Instagram Post Ideas For Hotel

Instagram

Post Ideas for Hotels: Engage Your Followers

A whopping 2.9 billion users visit Instagram each month, while only 180 million people visit online travel sites. Yet, many hotel businesses struggle to keep up with a regular posting schedule which is essential to increase visibility, drive direct bookings, and engage potential guests.

Posting on Instagram is a commission-free way to attract more direct business with a higher engagement rate than any other social media platform.

To help you with hotel post-inspo, we’ve created The 2023 Guide: Hotel Instagram Post Ideas to Engage Your Followers. This guide will help you craft creative and engaging posts on the days you need more inspiration and assist you with effective and educational content ideas to fill your Instagram feed.

ENGAGEMENT

Creating engaging posts is the secret to featuring on the Explore page on Instagram and being discovered by thousands of travellers and potential guests. When people engage with your post, Instagram’s algorithm shows your content to users interested in similar content. We have created this pillar to inspire you with creative engagement post ideas that will help you to increase your property’s exposure.

IDEA 1:

Run regular contests and offer incentives. E.g. Win a free night at Hotel Bonjour if you follow our page, leave a comment in the comment section, tag a friend and share.

IDEA 2:

Answer FAQs on your Instagram stories and store them in your highlights.

raccoonhotel

#triviatuesday What is the resident dog’s name? Comment below!

IDEA 3:

Play games to see how well your followers know your business and reward them with vouchers or discount codes.

IDEA 4:

Collect customer feedback with Instagram stories on any of your ancillary services using polls, emoji slider stickers, questions and quiz stickers, or clickable story links.

EDUCATION

Up to two-thirds of people prefer educational posts that inform and enlighten them. As a result, this type of content ranks higher in engagement than other forms of content on Instagram. The following educational post ideas will instill credibility, help your followers develop a sense of familiarity with your hotel and services and drive traffic to your page.

IDEA 1:

Post travel tips that can help potential guests understand what they need to know about your destination if they aren’t local to the area. E.g., Suggest a restaurant close to your property with a 20% discount on burgers and chips.

IDEA 2:

Create educational posts on mental health during Mental Health Awareness Month in October and spotlight the importance of getting a good night’s rest. You can promote add-ons like extra pillows, earplugs, robes, and slippers combined with in-room tech like Alexa for relaxing white noise.

MEET CHEF MICHAEL: A MICHELIN STAR CHEF AND FATHER OF 2

IDEA 3:

Introduce your employees, new and current ones. Explain what they do and how they contribute to life at the property.

IDEA 4:

Post a free checklist of things to do in your area or share important and interesting facts about popular attractions near you using the Instagram Guide feature.

raccoonhotel

Bucket list experience #1:

Take a gondola ride in Venice’s famous canals.

BRAND AFFINITY

Instagram is a saturated platform where you will compete with thousands of accommodations in your area. You must create posts that establish an emotional connection between your company and customers to stand out from the crowd.

When done right, customers will freely choose your business over rivals and tell others about it. The brand affinity content pillar is one of the most powerful ways of acquiring and retaining customers in such a crowded environment.

IDEA 1:

Create a post about a cause or charity that your property supports to share your brand values.

IDEA 2:

Repost user-generated content and guest reviews on your stories and feed. This is known as “Social Proof” and can increase your booking conversion.

We first met in a hotel in Cape Town 20 years ago and here we are today with a hotel of our own.

IDEA 3:

Create a post using a photo, video, or reel telling your audience how your hotel business started. Sharing your story will set you apart and make your brand memorable. Alternatively, post a “behindthe-scenes” of how the hotel staff prepares to welcome guests every day.

IDEA 4:

Share a photo, video or reel of your property’s most visited areas/ features and how guests interact with them. If you don’t know what they are, run a poll or a quiz on your Instagram stories to find out from your followers.

raccoonhotel

SOCIAL PROOF

Social proof is all about the power of influence, particularly the influence of word of mouth.

Travellers and prospective guests are looking for a reason to choose your property over another. But unfortunately, they will not go on just your word.

Your past guests’ views are far more persuasive than yours as they hold ‘real life’ information about your property.

This has more credibility than any fancy advertising you have created. The concept is simple: peer recommendation is far more influential.

So, if your previous guests have tagged you in a reel or story on Instagram, raving about their time there, resharing it is extremely important, and potential guests are more likely to be convinced to follow suit and book your property.

EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL PROOF:

• Reviews on your website

• Reviews on trusted online sites such as TripAdvisor

• Badges of honour/traveller awards such as Booking.com or TripAdvisor

• Testimonials from consumers shared as photos, stories, reels and videos

• Endorsements from famous people or influencers

• Posts, recommendations and reviews on your social channels

PROMOTION

Above all else, you’re in the business of selling rooms, so advertising should be an integral part of your Instagram strategy. The promotion pillar focuses on telling consumers about your availability, packages and services, their benefits and why customers should make a purchase decision. An Instagram business account allows you to sell and promote using targeted ads and shopping tools. For example, you can use the Instagram Link Sticker, which replaced the swipe-up feature in 2021. The Link Sticker lets you add a link to your website directly to your stories without having to direct people to your bio.

IDEA 1:

Create a post promoting your property’s ancillary services and explain why they’re beneficial. E.g. This is the most highly-rated spa in the area, and you get a complimentary breakfast with any 60-minute treatment.

IDEA 2:

Remind your followers about your special direct booking discount.

Tip: Promote your discount in your bio with a link to your website’s booking engine.

IDEA 3:

Special event happening near you?

Post a deal on your rooms for the event’s duration and indicate your hotel’s proximity to the event. This post also allows you to upsell transport services.

IDEA

4:

Promote accommodation package deals for special occasions like Valentine’s Day, including food and beverage offerings and value-added experiences/services.

BONUS

Our bonus pillar is our treat to you. This pillar is for those days when you are facing a creative block. It will inspire you with engagement, educational, promotional, and brand affinity posts to engage your audience and increase your property’s exposure.

IDEA 1:

Post regular “Did you know?” facts about your property that make it special. E.g. Did you know the Palacio de Sal Hotel is made entirely of salt blocks? Guests are forbidden from licking the walls, though.

IDEA 2:

Post your property’s milestones. E.g., We received the 5 Star Small Luxury Hotel Award (under 50 rooms) at the International Hotel Awards.

IDEA 3:

raccoonhotel

Did you know that the majestic Eagle Canyon is onlt 10 minutes away from us? #TravelTuesday

Create day-themed posts like #MondayMotivation, #TravelTuesdays, #WineWednesdays, #ThrowbackThursdays and #TGIF, and showcase experiences at your hotel that relate to the theme on these particular days.

IDEA 4:

Create posts around the different seasons and show how your property accommodates the weather, i.e. a swimming pool or cozy fireplace.

INSTAGRAM REELS AND WHY THEY SHOULD BE

PART OF YOUR HOTEL

FEED IN 2023!

The attention span of humans is eight seconds long, and Instagram Reels are a perfect way to keep the attention span of your audience.

Instagram reels don’t only allow you to communicate information in bite sizes. They also help you spread awareness of your property in a captivating way. The added features of music and text make it more entertaining, no matter what information you share. When you post Reels, you also have a better chance of featuring on the Explore page, which will give you the boost to be discovered by hundreds and thousands of new users.

To create Reels, open the Instagram mobile app and tap the plus icon in the upper-right corner to open the Reels camera.

Select Reel , and then follow the steps below to record original footage or upload existing video clips.

CONCLUSION

We have established how essential Instagram posts are to increase visibility, drive direct bookings, and engage potential guests.

With this guide, you’ll never run out of Instagram post ideas again!

ABOUT ROOMRACCOON

RoomRaccoon was awarded the Best HMS by Hotel Tech Report for 2020 and 2021 and is a finalist for the award again in 2022.

The fully integrated platform, preferred by over 10,000 users in Europe, Africa, and North America, is designed to promote and manage your business.

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