Top Hotel Social Media Marketing Strategies (Updated for 2020)

The coronavirus health crisis has impacted all facets of the hospitality industry. Yes, it’ll take time for hotels to regain their footing. With a smart social media marketing approach, however, hotel brands can remain top of mind and inspire guests to book vacations with them in the future. Effective social media marketing strategies can make all the difference between a conventional hotel experience, and a five-star one. Top hotel social media marketing strategies can also improve the visibility of your hotel on search engines, ultimately leading to increased hotel bookings.

Not convinced just yet? Take a look at these eye-opening hotel social media statistics:

52% of Facebook users say photos from their friends and families inspire them to book trips
Once committed to a social media strategy, 71% of travel agencies report better interactions and relationships with bookers
Almost all travelers younger than 34 visit Facebook for suggestions before booking hotels and trips

Source: SiteMinder.com

With more consumers trusting companies with engaging social media profiles, it is critical to learn some of the top hotel social media marketing strategies that can help you increase bookings. When properly employed, these social media strategies can also help enhance your hotel brand and build affinity with travelers.

How Does Coronavirus Play Into My Hotel’s Messaging?

It’s critical to adapt your messaging to meet new customer needs, however. You must also keep their sensitivities in mind when developing social media content for your hotel. Take a look at our free Marketing Kit for simple yet helpful action items to rethink your communications approach. You’ll also discover some of our favorite free marketing tools to help you save money on costly software.

Current and potential guests can get a taste for your hospitality and customer service when interacting with your hotel brand on social media. In addition to posting regularly across social media channels to demonstrate your hotel is worth their investment, connecting with travelers on an emotional level can help seal the deal.

Nonetheless, consistency and proper management of your social media channels are key to unlocking your hotel brand’s full potential to increasing hotel bookings.

Here are the six top hotel social media marketing strategies you shouldn’t ignore:

1. Establish Strong Relationships with Local Restaurants and Tourist Attractions

Hotels that partner with local restaurants and tourist attractions tend to enjoy higher success when it comes to increasing hotel bookings with social media marketing.

We all need to eat—especially when traveling, right? Restaurants are perfect partners for spreading the word about your hotel brand. Local restaurants usually understand the needs of tourists and can help recommend the best hotels with unparalleled service and amenities to people in search of the perfect getaway.

Perhaps your hotel already has a restaurant. In this case, apply a similar strategy with local tourist attractions to increase hotel bookings.

Again, travelers and visitors in search of a vacation spot in a new city or country are likely to explore the most popular resorts and leisure parks during their downtime. At the end of a long day full of fun and adventure, many travelers seek a luxurious, safe and comfortable place to rest.

Thus, teaming up with tourist attractions when planning social media campaigns enables your hotel to be the first point of call in terms of lodging and hospitality.

Hotel social media marketing tip: Take on the role of a hotel concierge at least once a week. On Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, post a photo of a popular or interesting local tourist destination that your potential hotel guests might enjoy. Make sure to tag the restaurant or tourist attraction within your caption and photo to give proper credit. This will help strengthen the relationship between your brands.

2. Organize Holiday and Seasonal Hotel Social Media Marketing Campaigns

Organizing holiday and seasonal campaigns is another excellent hotel social media marketing strategy to improve patronage and sales. Developing campaigns around holidays such as Christmas and Hanukkah, and long weekends like Labor Day, for example, demonstrates your hotel’s festive attitude while raising awareness of any related events or promotions.

Brunch hotel social media marketing strategy — *Chances are that your hotel’s restaurant offers spectacular brunches. If so, highlight special event menus with a holiday social media marketing campaign.*

Hotel social media marketing tip: Consider promoting your hotel spa during Mother’s Day and brunch on Father’s Day to boost awareness of your services. Don’t forget to include the #MothersDay and #FathersDay hashtags!

3. Tailor Hotel Social Media Marketing Strategies by Channel

Statistics show that 56% of consumers browse social media for products and services that relate to their needs. Moreover, companies that maintain strong social media presence gain the trust of 82% of customers. With these data points in mind, it becomes clear that you should prioritize a social media marketing strategy for your hotel.

52% of Facebook users, for example, learn about hotels and other travel brands by looking at pictures of their families and friends. With this statistic in mind, consider adding photos and albums of your hotel and services with relevant hashtags (such as your location, types of services, holidays, etc.). This way, interested customers can stumble upon your Facebook photos to then visit your website, consider your hotel and book a room.

It’s no surprise that Instagram users respond well to photos and videos as well. Post pictures and share experiences with photos and videos featuring your rooms, restaurant, spa and events. Well-known hotels like Hilton and Marriott consistently use these tricks, and they work like a charm every time.

customer service hotel social media marketing — *Does your hotel pride itself on delivering exceptional customer service? Let it be known across your social media channels!*

Gender is another important consideration when evaluating hotel social media marketing strategies. Women are more active on social media than men, and they are often more responsible for making travel plans and booking rooms. Maintaining a strong presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest by sharing content women may be interested in is an essential component of your hotel social media marketing strategy. Representing women in your content is essential as well. For example, you can consider organizing a Women’s History Month campaign celebrating women entrepreneurs, or featuring women at your hotel who consistently go above and beyond.

4. Use LinkedIn to Attract Business Decision Makers

restaurant social media marketing strategy — *Don’t forget about attracting business decision makers with your hotel social media marketing strategy. LinkedIn plays a major role here.*

LinkedIn is the ideal spot to share professional and industry-related content. While most social media channels are more casual and visual, LinkedIn is a great place to grab the attention of business decision makers scouting hotels to host events and provide lodging for attendees. Sharing content business decision makers may be interested in, such as your hotel’s conference rooms and services, may pique their interest and lead to fruitful relationships.

5. Don’t Forget Pinterest

Hoteliers can take advantage of Pinterest’s powerful pins that link photos to specific landing pages. Since pins can be re-pinned and saved, more viewers have the chance to view your pins. Therefore, Pinterest provides more opportunities for travelers to find information about your hotel, rooms, services, concierge, restaurant, spa treatments and more on your website.

6. Engage with Audiences and Learn from TripAdvisor and Google Reviews

Providing responses to positive and negative hotel reviews on Google and TripAdvisor is an excellent way to increase hotel bookings. This must-do tip for every hotel allows you to connect with travelers on an emotional level and explain how you make things right.

You need to develop a response strategy so you can quickly respond to feedback in a professional yet genuine manner. This way, prospects reading reviews about your hotel will recognize your proactivity and may become eager to book a room and try your services.

Whether your hotel reviews are positive or negative, you can also learn a wealth of information about your hotel, staff and services from them. When you read these reviews and reply to them, take note of aspects customers love about your hotel and address areas with room for improvement.

The Bottom Line

Effective hotel social media marketing requires a dedicated team of social media experts who know your brand and the hospitality industry inside and out. Incorporating these strategies into your hotel marketing plan will keep your brand top of mind among travelers searching for the perfect retreat.

How the Postcard Agency Can Help With Hotel Social Media Marketing Strategies

The Postcard Agency is an award-winning digital marketing and public relations agency that helps brands connect with their customers in exciting new ways. In addition to providing San Antonio, Miami and Miami Beach hotels with social media and content marketing services, we work with national and international hotel brands. Our unrivaled work ethic and creativity enable us to design and launch impactful social media campaigns to build brand awareness, promote engagement and generate leads.

If you’re considering new avenues to improve your hotel’s visibility and business with social media, please reach out to us. We look forward to the adventure of a lifetime.