Lights, Camera… Gweithredu! Dioni Holiday Cottages

Showcasing the beauty of Wales and the remarkable properties situated across the Welsh self-catering space, Dioni Holiday Cottages is an independent family-owned business and long-standing member of the SuperControl community.

Gwion, former farmer and Dioni’s Managing Director, has found triumph in providing guests with an immersive experience to its portfolio of idyllic properties through video. Sharing his process and examples of how video is an incredible channel to increase engagement and visibility, we hear from Gwion and find out why film is a powerful tool for self-catering success.

“I often joke that the creation of Dioni Holiday Cottages was driven by finally having a reason to get my hands on a DSLR camera. This, of course, isn’t entirely true, but our nifty filming kit has become key to our marketing strategy. Providing a captivating online experience on behalf of our property owners and guests is important to our business.

“All of our video content is produced, edited and published in-house. I’ve spent time mastering camera settings and the intricacies of editing software, and while this initially involved a significant investment of time, the payoff is magnificent. We have a DSLR camera, drone, mic and editing software at our fingertips, meaning that we can quickly capture a breath-taking tour of our ever-growing collection of properties and their surroundings.

“We have found that investing in video marketing has added a personal touch and sense of place to our portfolio, providing guests with an exciting representation of the break that awaits them. Our efforts have not gone unnoticed; I’m regularly approached by people in the local area who have seen our clips and was recently asked to film a birthday message for a fond viewer’s Grandma! Experiences such as these coupled with growing engagement across our social media pages have offered insight into the magnitude of video content. Our YouTube channel has over 1,000 subscribers, and some of our videos have over 50,000 views.

“I would tell other self-caterers considering video as a tool to yield engagement to go for it! It has taken us time to fine-tune our method, but with the right equipment and communications channels, you’ll be off to a cracking start. While filming equipment can be costly, it’s amazing what iPhones can do these days, and if paired with the right audio, you can try and test the impact of video on your business. There’s no denying that video marketing has helped Dioni Holiday Cottages build a strong brand image, and in return, we’ve reaped the benefits.”

If you’re interested in exploring video for your self-catering business, click here to find some helpful top tips for filming and editing marketing videos. If you would like to explore SuperControl and how we support self-caterers to thrive, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.