Hospitality Social Media Marketing: Trends & Strategy 2025

Hospitality Social Media Marketing: Key Takeaways

• 73% of consumers prefer short-form videos to learn about products and services.
• 61% of travelers have booked a hotel after seeing it on Instagram.
• 88% of consumers trust influencer recommendations; 41% complete bookings via those links.

Social media, and specifically platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, are an incredible marketing tool for any hotel or restaurant.

This article explores the top trends shaping hospitality social media marketing in 2025, backed by relevant data, platform insights and practical strategies.

Hospitality Social Media Marketing Trends and Funnel-Wide Strategies

Social media marketing for hotels now spans every stage of the guest journey. 

The chart below shows how social media use has rapidly grown in recent years and is expected to keep rising.

• Global users are projected to reach 5.42 billion in 2025, which equates to nearly two-thirds (63.9%) of the world's population.
• 32% of consumers have booked an accommodation they discovered on TikTok, showing just how quickly short-form video can translate into action.
• 61% of travelers have booked a hotel after seeing it on Instagram — proving that hotel social media marketing is no longer just for brand awareness – it powers real bookings across the entire funnel.

Key Social Media Platforms and How Hotels Use Them

Social media marketing in hotels is most effective when tailored to the unique strengths of each platform. 

Understanding how travelers use each network allows hotels to align their messaging, visuals and calls to action with real user behavior.

• Instagram - Around 2.09 billion active users each month.
• TikTok - Approximately 1.59 billion monthly active users.
• Facebook - About 3.07 billion monthly active users.

• Smaller hotel profiles on TikTok are seeing engagement rates above 100%, with video views averaging 89,000 per post.
• Hospitality brands on LinkedIn experience an average 2.5% engagement rate by reach, consistent across pages of all sizes.
• On hotel Facebook pages, 51% of posts are photos and 23% are albums, versus only 13% video – even though video posts drive much higher engagement.
• For hotels on Instagram, Reels comprise 33% of posts, images 40%, and carousels 27%. Notably, carousel posts slightly outperform Reels in engagement rates, especially for mid-sized hotel accounts.
• On X (formerly Twitter), about 34% of hotel posts are photos, with links nearly as common. Video is underutilized on X, and animated GIFs – only 0.2% of content – achieve some of the platform’s highest engagement for hotels.

Tailoring Social Media Content by Generation

Each generation engages with social media differently — from the platforms they use to the content formats that resonate. 

Understanding generational preferences is just one part of the equation. 

The format of content matters just as much — and short-form video continues to outperform. 

Short-form video drives real-world bookings by accelerating the customer journey — from inspiration to action. Consider these stats:

• 64% of travelers say video helped them choose where to stay
• 73% prefer learning about products through short-form video
• 78% would rather watch than read
• 93% of marketers report positive ROI from video campaigns

Influencer Marketing and UGC in Hospitality Social Media Strategy

Influencer marketing and user-generated content (UGC) continue to be powerful tools in social media marketing for hotels. Influencers help expand reach and build trust with highly engaged audiences.

• Americans heed travel influencers: 85% of American adults have acted on a travel recommendation from an influencer.
• Global impact of influencers: Nearly 1 in 3 consumers worldwide has booked a vacation after being inspired by influencer content.
• Enthusiasts especially influenced: 33% of U.S. travel enthusiasts (frequent travelers) made a purchase in the last year due to a creator’s influence.
• 52% of social media user say their friends’ travel or vacation photos have directly inspired their own plans.

• Influencers drive conversions, not just inspiration: Among travelers who go on to book trips, 72% say that influencer posts played a role in shaping their travel plans.
• Amplifying influencer content pays off: Hotels that “whitelist” influencer content (using influencer posts as paid ads) see those ads performing 20–50% better than standard brand ads.

Social Media Advertising & ROI in Hospitality

From rising ad budgets to higher click-through rates, social media advertising is reshaping how hotels connect with travelers. 

The following statistics highlight the ROI and performance trends shaping hospitality marketing today.

• Hotels investing big in digital ads: In a 2024 survey, 100% of hoteliers said they plan to allocate budget to digital media campaigns.
• About 33% are earmarking $50–100K for digital advertising and another 21% plan to spend over $100K on social/search ads that year.
• Need for targeted campaigns: 41% of hoteliers believe data-driven digital ad campaigns are effective for reaching new audiences, and 40% have seen improved guest engagement from such campaigns.
• Higher CTR on social ads: Hospitality ads on Facebook/Instagram average a 2–4% click-through rate, whereas generic Google hotel landing pages see only 0.5–2% CTR.
• Retargeting yields better conversion: Retargeted hotel ads (shown to users who previously visited the hotel website or engaged with content) convert bookings 2–4× better than cold, first-touch ads.

Using Analytics To Maximize Social Media ROI in Hospitality

Hospitality marketers are leaning heavily on performance data to drive smarter decisions and maximize ROI. 

It’s driven by concrete metrics that show what works and what doesn't. Analytics tools now help hospitality brands:

• Track return on investment from posts, ads and influencer content.
• Attribute bookings by platform, campaign or content type.
• Run A/B tests on creative, targeting and messaging.

These insights are critical for refining hotel social media marketing strategies and ensuring ad dollars go further. Spending trends reinforce this shift:

• Global social media ad spend is projected to reach $276.72 billion in 2025 and $406.45 billion by 2029.
• 83% of that ad spend will come from mobile platforms by 2030.
• 93% of marketers say they plan to increase or maintain current social media budgets.
• Social media ads account for $3 in every $10 (or around 31%) spent on digital advertising.

Key metrics hospitality teams should monitor include:

• Cost per booking from social platforms
• Engagement rate per post type
• Click-through rates on Story links, Reels or video ads
• Follower growth tied to campaigns or promotions

By regularly reviewing these numbers, hotels can fine-tune their social media marketing in hospitality and focus spending where it delivers the most direct bookings.

Tips for Hospitality Establishments Using Social Media Marketing 

These strategic tips can help hotels elevate their presence and drive meaningful bookings across platforms:

• Post short-form video 3–5x per week: Reels, TikToks and Shorts are the most engaging formats for travelers researching where to stay. Keep content fresh authentic and location-focused.
• Partner with micro-influencers in your destination niche: Smaller creators (typically those with less than 100,000 followers) often yield higher engagement rates and stronger trust with local or experience-specific audiences. In fact, about 57% of marketers saying they get often better results with micro-influencers versus macro-influencers.
• Make mobile booking effortless: 70% of millennial consumers use their smartphones to book hotel stays, so your posts, ads and booking links should be easy to tap, view and book directly from the feed.

• Launch hashtag campaigns to increase UGC: Encourage guests to share their experiences using branded hashtags which boosts organic reach and provides reusable content.
• Use dynamic pricing in retargeted social ads: Serve pricing and availability ads to past website visitors based on real-time room inventory and travel dates.
• Make Reels and Stories bookable with direct links: Always include clickable booking links in bio Story highlights or overlay stickers for easy reservations.
• Use high-quality, authentic photos: Hotels that feature real images of rooms, amenities and on-site experiences (instead of generic stock photos) see a 15% higher booking rate. After all, guests are more likely to book when they can clearly see the rooms, views and small touches that make the stay feel special.

• Boost influencer content as paid ads: Repurposing creator content in Facebook Ads or Instagram Boosted Posts can increase performance (i.e., reach wider audiences) by 20% to 50% compared to standard branded ads.
• Review analytics weekly to optimize campaigns: Track conversion rates, booking attribution and click-throughs to learn what works and refine your hotel social media strategy accordingly.
• Use DMs to connect and convert: Nearly 84% of social media professionals say DMs are becoming the preferred customer service channel. Hotels can use these to answer questions, share offers and handle bookings — all in a single, cost-effective conversation.

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