One of the most common questions I have been getting recently is what kinds of things can B&Bs use for both video projects, and for content for live streaming video.

Video is HOT and I don’t expect it to be a passing fad. It’s terrific for Search Engine Optimization, wonderful because its a winner for guest engagement, and the content itself is both evergreen (ie the content stays around long term), and it can be shared and hosted on a variety of channels you own and are connected with: your website, your blog, on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Pinterest, Instagram, Tripadvisor, Yelp, Google+, Linkedin, many of the directories B&Bs list on and more.

Take #11 as an example: Mini Video tours of local points of interest, the local beach or harbor, a historic site, the local Ice Cream Shop or bandstand that has music in the summer.

This fountain for example has some of the best drinking water around Litchfield county. When I lived in the area and was on a local sports team, our bus used to stop on our way from and to field hockey meets. My Grandparents who lived in the neighboring town of Lakeville had a good well, but swore by the water here and used to come down once a week and fill up gallon jugs. The site itself has a lot of history, it’s next to the town hall which was originally built around 1750, and was burned down by arson in 1985 (which has an interesting story behind it by itself alone) and than rebuilt in 1986, and the town hall has behind it one of the oldest cemeteries in New England that has some unique features.

A one to two minute either taped or live video with commentary would give guests and potential guests some personal insight and also a touch of history of the area. Pretty much anything out there can be used for video content. Think a little outside the box!

1. Live guest commentary and/or testimonials
2. Room tours (each room a separate tour)
3. Full Interior Inn Tours
4. Exterior Inn Tours
5. In the Kitchen: making a signature recipe, trying a new recipe (make sure that’s referenced a few times, demonstrating a tip you found that works, i.e. the best way to remove sticky waffles from a waffle maker.
6. Highlight things in your inn: you have historic ___________in each room, you grow___________ in your garden and it’s served to your guests for breakfast………
7. Video clips from local events: live music (concentrate on the performers not the crowds), festivals, parades, farmers markets, the local air show, a crafts demonstration, glass blowing…
8. Mini interviews with local business owners: include craftspeople and other artisans, like a mini clip of a local potter throwing a pot for example, or a local quilt shop owner who gets yarn from the local llama farm.
9. Who you are?: A little person history on you the innkeeper(s), how you got into innkeeping, what you did before you were an innkeeper, how you found your inn, what made you fall in love with your inn…
10. Do a time lapse video (most can be done with smartphones which have a time lapse setting), have some fun with these, a recipe from start to finish, a parade that goes by, birds at bird feeders, snow melting off a roof, the river/stream going by, a local train. Use your imagination.
11. Mini Video tours of local points of interest, the local beach or harbor, a historic site, the local ice cream shop or bandstand that has music in the summer.
12. If you host weddings or other types of meetings, do a mini video tour of the highlights and point out features with commentary.
13. Mini itinerary tours, the local main street has a bunch of antique shops: walk the street, go into the stores and say hi to the owners/proprietors. (you may want to give them a heads up first so A. you can let them know you are helping to promote them, and the area, and also so they can be on their best behavior).
14. If you have events, ask permission to tape and use. Wedding attendees expect to be photographed, but any other events make sure you have permission from everyone, in writing is preferable.
15. Bust some myths about innkeepers, Show a day-in-the-life.
16. Tell a story: every innkeeper has funny stories or touching stories, the day the oven decided to not work and had a full house, a couple that proposed on the front porch, the family of ducks that comes back every year and has ducklings that get into your garden.
17. Thank you videos: a great meal at a local restaurant, a local florist who did a great job for a wedding, a local carpenter, etc. (while the clips may not be directly promoting the B&B, it shows a more personal side, plus the recipient of the video will love it and share=bonus marketing)
18. Before and After videos: B&Bs seem to be always changing and renovating something, a room redo, an addition to the inn, a new flower bed or landscape addition.
19. Q and A’s: you can use this to highlight some of your specials and packages, or answer most frequently asked questions about your inn.
20. Favorite products or foods and why you love them, you get cheese from a local vendor, why is it the best cheese, the creamiest, what do your guests say about it…….

Filed under: B&B, How tos, Inns, Lodging, marketing, Social Media, Story Tagged: Live Streaming, Social Media, Social Media Content, Video, Video Live Streaming