PERSPECTIVE
MARKETING MAJOR
HOW TO STRENGTHEN HOTELS’ DIGITAL FOOTPRINT BEYOND PAID MARKETING.
Contributed by WHITNEY REYNOLDS, SOMEWHERE FUN SOCIAL & BRIAN PRICE, THE REPUTATION LAB
Hotels often invest heavily in digital marketing strategies that can include everything from paid search campaigns to influencer collaborations. While these initiatives are vital components of an overall marketing plan, their effectiveness in maximizing Return on Ad Spend( ROAS) can be limited, and sometimes even wasteful, if other elements of your hotel’ s digital presence are not optimized.
Consider the travel consumer who sees your metasearch ad or discovers your property in an influencer’ s social post. What happens next? For many, the logical next step is a visit to your social media channels and online reviews. Many hotels fall short here. If your social presence and review management strategy are not as polished as your paid marketing efforts, you may be losing potential guests before they ever reach the booking stage— and consequently, losing valuable marketing spend. That’ s why a social and review audit— and a clear action plan— should be an essential component of every marketing strategy to maximize ROI.
CRANK UP THE CONTENT FLOW Your audit should start by assessing two key factors:
Social media activity: Consumers expect an active and consistent brand voice across social platforms. If your most recent post is a stunning summer sunset uploaded two months ago, you may have already lost the interest of potential bookers.
Review volume and recency: A steady flow of reviews is essential not just for SEO purposes and algorithms, but also for consumer confidence. Studies show travelers read 10 – 15 reviews before booking, and those under three months old have the most impact.
MAKE YOUR STORY UNMISSABLE Both your social media content and guest reviews serve as powerful marketing tools, reaching tens of thousands of potential guests each month. However, the key lies in content quality and brand alignment.
Social media: Use high-quality images and engaging storytelling that highlight guest experiences. Avoid low-res photos and excessive promotional graphics.
Review management responses:
52 hotelsmag. com May / June 2025