Understanding social media marketing for hotels in 2025

Like all businesses that want to remain competitive, hotels need a social media marketing strategy. Active pages on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook engage potential guests to build brand loyalty and drive direct bookings.

Staying ahead of competitors is essential to hotel social media marketing success. In this guide, we’ll explore the latest trends and tactics to keep your hotel in demand for 2025 and beyond.

What’s a social media marketing strategy?

A social media marketing strategy for hotels is a plan designed to attract a hotel’s target audience and turn them into loyal guests.

A strong social media presence helps you connect with travelers long before their travel dates. You’ll post eye-catching content, answer questions in DMs, and encourage repeat visits with exclusive offers. The goal is to build a community of engaged customers who trust your brand and choose your hotel over the competition.

Why is social media marketing important for hotels?

Millions of travelers turn to platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for trip inspiration. With features like direct booking links and engagement analytics integrated into these platforms, hotels can use social media to make the searching and booking experience more convenient.

Social media also helps hotels showcase their strengths. For example, a boutique hotel like Wanderstay Boutique Hotel in Houston, TX, uses Instagram posts and Stories to highlight its eclectic decor. And luxury resort Viceroy Hotels and Resorts uses LinkedIn to interact with executive travelers who use the platform for networking. 

Top social media channels for your hotel’s strategy

A strong social media presence can put your hotel in front of the right audience at the right time. Different platforms serve different purposes in hotel marketing—some highlight visuals, others drive bookings or real-time engagement. Here are the top platforms hotels should focus on and how to make the most of them.

Facebook

Thanks to its broad audience and powerful ad capabilities, Facebook is a major player in hotel marketing campaigns. Use Facebook to share updates, promote deals, run targeted ads, engage with guests through comments and Messenger, and highlight positive reviews.

Instagram

Instagram is perfect for hotels that want to flaunt their visuals. Eye-catching images and videos of rooms, amenities, and local attractions can inspire travelers to book their stay. 

User-generated content also performs well here. Encouraging guests to tag the hotel in their Instagram posts creates an authentic and engaging online presence. 

Use Instagram to share behind-the-scenes content on Stories, showcase unique experiences through Reels, and partner with influencers.

TikTok

Hotels that embrace TikTok can connect with a younger, social media-savvy audience using short videos, memes, and trending audio. Popular content ideas include virtual room tours, fun staff intros, and guest testimonials.

YouTube

YouTube is an excellent platform for long-form video content. Well-optimized videos with the right keyword metadata can improve search rankings, helping travelers discover the hotel organically.

Use YouTube to share travel guides, packing tips, virtual tours, and guest stories. You can also embed YouTube videos straight onto your website. 

12 social media strategies for hotels

Here are some actionable strategies to make your hotel stand out online.

1. Create content worth sharing

Invest in high-quality visuals, behind-the-scenes footage, and guest testimonials to create posts people want to share. Highlight unique experiences like local tours, or consider partnering with a local company. For example, the hotel W Aspen collaborates with nearby Aspen Brewing Company not only to offer guests craft beer options but also to sync their social strategies.

2. Share seasonal posts

Seasonal trends affect travel behavior, so align your content with holidays and special events. For instance, if your hotel is in Boston, you might highlight a local festival like Saint Anthony’s Feast to keep your content relevant and timely.

3. Share short videos to drive engagement

Short-form videos like Instagram Reels, TikTok clips, and YouTube Shorts can quickly grab attention and boost engagement, since they don’t take long to watch. To make your hotel stand out, showcase a chef preparing a signature dish or capture a guest’s exciting first experience as they tour the hotel.

4. Find unique selling points

If you have a stand-out amenity like a rooftop infinity pool or a special focus like sustainability, emphasize these features in your social media content. A great example is AutoCamp, a nature escape boutique hotel with locations in Cape Cod and Yosemite. This hotel’s Instagram posts showcase stunning images of their outdoorsy accommodations, in contrast to most hotels more focused on decor or dining.

5. Organize contests and giveaways on different platforms

Encourage engagement by hosting social media contests. For example, you could offer a free night’s stay on TikTok and a dining voucher for user-generated content on Instagram. This increases reach by encouraging users to follow you everywhere online and builds excitement around your brand.

6. Leverage user-generated content

Encourage guests to share their experiences by tagging your hotel in their posts. Reposting high-quality user content builds trust and provides authentic social proof. Create a branded hashtag so any guest sharing content at your hotel can participate.

7. Consider influencer marketing

Team up with travel influencers aligned with your brand to reach new audiences. For example, a sustainability-focused hotel might partner with popular and like-minded influencers such as Leah Thomas and Sustainable Sabs. 

8. Focus on launching geo-targeted campaigns

A well-targeted digital marketing campaign in the hospitality industry can drive bookings and brand awareness. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow hotels to run geo-targeted ads, reaching travelers searching for accommodations in your area. 

Partner Hub helps here, offering insights into your local competitors’ performance—insights that can affect the ads you run. 

9. Show the full guest experience on TikTok

TikTok is excellent for storytelling and authenticity. Use it to showcase POV experiences, allowing followers to browse through a unique wine selection or work out at your swanky fitness facilities. Quick, experience-driven videos get clicks and can make your hotel more appealing to the younger travelers who use TikTok.

10. Determine your KPIs

Before investing in hospitality social media marketing, set some key performance indicators (KPIs). Tracking metrics such as likes, follows, and shares lets you see where to focus your strategy so you can increase website traffic.

11. Engage and interact with your community

Focus on building relationships by responding to comments, answering DMs in a timely manner, and engaging with followers who use your hashtags––the more you engage with your followers, the more they'll engage back.

12. Use storytelling techniques

Don’t just post—tell a story. Viewers will be more incentivized to pay attention if they feel attached to a narrative instead of feeling like they’re just being targeted by an advertisement. So share guest experiences, local culture, or your hotel’s history to bring the viewer in.

Best practices for implementing your social media strategy

Here are some best practices to ensure a smooth and effective social media strategy rollout.

Conduct a benchmarking analysis

See what gets the most likes, comments, and shares at other hotels to notice gaps you can fill and find new content ideas. Partner Hub makes this easier by providing real-time insights into competitor pricing, campaigns, and trends.

Monitor your performance and metrics

Tracking metrics like engagement, reach, and conversion rates helps you adjust your strategy as needed. Use analytics tools from platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to see which posts drive the most bookings. 

Partner Hub simplifies this by offering real-time data on nightly rates and campaign performance, helping hotels make smarter marketing decisions. 

Stay consistent with your brand’s voice

Keep your hotel’s social media brand voice and identity recognizable. A clear style will help your hotel build brand recognition and trust with followers. 

That said, each social media engagement style will attract different audiences, so keep your ideal guest in mind, too.

Respond to travelers’ comments and questions

Engaging with potential and past guests is key to building relationships—and these connections increase the likelihood of people choosing you time and time again. 

Quick, thoughtful responses to comments, questions, and reviews also show that you value guest feedback and provide excellent customer service. Use the Partner Hub dashboard to speed up this process, resolving guest issues efficiently to improve satisfaction scores.

Explore new trends and tools

Staying ahead of social media trends can give you a competitive edge. To enhance engagement, experiment with interactive content like Instagram polls, AI-powered chatbots, and shoppable posts. Also, watch emerging platforms and features to see how they could fit into your strategy.

Step up your marketing game with Engine

A solid social media strategy is essential for hotels, but juggling different platforms and keeping up with trends can be challenging and time-consuming.

Partner Hub gives hotels the tools to run high-impact social media campaigns, track competitor insights, and make real-time marketing decisions. Users have seen impressive results with our platform, including a 24% increase in bookings and a 125% revenue boost. 

Join Partner Hub for free today, and get $100 in ad credit when you run your first marketing campaign.