5 Social Media Tips for Hotels - Best Hospitality Degrees

5 Tips for Hotels to Use Social Media More Effectively

Make Use of Video Content
Post Regularly
Try Influencer Marketing
Share Guest Photos
Use Hashtags Strategically

For hotels, social media is a golden opportunity. Thanks to their highly visual and viral nature, platforms like Instagram and Facebook enable guests to engage with their favorite hotels. Done correctly, a social media post can introduce a property to a huge new group of potential guests. Best of all, it’s free.

1. Make Use of Video Content

When a customer looks for a hotel, they often want more than simple photos — they also want to understand the vibe of the property. That’s where video can be a huge help. Most social media platforms enable users to post videos. Instead of simply posting still shots of a room, consider offering a video tour on Instagram stories or a Facebook post. Don’t forget about the rest of the property; potential guests want to see the areas of the hotel that get the most use. Post a walk-through of the pool area, or go on a tour of the bar at happy hour. When viewers can see other guests enjoying the spaes, it helps them envision themselves vacationing at the property.

2. Post Regularly

One of the easiest ways to improve a hotel’s social media profile is to post frequently. That way, followers are exposed to the most beautiful parts of the property on a regular basis. When it comes time to book a vacation, your hotel’s name will be top of mind. The most important thing? Picking a schedule that’s easy to stick to. That way, it fits into the everyday workflow without causing stress or delays. Consider posting once per day or a few times a week to get started. It’s also a good idea to stick to a regular time; when customers know that a favorite hotel publishes every Monday at 9 AM, they subconsciously start to look for the post.

3. Try Influencer Marketing

“Influencers”, or people with a large and engaged following, are a fantastic way for hotels to use social media. A common way to incorporate this type of marketing is to invite an influencer for a free stay in return for a few social media posts and stories. That way, the hotel gains awareness among a bigger group of users, and the influencer gets a free vacation. Keep in mind that the larger a person’s following, the more their influence is worth. People with follower counts of 50,000 and more often expect to be paid in addition to a free stay. Smaller hotels might consider reaching out to “microinfluencers” — people with 10,000 or fewer followers.

4. Share Guest Photos

When a guest loves a hotel, they’re likely to post it on their personal accounts. Hotels on social media can use these posts for free publicity. Simply reach out to the user by direct message and request to share the photo on the hotel’s profile. It’s a good idea to credit the original photographer in the post by linking to their profile. This is exciting for the guest, and it also enables potential customers to click through to see the guest’s other hotel-related content. With this strategy, there’s no need to invest in a photographer; existing customers do all of the work.

5. Use Hashtags Strategically

Hashtags are an easy way to boost brand visibility for a hotel on social media. A hashtag is simply the pound sign in front of a word or phrase; it categorizes posts and helps users find them. A hotel in New York City might use #NYChotel or #Manhattanhotel. The trick? Finding the hashtags that are frequently used, but not so frequently that users don’t have a chance to see the post. If a tag has 5 million uses, there are a lot of posts for users to wade through. A tag that has just 50,000 uses gives a post more visibility.

With a bit of planning and effort, social media can be one of the most valuable parts of a hotel’s marketing strategy. By following these social media tips for hotels, it’s easier to use a platform efficiently and effectively to maximize ROI.