stranger’s account, much less going somewhere on their say-so.

> I would feel like a tremendous fool even following a stranger’s account This sounds so 20 years ago, when people were afraid to type credit cards or personal information into the internet.

I have spent the vast majority of my online time talking to strangers. All of you, for example.

Re: Luxury hotels are being inundated with requests from self-described influencers

#102

Post by staticautomatic » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 10:38 PM UTC

rhino369 wrote: post #95

staticautomatic wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not really how it works. The hotel puts up the influencer in the ludicrously expensive over-water bungalow or deluxe suite or whatever. Followers book the cheaper rooms hoping for the same experience.

That would be a good model, but in my experience, luxury hotels don't have cheap rooms.

It really depends on what kind of hotel and where in the world it is.

What you say is true of Paris, Aman hotels, some Four Seasons properties, African safaris, most of the Maldives, and a handful of other places and hotel operators.

It's not true of many others, some of which are surprising: Mauritius, Vienna, much of Asia (esp Japan and Thailand), much of South America, most of India, a lot of Italy, and even French Polynesia.

Re: Luxury hotels are being inundated with requests from self-described influencers

#103

Post by sudouser » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 10:41 PM UTC

s0rce wrote: post #46

orbitingpluto wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pot bellied middle-aged bald white man drives to his Motel 6 in his Ford Fiesta, crosses the street to a Waffle House, gorges himself on waffles and syrup, and returns to his hotel room to cry and wonder where it all went wrong? Sounds great.

This is way better than a generic white girl in a bikini on some nondescript far away beach.

I’d merge generic white girl in bikini and bald middle-aged guy on motel 6... wait what

Re: Luxury hotels are being inundated with requests from self-described influencers

#104

Post by staticautomatic » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 10:42 PM UTC

overcast wrote: post #90

staticautomatic wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What are you?

Promoter.

Is that different from "influencer"?

Re: Luxury hotels are being inundated with requests from self-described influencers

#105

Post by goatherders » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 10:43 PM UTC

My GF has 18000 followers and gas worked hard for her brand to be meaningful as an influencer. She isnt just posting a picture sitting next to the pool. As a result she gets a number of things comped at hotels and restaurants, sometimes without even asking.

Re: Luxury hotels are being inundated with requests from self-described influencers

#106

Post by andybak » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 10:46 PM UTC

staticautomatic wrote: post #85

fredley wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is straight up Black Mirror (season 3, episode 1: Nosedive ) Obviously the whole point of that episode was to imagine Instagram in its darkest future, but it's scary how much of it is becoming real, and separately with the roll-out of social credit scores in China. Scary stuff. --- Hansen: So in terms of quality, you could use a punch up right there. Ideally, that's up votes from quality people. Lacie: Quality p…

I don't know whether to up or down vote this. I respect it as art and it makes me ill.

Your concerns are themselves ironic. I'm so confused.

Re: Luxury hotels are being inundated with requests from self-described influencers

#107

Post by hammock » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 10:47 PM UTC

nothrabannosir wrote: post #33

orbitingpluto wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pot bellied middle-aged bald white man drives to his Motel 6 in his Ford Fiesta, crosses the street to a Waffle House, gorges himself on waffles and syrup, and returns to his hotel room to cry and wonder where it all went wrong? Sounds great.

I would create an Instagram account just to follow this guy.

It exists, look up Glennyballs on Barstool Sports.

Re: Luxury hotels are being inundated with requests from self-described influencers

#108

Post by staticautomatic » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 10:48 PM UTC

andybak wrote: post #106

staticautomatic wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know whether to up or down vote this. I respect it as art and it makes me ill.

Your concerns are themselves ironic. I'm so confused.

I don't understand what you're saying but would like to. What did you identify as my concerns and in what way are they ironic?

Re: Luxury hotels are being inundated with requests from self-described influencers

#109

Post by CyberDildonics » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 10:48 PM UTC

Hnrobert42 wrote: post #18

overcast wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People want escapism. Something out of their ordinary lives. Like movies. As someone who is heavily involved in Instagram marketing, I don't see the value for anyone other than dreamers. Which is why my focus is niche, local, and accessible to everyone. In return I send a TON of real customers to places that I choose to promote.

Why do people trust your recommendations? I’m not saying you are untrustworthy. I don’t know you. But that is my point. Why do people trust “influencers”? I would feel like a tremendous fool even following a stranger’s account, much less going somewhere on their say-so.

It has little to do with that. The exposure is what counts. Put a picture of a nice hotel and say it's name. Now you have an ad that went out to 100k people. The person is mostly irrelevant, a hotel just wants people to know it exists.

Re: Luxury hotels are being inundated with requests from self-described influencers

#110

Post by Lazare » Sun, Jun 17, 2018, 10:49 PM UTC

United857 wrote: post #67

Every reputable travel publication/blog I know of have strict editorial policies against accepting freebies/discounts/gifts in exchange for reviews/coverage. Those so-called "influencers" aren't really about serving their audience -- they strike me as just a scammy way to travel "for free".

I think you misunderstand the situation. Influencers are offering ad space, not reviews. There's no promise of impartiality.

Also, those "reputable magazines" still sell ads to the companies they cover. There's zero difference here.

> Those so-called "influencers" aren't really about serving their audience

They're about serving their customers, ie, the brands. Some do a great job; others do not. And others, as discussed in the article, aren't even trying to provide marketing services and are just trying to scam a free hotel stay. Similarly, some ad networks aren't even trying to provide value to clients and are just trying to soak up advertising dollars, but that doesn't mean all advertising is a scam.