75 Social Media Post Ideas For Hotels
Social media has evolved more rapidly than any other marketing platform in history and things show no sign of slowing down any time soon.
As a hotel, the thought of establishing a social media presence from the ground up can be daunting. Where does one even get started? And, even for seasoned social media pros, concocting creative and engaging social content can seem exhausting.
Well, fret no more. We collaborated internally and with several of our hotel social media clients to compile a complete list of social media post ideas. No, not ever single idea will resonate well with every single audience on every single platform. However, these ideas will make it much easier to fill in your content calendar throughout the year with engaging content that is relevant to your hotel and your audience.
Quick Social Media Tips
Before we get started, let’s look at a few general tips and tricks when considering your messaging across social media platforms.
Not All Channels Are Created Equal
Gone are the days when one could simply copy and paste posts across multiple channels or even link everything to a Facebook feed. Each channel now has defined nuances, functionality, and audiences that need to be taken into consideration. Your Instagram audience is likely much different that your Twitter or Facebook audience. Develop a solid understanding of not only how to most effectively use each platform but also of who your audience is in each scenario.
Understand Your Core Audience
One great way to get a feel for who you true page audience is is to look at your page analytics or insights.
Facebook – Insights located along the top navigation of your page manager screen
Twitter – Twitter analytics are located on the profile drop down menu (www.analytics.twitter.com)
Instagram – Instagram Insights are located on the top right hand corner of the platform screen
Stick To Brand Standards
Maintaining a consistent image across all social media platforms is key. Make sure that your brand has established brand standards and social media guidelines and that everyone on your social media team is well acquainted with internal procedures. Also be sure that you have a well-developed crisis management plan in action in case of an emergency.
Make Sure Entire Profile Is Complete With Up To Date Information
This should be a no-brainer. Make sure all profile fields are complete and up to date for your hotel. This includes page name, property description, website links, phone number, hours, etc. You will also want be sure your page is verified (if possible) and that you have a custom URL.
Set Realistic Goals Based on Pre-Determined KPIs
Having a social media presence is great, but how do you measure success? What key performance indicators (KPIs) are most important for your hotel? What are your social media goals? All of these are questions that should be asked and answered early on when developing your social media strategy.
Interact With Fans & Reviewers
Having an active social media page but ignoring questions and comments is like having a store and ignoring customers that are trying to interact with your cashier. Social media is just that – social. Interact with page fans by answering questions and responding to questions, reviews, and private messages.
Be Genuine
Another important part of social media management is to maintain authenticity. Show your brand personality throughout posts and interactions and use a more casual, natural tone. Additionally, do not automatically delete negative responses and feedback. A squeaky-clean page can look suspicious, unless it matches similar experiences on other platforms. Rather, respond to any negativity in a polite and timely manner and attempt to take the conversation offline. We like to recommend the “good, bad, ugly” rule. Keep the good and the bad but not the ugly. Any page content that is offensive or harmful should be flagged and removed.
80 / 20 Rule
Like many things in life, the 80 / 20 rule also applies to self-promotion on social media. 80% of the time you should be encouraging page engagement, sharing relevant content (perhaps about your hotel destination, travel tips, etc.), sharing user-generated content, and being genuinely helpful in any way possible. The other 20% of the time you can push hotel deals and promotions, positive reviews, etc. No one likes to be sold and people certainly didn’t express interest in your page because they want their newsfeed clogged with pushy pitches.
Don’t Forget To Test!
Testing is an essential element for any marketing campaign and basic testing principles can also be applied to your social media campaigns. Experiment with different post types, posting different times of the day, using page post targeting to test different audiences – the options are nearly limitless. And don’t forget to also test with your paid social media campaigns as well!
And now, what you really came for…
75 Social Media Post Ideals For Hotels
Engagement Oriented
FAQ (answer them)
Questions (ask the fans a question)
Surveys / Polls
Property pictures
Travel tips & tricks
Facts about destination
Facts about hotel / property
Behind the scenes
Trivia
Destination
Area events near property
Holiday posts / specials
Area attractions & dining
Positive media about destination
Hotel News
Charity events & involvement
Renovations or upgrades
Staff / employee highlights
Media coverage
User Generated Content
Guest reviews
Guest pictures
Guest stories
Guest special events (weddings, reunions, etc.)
Submit vacation images
Name our new — (Ex: menu item, specialty drink, mascot, etc.)
Ideas for new menu items
Best selfie at property
Check-ins
Favorite hotel food / drink
Family picture at favorite area attraction
Best fan sign
Location specific – ex: sand castle
Share your best travel tip
Property scavenger hunt
Vacation diary via video
Property trivia
Destination trivia
Submit a hotel trip review / blog
Videos
Room tours
Amenities tour
Dining tour
Hotel events
Guest interviews
Event space tour
Clip of special event (wedding, etc.)
On-property events
“Hotel Minute” – quick weekly update
Chef / bartender demonstration
Guest testimonials
Website Content
Amenity pages
Rooms pages
Newsletter
Specific specials / deals / packages
Special event facility pages, info
Catering / restaurant menus
Blogs
Loyalty program info
Local discount program info
Custom chef / mixology recipe
Contests & Giveaways
Guest photo / video submissions
Trivia
“Like” & “Share”
Tag friends
Photo caption contest
Hotel / destination trivia
Weekly Hashtags
Newer Features
Facebook live videos
Panoramic images / videos
Twitter polls
Layout / Boomerang / Ripl (editing apps)
