14 Social Media Tips for Effective Hotel Marketing
Marketing hotels on the internet via social media channels goes a long way in determining how well you’ll engage with your audience and if you’ll create a solid fan base amongst travellers.
Yet a common problem for hotel marketers is running out of content ideas. So, whether you’re stuck on what to post on Facebook, Twitter, your blog or any other social media space, here are some hotel marketing content ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
Discover 14 incredible social media tips for better hotel marketing:
1. Create “Top 10” lists.
This type of content is quick and easy to create, and is both widely popular and quite useful. Use Top 10 lists to give easy-to-digest recommendations on where to dine, places to visit, what to pack and more. You can compile these lists yourself, or simply link to someone else’s. Accompany with photos or video.
2. Share fun facts about your destination.
No one can resist a good piece of trivia. These little known facts can establish you as an expert at exploring your city, plus they’re both relevant to visitors and entertaining. Most CVB and DMO marketing departments already have a list of fun trivia items about their destination. If you don't, take five minutes to do some quick online research.
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3. Show client or guest stories.
Make use of your hotel's guest reviews. When you get an email from a meeting client, or from a past guest sharing a funny story about their stay, ask them permission to share it with your followers on Facebook or your blog. This is great storytelling and a testimonial rolled into one.
4. Showcase what's new in your hotel's destination.
Be the first to tell your followers about something new in your city and establish your hotel as one of the best sources of information about your destination. New brewery opening in your neighbourhood, or a new exhibit at a nearby museum? Share it first with your social media followers and remember to include photos or video.
5. Provide helpful travel tips on social media.
There's an abundance of travel information (such as travel tips and travel review sites) out there. Use these for everything from short tweets to longer blog posts. Again, it’s about establishing yourself as a trusted source and a destination expert.
6. Share behind-the-scenes snapshots on social.
Let your followers know what goes on behind the curtain. Show fun photos of your staff preparing for an event, enjoying a laugh at your ops meetings, or prepping for that evening's dinner. People will find this intriguing and will help ‘humanise’ your hotel.
7. Answer FAQs on your hotel's social channels.
If your hotel front desk staff or concierges are constantly asked the same questions over and over, use social media to answer these same questions to educate a larger audience. This could easily prompt your followers to ask even more questions and get them engaging with your hotel.
8. Conduct polls and surveys.
Get your followers involved and ask them about their favourite attractions and hotel amenities, and what makes the perfect vacation. Get them to engage with you and use their answers as a kind of market research that will help you find out how to win and maintain their business.
9. Announce hotel staff appearances.
Is your sales staff going to a travel trade show? Or, is your marketing team promoting your hotel in another city? Let your audience know where you’ll be and when. Invite them to stop by and visit you.
10. Publish humorous stories.
Whether it's through a funny video, photo or anecdote of a humorous event at your hotel or destination, laughter always draws people in.
11. Show your hotel's charity involvement.
Travelers love to know that the businesses they frequent care about their community. Share social media posts with images of your staff volunteering, news about your hotel’s favourite charity, and about your latest donation.
12. Provide contests updates and announcements.
Contests are widely the most popular posts in the travel social media space. When you run one, don’t simply promote once or twice. Build both buzz and anticipation with frequent updates, reminders of what’s at stake, highlight the best entries and do a countdown until a winner is chosen.
13. Show team recommendations.
Get your entire staff involved and ask them for ‘local recommendations.’ Share their suggestions for where to eat, what to do, and must-sees in your city.
14. Highlight media coverage on your hotel's social channels.
Was your hotel included in a travel story in the local paper or a national magazine? Was your destination featured in a travel show? Share it with your followers so they can see what others are saying about you.
Grow social media followers with these hotel tips
Now you know how to improve your hotel's social media marketing with enthralling content guests will love. Up next, discover how to set the best hotel marketing strategy, and how to promote your eco-friendly hotel.
