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

1. FAQ (answer them)

2. Questions (ask the fans a question)

3. Surveys / Polls

4. Property pictures

5. Travel tips & tricks

6. Facts about destination

7. Facts about hotel / property

8. Behind the scenes

9. Trivia

Destination

1. Area events near property

2. Holiday posts / specials

3. Area attractions & dining

4. Positive media about destination

Hotel News

1. Charity events & involvement

2. Renovations or upgrades

3. Staff / employee highlights

4. Media coverage

User Generated Content

1. Guest reviews

2. Guest pictures

3. Guest stories

4. Guest special events (weddings, reunions, etc.)

5. Submit vacation images

6. Name our new — (Ex: menu item, specialty drink, mascot, etc.)

7. Ideas for new menu items

8. Best selfie at property

9. Check-ins

10. Favorite hotel food / drink

11. Family picture at favorite area attraction

12. Best fan sign

13. Location specific – ex: sand castle

14. Share your best travel tip

15. Property scavenger hunt

16. Vacation diary via video

17. Property trivia

18. Destination trivia

19. Submit a hotel trip review / blog

Videos

1. Room tours

2. Amenities tour

3. Dining tour

4. Hotel events

5. Guest interviews

6. Event space tour

7. Clip of special event (wedding, etc.)

8. On-property events

9. “Hotel Minute” – quick weekly update

10. Chef / bartender demonstration

11. Guest testimonials

Website Content

1. Amenity pages

2. Rooms pages

3. Newsletter

4. Specific specials / deals / packages

5. Special event facility pages, info

6. Catering / restaurant menus

7. Blogs

8. Loyalty program info

9. Local discount program info

10. Custom chef / mixology recipe

Contests & Giveaways

1. Guest photo / video submissions

2. Trivia

3. “Like” & “Share”

4. Tag friends

5. Photo caption contest

6. Hotel / destination trivia

Weekly Hashtags

1. #MondayBlues

2. #TravelTuesday

3. #WineWednesday

4. #WeddingWednesday

5. #WayBackWednesday

6. #ThrowbackThursday

7. #FlashbackFriday

8. #SundayFunday

Newer Features

1. Facebook live videos

2. Panoramic images / videos

3. Twitter polls

4. Layout / Boomerang / Ripl (editing apps)