How to create engaging content for your hotel business

Hotel owners and marketing teams understand that attracting guests in today’s competitive hospitality landscape is an ever-evolving challenge. With countless options available, your property must stand out and make an emotional connection with potential visitors. One of the most effective and sustainable ways to do this is through content marketing for hotels.

By generating and distributing valuable, engaging content, you not only gain the trust of your audience but also support long-term growth. This guide outlines how to create a powerful content marketing strategy for hotels that drives results.

But where do you start?

Here are some steps for creating a content marketing plan for your hotel business:

1) Define your audience:

Before crafting compelling hotel content, you need a clear picture of your target audience. Your hotel content creation efforts should focus on delivering value to the specific groups most likely to book with you.

Consider the demographics of your typical guest (age, gender, location, interests) and think about what types of content would appeal to them.

Common guest personas include:

• Solo Leisure Traveller
• Couples
• Young Families
• Friend Groups
• The Mature Traveller
• Small Family Event
• The Solo Business Traveller
• The Digital Nomad
• The Workcationer
• The Travel Seller
• Business Group

2) Set Clear goals:

What are you aiming to achieve with your hotel content marketing plan? Are you trying to:

• Increase website traffic?
• Generate more direct bookings?
• Build a loyal guest community?
• Strengthen brand awareness?

Setting SMART goals.

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound will help you measure the success of your hotel marketing plan and adjust as needed.

3) Develop a Strategic Content Approach:

Based on your audience and goals, develop a plan for the types of content you will create and how you will distribute it. Your content marketing strategy for hotels should be built around the types of content your audience finds most engaging. Focus on a variety of formats, such as:

• Blog articles
• Email newsletters
• Social media posts
• Short-form videos
• Destination guides
• Visual room and experience showcases

Visual content marketing for hotels is especially impactful in the hospitality space. Today’s travelers are visually driven, often influenced by beautiful Instagram posts or TikTok room tours.

Creating stunning photo galleries, immersive video content, and branded visual elements can dramatically boost your engagement and conversion rates.

Work with an expert hospitality SEO agency or in-house designer to ensure your visuals reflect your brand, inspire wanderlust, and tell a story your guests want to be part of.

As people become increasingly more connected to Instagram or TikTok, visual experiences have become even more powerful tools for connecting with them effectively.

4) Create a content calendar:

To stay organized and consistent with your content, create a calendar that outlines when and where each piece of content will be published.

Be sure to include important dates (holidays, events, etc.) that can inspire timely content. Decide on the frequency of your posts, the channels you’ll use, and the metrics you’ll track.

Consistency is critical to success in content marketing for hotels. A simple spreadsheet with columns for the date, title, format, channel, target audience, and goal can be a good starting point. A well-planned content calendar ensures your team stays organized and aligned with your business goals.

You can use third-party tools to create a content calendar like StoryChief or Buffer.

5) Produce quality content:

Once you have a plan in place, it’s time to start creating content.

Whether you're sharing travel tips, local events, or behind-the-scenes hotel stories, quality is non-negotiable. Use professional photos, guest testimonials, and engaging storytelling to make your content memorable. Make sure your content is high-quality, informative, and engaging. High-quality hotel content creation positions your brand as trustworthy and detail-oriented.

Incorporate user-generated content for hotels, such as guest photos and reviews, to enhance authenticity. Encourage guests to tag your property on social media or use branded hashtags for a chance to be featured; this not only builds community but also amplifies your reach organically.

6) Promote your content strategically:

Simply publishing content on your website or social media channels won’t guarantee that people will see it. Creating content is only half the job. To ensure visibility, integrate your content marketing strategy for hotels with:

• Paid social media ads (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube).
• Email campaigns targeting past and potential guests.
• SEO optimization for all blog and website content.
• Partnerships with travel influencers or bloggers.

Cross-promotion and retargeting can help you maximize the ROI of each content piece.

7) Measure and adjust:

Regularly review your content marketing metrics to see what’s working and what’s not. Track essential metrics such as:

• Website traffic
• Engagement (likes, shares, comments)
• Conversion rates and direct bookings
• Email open and click-through rates

Regularly review these data points to identify what’s working. Then, adjust your hotel marketing plan accordingly to improve performance and meet your KPIs.

By following these steps, you can create a content marketing plan that helps your hotel business stand out and attract more guests.

Remember, implementing a strong content marketing strategy for hotels takes time, creativity, and consistency. But when done right, it leads to increased visibility, higher guest engagement, and ultimately, more bookings.

Whether you're focusing on visual content marketing for hotels, leveraging user-generated content, or improving your hotel content creation, every piece of content should contribute to building trust, showcasing your property’s value, and enhancing the guest experience.

When you're ready to elevate your hotel’s marketing efforts, partner with a trusted marketing agency for hospitality. At ThisRapt, we specialize in content marketing for hotels, offering tailored solutions that drive measurable results. From strategy development to creative execution, our expert team is here to help you increase direct bookings, boost brand loyalty, and stay ahead of the competition.

Schedule a demo today to explore how our innovative approach as a top-tier marketing agency for hospitality can help you unlock your hotel’s full digital potential.