How do you use social media to promote your hotel and engage with potential guests?
Social media is not only a powerful marketing tool, but also a great way to connect with your potential and existing guests. By using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, you can showcase your hotel's features, share customer reviews, offer discounts and deals, and answer questions and feedback. In this article, we will show you how to use social media to promote your hotel and engage with potential guests in six easy steps.
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Chris SteffensBrand and Business Development @ LinkedIn | Affordable Partnership for Building Your Brand with over 12 million…
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Jenny SiedeDesign Thinker, Tech Architect, Designer of Innovative Wearables, and Luxury Uniforms for Hospitality Brands.
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Bhavin Bhavsar20 Years in Digital Marketing | Building STM Community | Globetrotting Digitally | Award-Winning Travel Blogger
The first step is to decide which social media platforms are best suited for your hotel's goals and audience. You don't need to be on every platform, but you should focus on the ones that match your brand identity, reach your target market, and allow you to showcase your hotel's strengths. For example, if you have a luxury hotel with stunning photos, you might want to use Instagram and Pinterest. If you have a business hotel with helpful tips and articles, you might want to use LinkedIn and Twitter.
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Chris Steffens
Brand and Business Development @ LinkedIn | Affordable Partnership for Building Your Brand with over 12 million impressions and over 39000 followers. Fake accounts will be reported and blocked
Facebook and their Sister Company Instagram are the best choices for Socail Media platform selection to reach the common customer. Linkedin is best for business-to-business and to network with colleagues.
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Bhavin Bhavsar
20 Years in Digital Marketing | Building STM Community | Globetrotting Digitally | Award-Winning Travel Blogger
Promote your hotel on social media through captivating visuals, regular updates on promotions and local attractions, and prompt interaction with comments and reviews. Utilize targeted advertising, encourage user-generated content, and leverage popular hashtags to maximize visibility and engage potential guests authentically.
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Scott Eddy
🏆Top 15 Global Social Media Influencer for Hospitality in 2024 💰I turn storytelling into ROI for Hospitality 📺TV Host ✈Travel full-time 🌏83 countries ⛴️116 cruises ✈️Travel Expert 🎤Speaker 🩸DNA 🇯🇲 🇱🇧 🇺🇸
Promoting a hotel on social media involves showcasing its unique features through engaging content. Use high-quality images and videos of the property, amenities, and local attractions to capture interest. Share guest reviews and stories to build trust. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages promptly. Use hashtags and geo-tags to increase visibility. Run contests and offer exclusive deals to followers. Collaborate with influencers and travel bloggers to reach new audiences. Post regularly and use analytics to understand what content resonates with your audience. Tailor your strategy across different platforms to leverage their unique strengths, ensuring your hotel stands out in the crowded digital landscape.
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Gracious Octave
Founder @Gracious Movement
Promoting a hotel on social media is all about creating an inviting digital narrative. As a vacation property owner, I focus on sharing the unique stories of our destinations. Use high-quality, engaging visuals of your property and happy guests. Regularly engage with your audience through behind-the-scenes glimpses, user-generated content, and timely responses. Highlight what sets your property apart, from local culinary delights to exclusive amenities. And don't forget to use targeted ads to reach your desired audience effectively. The goal is to not just showcase your hotel but to evoke the emotion and excitement of staying with you.
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Emiliano Miguel
🟢 Comparto lo que aprendo de marketing para marcas personales y comerciales | Sin métodos complicados ni estresantes (EM)
Basándote en tu público objetivo, investiga en qué plataformas "Redes Sociales" los encuentran. Luego pasa al siguiente paso...
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Jo Huffhines
Cutting - Edge Owner @ Trekking Tours and Travel | Luxury Travel Visionary | Elevating Small Group & Cruise Experiences| river cruises | small ship cruises | yachts
As a travel expert specializing in luxury small group travel, I find that platforms like Instagram and Facebook are invaluable for showcasing the intimate and exclusive experiences of river and small ship ocean cruises. High-quality imagery and storytelling on these platforms resonate with the aspirational aspects of luxury travel. Tailoring social media content to highlight the uniqueness of these cruises, such as the personalized service and off-the-beaten-path destinations, can effectively captivate and engage the target audience.
The second step is to create a content strategy that defines your objectives, tone, frequency, and types of posts. Your content strategy should align with your hotel's brand voice, values, and personality. You should also consider what kind of content your audience wants to see, such as informative, entertaining, inspiring, or promotional. You should also plan how often you will post, and vary your content to avoid repetition and boredom. For example, you can post photos of your rooms, facilities, and surroundings, testimonials from happy guests, behind-the-scenes stories from your staff, local attractions and events, and special offers and discounts.
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Chris Steffens
Brand and Business Development @ LinkedIn | Affordable Partnership for Building Your Brand with over 12 million impressions and over 39000 followers. Fake accounts will be reported and blocked
Content creation should be engaging and informative. Grabbing attention and staying positive will yield your audience attention objective
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Bhavin Bhavsar
20 Years in Digital Marketing | Building STM Community | Globetrotting Digitally | Award-Winning Travel Blogger
Crafting a successful content strategy for your hotel on social media involves understanding your audience and showcasing your unique offerings through a mix of visually appealing content. Develop a content calendar that aligns with key events, seasons, and promotions, ensuring a consistent brand presence. Engage with your audience by responding promptly to comments and encouraging user-generated content, fostering a sense of community. Highlight promotions and special offers to drive bookings, and integrate local area content to position your hotel as a destination experience.
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Emiliano Miguel
🟢 Comparto lo que aprendo de marketing para marcas personales y comerciales | Sin métodos complicados ni estresantes (EM)
Está en la parte en la que ideas tu estrategia... La mejor opción para ti es la que te genere resultados. En por eso que tienes que implementar tus estrategias y medir. Y luego de medir, define cuáles te dan mejores resultados y continua. Si quieres aprender a ideas estrategias de contenido, te recomiendo pases con mi perfil 👌
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Jo Huffhines
Cutting - Edge Owner @ Trekking Tours and Travel | Luxury Travel Visionary | Elevating Small Group & Cruise Experiences| river cruises | small ship cruises | yachts
In the luxury travel segment, content that showcases exclusivity and personalized experiences resonates well with the audience. As a travel agent specializing in luxury small group travel, river cruises, and small ship ocean cruises, I find that high-quality imagery and detailed storytelling about the destinations, onboard amenities, and unique excursions create a sense of allure and anticipation. It's also effective to highlight the intimacy and sophistication of small group travel, which appeals to those seeking a more refined and tailored travel experience.
The third step is to engage with your followers and potential guests by responding to their comments, messages, questions, and reviews. This shows that you care about their opinions and feedback, and that you are ready to help them with their travel needs. You can also use social media to encourage user-generated content, such as asking them to share their photos, videos, or stories from their stay at your hotel. This can boost your credibility, visibility, and word-of-mouth referrals. You can also use social media to run contests, polls, quizzes, or surveys to increase engagement and interaction.
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Jenny Siede
Design Thinker, Tech Architect, Designer of Innovative Wearables, and Luxury Uniforms for Hospitality Brands.
Engagement with any occasional stop-by is key to attract more like minded audience. A hotel has to deliver the ultimate attraction to convert the curious into seeing themselves being served and enjoying a good time. Always turn a positive comment into more interactions with an action button, customer conversion is the goal.
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Chris Steffens
Brand and Business Development @ LinkedIn | Affordable Partnership for Building Your Brand with over 12 million impressions and over 39000 followers. Fake accounts will be reported and blocked
Staying visible is paramount to maintaining audience engagement and interest. Be seen and heard as often as you can while being empathically connected to your guest audience.
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Jasmin B.
Fashion Educator | Technical Designer
I agree wholeheartedly, Jenny. Brands/Companies must be more than just attractive to the consumer, it has to be interactive as well. Relatability is key!
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Emiliano Miguel
🟢 Comparto lo que aprendo de marketing para marcas personales y comerciales | Sin métodos complicados ni estresantes (EM)
Algo que muchos se olvidan, es que cuando una marca está en RRSS. Debe interactuar con su comunidad. De lo contrario, puede generar un efecto negativo en la audiencia.
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Jo Huffhines
Cutting - Edge Owner @ Trekking Tours and Travel | Luxury Travel Visionary | Elevating Small Group & Cruise Experiences| river cruises | small ship cruises | yachts
Engaging with followers on social media is not just about responding; it's about creating a community. As a travel expert specializing in luxury small group travel and cruises, I've found that sharing behind-the-scenes content or live Q&A sessions can significantly deepen potential guests' interest. It's about crafting an experience before they even book. Encouraging guests to share their stories creates a sense of exclusivity and belonging, which is particularly appealing in the luxury travel market. Contests and interactive content can also highlight the unique aspects of river and small ship cruising, catering to the niche interests of my clientele.
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Jo Huffhines
Cutting - Edge Owner @ Trekking Tours and Travel | Luxury Travel Visionary | Elevating Small Group & Cruise Experiences| river cruises | small ship cruises | yachts
Engaging with followers is crucial, especially in luxury travel, where personalization and exceptional service are expected. As a travel agent specializing in luxury small group travel and cruises, I've found that responding to clients' needs on social media enhances their sense of exclusivity and attention to detail. Encouraging them to share their experiences not only showcases the intimate and unique aspects of river and small ship cruises but also builds a community of like-minded travelers who value the personalized approach that small group travel offers.
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Jo Huffhines
Cutting - Edge Owner @ Trekking Tours and Travel | Luxury Travel Visionary | Elevating Small Group & Cruise Experiences| river cruises | small ship cruises | yachts
Engaging with followers on social media is a dynamic way to create a community around your travel brand. As a travel agent specializing in luxury small group travel and cruises, I find that responding to comments and messages personalizes the experience for potential guests. Encouraging them to share their luxurious experiences, whether it's the intimacy of a river cruise or the grandeur of a small ship ocean voyage, not only showcases the unique offerings but also builds a repository of authentic testimonials that resonate with high-end travelers looking for exclusive adventures.
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Jody H.
Business Owner| Entrepreneur | Photographer | Boutique Luxury Travel Consultant | Strategic Marketer | Creative Problem Solver | Community Builder | Philanthropist
In sum, the 101's: use compelling visual content to capture attention and inspire travel aspirations. Provide valuable travel tips, guides, and local insights to establish credibility. Encourage user participation through user-generated content. Interact directly with followers, answering travel-related questions and providing personalized recommendations. Showcase customer testimonials. Collaborate with strategic partners to expand reach and tap into new audiences. Promote exclusive offers and deals. Maintain a consistent posting schedule and authentic voice to keep followers engaged and connected. Monitor social media analytics to track performance.
The fourth step is to monitor and measure your results by using analytics tools and metrics to track your social media performance. You can use tools like Facebook Insights, Instagram Insights, Twitter Analytics, and LinkedIn Analytics to see how many people are viewing, liking, commenting, sharing, and clicking on your posts. You can also use metrics like reach, impressions, engagement, conversions, and return on investment to evaluate how well your social media strategy is achieving your goals. You can use this data to identify what works and what doesn't, and adjust your strategy accordingly.
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Emiliano Miguel
🟢 Comparto lo que aprendo de marketing para marcas personales y comerciales | Sin métodos complicados ni estresantes (EM)
Mientras estés ejecutando la o las estrategias: Analiza, mide y mejora en tiempo real para llegar al resultado. Al analizar, medir y mejorar, vas a poder evolucionar tus estrategias de marketing.
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Jo Huffhines
Cutting - Edge Owner @ Trekking Tours and Travel | Luxury Travel Visionary | Elevating Small Group & Cruise Experiences| river cruises | small ship cruises | yachts
In the luxury travel sector, where experiences are personalized and expectations are high, monitoring social media metrics is crucial. For my clients who prefer small group travel, river cruises, and small ship ocean cruises, I focus on engagement and conversions to ensure that the content resonates with this niche audience. By analyzing these metrics, I can refine my offerings and marketing strategies to better align with what my discerning travelers are seeking, ensuring a high return on investment for my curated travel experiences.
The fifth step is to collaborate with influencers who have a large and loyal following in your niche or industry. Influencers are people who have the power to influence the decisions and behaviors of their audience, such as bloggers, vloggers, celebrities, or experts. You can partner with influencers who share your values and vision, and who can promote your hotel to their fans. You can offer them free or discounted stays, products, or services in exchange for honest reviews, mentions, or recommendations. You can also invite them to create content for your social media channels, or co-host events or webinars with them.
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Emiliano Miguel
🟢 Comparto lo que aprendo de marketing para marcas personales y comerciales | Sin métodos complicados ni estresantes (EM)
Algo que se suele hacer es contratar o colaborar con influencers. Pero antes de hacer algún tipo de trato. Primero haz la debida inversión para llegar a la validación de que el influencers en cuestión tiene resultados y buen alcance. Luego de validar, sigan viendo... Jajaj
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Safa Guermazi
🌍Travel Planner : Finie la charge mentale ! Créatrice de souvenirs, et de voyages sur-mesure | Rejoins mes +76 clients chouchoutés dans +80 destinations ✨️
Before finalizing a partnership, it's essential to invest time in validating the influencer. Ensure their audience aligns with your target market and that their results are authentic and relevant. Once you've validated an influencer, continue to monitor their performance and adjust your strategy accordingly.
The sixth and final step is to stay updated and innovative by keeping up with the latest trends, tools, and best practices in social media. You should always be on the lookout for new ways to improve your social media presence, such as using new features, formats, or hashtags. You should also be aware of what your competitors are doing, and what your guests are expecting. You should also be open to feedback and suggestions from your followers, and experiment with different ideas and approaches. By staying updated and innovative, you can stand out from the crowd and attract more guests to your hotel.
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Safa Guermazi
🌍Travel Planner : Finie la charge mentale ! Créatrice de souvenirs, et de voyages sur-mesure | Rejoins mes +76 clients chouchoutés dans +80 destinations ✨️
Involving customers to create User-Generated Content (UGC) can be an innovative and spontaneous idea to diversify communication and add a touch of spontaneity. This can be done by proposing a sharing theme on social networks, a hashtag, or even a contest.
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Brianna Denkins
Public Health Professional - Co-Founder and CMO of HB Tour and Travel, Certified Travel Advisor
Another option: the strategic use of giveaways. Begin by defining clear objectives, targeting the right audience, and timing promotions for maximum impact. Craft visually appealing content showcasing the hotel and prizes, ensuring it aligns with the target audience’s interests. Clearly communicate giveaway rules and collaborate with influencers or local businesses to broaden reach. Allocate a budget wisely, balancing attractive prizes with cost-effectiveness. Actively engage with participants, fostering community and user-generated content. Monitor analytics to measure success, tracking metrics like engagement, new followers, and bookings linked to the campaign.
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