Amplify Your Brand: Effective Social Media Tactics for Hospitality Businesses

Hospitality Industry Specific Social Media Strategies

Building an effective social media strategy involves understanding the hospitality industry’s unique characteristics and how they intersect with the ever-evolving dynamics of the digital sphere. 

Below, we’ll explore three integral aspects of social media strategy with tips tailored specifically for the hospitality industry.

The Importance of Visual Experience in Social Media Strategy

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. And when the photo is posted to social media, it could also be worth a thousand clicks. Which is exactly why creating a visually immersive experience of your hospitality venue is so important. 

So, how can that be done in a way that draws in more than just a “like” or a “share” but also inspires customers to walk through your doors. 

Ultimately you want to translate the physical experience of your venue into a digital format that your audience can almost taste, smell, and feel.

It’s not just about posting aesthetically pleasing photos but about invoking the allure of your venue, the ambiance of your dining area, and the tempting details of your signature dishes. 

One way that we’ve found success with is to include high-quality close-ups when showcasing menu items. 

Focusing on details that elicit a sensory experience such as a steaming dish, condensation on a cold beverage, or the texture of a dessert can help viewers imagine what it would be like to taste your offerings and inspire them to walk through your doors.

The Consumer’s Perspective: Content That Captures Attention

As RMD Group Marketing and Social Media Content Creator, Paulina Quintero puts it: 

“Put yourself in your customers shoes: would you stop scrolling to engage with your content?”

The key to effective social media strategy is understanding your audience’s desires and interests. If you know what they love—be it decadent desserts, luxury dining spaces, or unique cocktails—you can tailor your content to captivate their attention. 

You can do this by keeping up with your followers’ interests and demographics. You may also choose to regularly survey or ask your followers what they like about your content and what they would love to see more to help you inform your social media strategy.

Content Variety vs Repeated Successful Content

While it might be tempting to repeatedly post your most-liked content, variety is crucial for maintaining audience interest. Treat your social media feed like an extension of your website, showcasing the breadth of what your venue has to offer. 

Certain types of content perform better than others. 

For example, specialty desserts might attract more engagement than pictures of the dining room. This could tempt you to keep posting that winning dessert again and again. However, as a consumer, would you want to visit a profile and see six identical pictures in a row? 

Probably not. 

Balance and variety are key when curating your social media content.

In other words, highlight your “best sellers”, but also mix it up with insights into your team, your process, or even your patrons. This could include behind-the-scenes, staff introductions, customer testimonials, or preparation of signature dishes. 

Developing a content calendar for the month is a good way to ensure your content stays balanced while showcasing different aspects of your venue and offerings. This approach helps to create a comprehensive brand image and maintain an engaging and dynamic social media presence.

You should also experiment with different formats. Don’t limit yourself to images! 

Short videos, live sessions, infographics, or text posts can help to diversify your content. Remember to analyze engagement levels to understand what your audience prefers.

User-Generated Content (UGC) in Social Media Strategy

The dynamic and interactive nature of social media enables a powerful kind of promotion: 

User-Generated Content (or UGC)

The marketing team here at RMD Group has found that this type of content not only increases engagement but also adds an invaluable layer of authenticity to our brand’s online presence. 

The Value of UGC for Authenticity and Engagement

User-Generated Content, ranging from customer reviews to shared photos of experiences at your venue, carries a potent authenticity that standard advertising simply can’t replicate. When customers share their positive experiences, they lend credibility to your brand and connect with other potential customers in a real, relatable way.

Leveraging UGC helps build a loyal community around your brand, creating a virtuous cycle of engagement. 

Spark a Social Media Buzz with Engaging Contests and Branded Hashtags

Regularly feature UGC in your content calendar, and remember to acknowledge and thank customers who share their experiences. 

Encouraging your guests to post their content from your venue with branded hashtags or contests goes a long way in creating a more immersive, interactive, and personalized connection with your audience.

For instance:

Suppose you manage a restaurant with a breathtaking rooftop bar. You could create a contest on Instagram where you encourage your guests to post their best sunset photos taken from your bar using a specific branded hashtag, like #SunsetSipsAtYourRestaurantName.

At the end of each month, you could choose a winner from the submissions, offering a prize like a complimentary cocktail or dish. This contest would not only encourage your guests to share beautiful content from their experiences, but also spread awareness of your brand as their followers discover your restaurant through the hashtag.

As a result, you have an ongoing stream of authentic, customer-created content to feature on your social media channels, creating a sense of community around your brand and potentially attracting more visitors.

Influencer Collaborations and Their Impact on Social Media Presence

Collaborating with influencers is another way to boost your social media strategy. When chosen correctly, influencers can significantly expand your reach, targeting audiences that may not be aware of your brand.

Influencers bring with them a ready-made audience who trust their opinions and recommendations. By having an influencer share their positive experience with your brand, you gain exposure and credibility simultaneously.

But remember, influencer partnerships need to be carefully considered to ensure alignment with your brand image and values. Choose influencers who resonate with your target audience and can authentically engage with them for the most effective results. 

Read our article, Launching an Influencer Marketing Strategy for Your Hospitality Business to get started.

Leveraging Social Media Platform Updates

Having a successful social media strategy means staying on top of the latest platform updates and features. These new tools and services often present valuable opportunities to connect with your audience in fresh and engaging ways. Understanding these changes will help keep your marketing strategy up-to-date and effective.

How New Features Can Boost Your Social Media Engagement

Capitalizing on the latest features provided by social platforms is another strategy we advocate for. When a platform, such as Instagram, rolls out a new feature, it typically promotes it heavily, making it a trending topic. 

This can significantly expand the reach of your content, which lends itself to organically increasing engagement.

For instance, consider Instagram’s recent ‘music’ update for static feed posts. 

If you attach a song to a single-image post, it’s likely to perform better in terms of engagement compared to a similar post without the music feature. This phenomenon arises because Instagram is promoting this new feature, thereby giving posts that utilize it an automatic boost.

By staying in tune with these updates and incorporating them into your social media strategy, you can keep your content fresh, engaging, and well-positioned for optimal reach.

Final Thoughts on Effective Social Media Strategies for the Hospitality Industry

Navigating the rapidly evolving world of social media marketing can seem daunting, but with the right strategies in place, it can become a powerful tool for the success of your hospitality business. 

Whether you’re creating an immersive visual experience, fostering authentic connections through UGC, or utilizing the latest social media features, remember to keep your target audience at the heart of your efforts. 

Don’t aim to just capture attention, but to ignite the desire to visit your venue and experience what you have to offer first-hand.

Stay open to adaptation, continually experiment with different strategies, and you’ll be better poised to reap the benefits of your social media marketing efforts.

Ready to take your hospitality business to the next level with expert social media marketing? Our team is ready to help you craft a compelling, audience-focused strategy that drives results.

Let’s make your brand the talk of the town – connect with us today.