Creating Scroll-Stopping Content for Hotels: Tips and Trends

Transparency, trust, and honesty build customer loyalty in hospitality. Learn how these values can shape your strategy, enhance engagement, and secure a competitive edge.

1) The secret ingredients to crafting a business stronger than concrete are awareness and engagement

“A solid foundation is the key to progress.”

Every business aims for increased revenue and sales, but these are the results of well-executed marketing strategies. Having a powerful tool to support this final push can be the key to achieving your goals.

According to the latest research by the Content Marketing Institute (CMI), a dedicated content strategy is surprisingly rare. Instead, content marketing is often treated as part of routine operations.

Here’s what the data shows:

• 70% of organizations integrate content strategy into their overall marketing, sales, or communication plans.
• 17% use a stand-alone content marketing strategy.
• 9% admit to not having a content strategy at all.

2) Trends to inspire, not dictate your path

Using trends in your strategy can bring a surge of traffic to your site, grab attention, and keep you aligned with your audience's interests. By demonstrating that you understand what they enjoy, engage with them in the moment, and show you're part of their world, you build trust and foster lasting connections.

While trends can be powerful tools, not every trend will align with your business’s specific goals and needs. It’s crucial to carefully assess each trend and choose the ones that resonate with your brand. By selecting the right trends, you ensure that your efforts are focused on strategies that will deliver tangible results and support your long-term vision.

Customers first, then influencers

In 2024, many businesses have shifted their focus from traditional influencer partnerships to directly engaging with their customers, building stronger connections, and enhancing brand loyalty.

As we highlighted in our previous blog, trust between customers often holds more weight than influencer endorsements. Today’s travelers increasingly rely on authentic social media reviews from fellow guests to guide their decisions.

By collaborating directly with customers, brands can nurture meaningful relationships, showing genuine care for their needs and values. This approach fosters trust, strengthens loyalty, and creates a solid foundation for lasting partnerships and shared success.

Similarly, BrewDog founder James Watt launched Social Tip, a platform that reimagines influencer marketing. Instead of traditional influencer collaborations, Social Tip rewards loyal fans for sharing content about the brands they love, emphasizing authentic customer advocacy over paid endorsements.

(Photo credit to: https://jameswattbrewdog.com/embracing-the-next-challenge-after-17-years-as-brewdog-ceo/) 

Employee-Generated Content: The Future of Authentic Brand Storytelling

Employee-Generated Content (EGC) highlights transparency and commitment to employee satisfaction, building deeper trust with audiences. 

With 81% of consumers valuing trust in purchasing decisions, EGC provides an authentic glimpse into the people behind the brand, resonating beyond corporate images.

As 86% of brands embrace user-generated content, authenticity has become essential. In an AI-driven world, EGC offers genuine, human stories that foster connections often missed by traditional influencer marketing. 

For instance, Marks & Spencer’s 'Insiders' program turns employees into relatable mini-celebrities, appealing to diverse audiences.

(Photo credit to: https://www.tribegroup.co/blog/brands-unlocking-staff-content-creators)

From Personalization to Connection: Strengthening Customer Relationships

Personalization is essential in today’s market, with 81% of customers preferring brands that offer tailored experiences. McKinsey reveals it can halve acquisition costs, boost revenue by 5%-15%, and enhance ROI by 10%-30%.

Additionally, 70% of customers appreciate brands that recognize their history, such as past purchases. Beyond tailored offers, personalization demonstrates genuine care, fostering trust and stronger relationships. 

A standout example is Spotify Wrapped, which highlights users' music history to create nostalgia and connection, reinforcing trust through personalized experiences.

In one of our case studies, 'Botanica Luxury Villas' generated over 5,000 leads using a strategy that prioritized personalization.

Want to craft a similar strategy tailored to your business? Grab a coffee and book a free consultation with our experts today!

(Photo credit to: https://newsroom.spotify.com/2024-12-04/wrapped-user-experience-2024/)

Key Takeaways:

• A strong foundation of engagement and visibility drives revenue and sales.
• Tailored experiences enhance engagement, trust, and long-term customer relationships.
• Direct customer relationships foster trust and loyalty, often surpassing traditional influencer marketing.

3) Sharpen Your Path with These Tips

If you're wondering how these trends can be applied to the hospitality industry, we've got you covered with actionable tips to integrate them into your strategy.

Reviving the Old with a Fresh Voice

Starting from scratch with new content can feel daunting. Instead, consider repurposing your most engaging material.
According to recent data, many marketers face challenges such as:

• 40% of B2B marketers struggle to create the right content for their audience.
• 43% find differentiating content difficult.
• 42% have trouble maintaining consistency in their content.
• 39% still struggle to create enough content.

By analyzing top-performing content—such as those with high engagement, shares, or comments—you can identify recurring themes and formats that resonate with your audience. 

Repurpose this content into new formats like infographics, short videos, or webinars, and update the style and messaging to match current audience preferences. This strategy saves time while ensuring your refreshed content remains relevant and valuable, build stronger audience connections.

From Team to Content Stars: Simplifying Video and Short-Form Creation

"Motivate them, train them, care about them, and make winners out of them… they’ll treat the customers right. And if customers are treated right, they’ll come back." — J. Willard Marriott

Employee-generated content (EGC) is becoming a powerful trend. Showcasing your team’s work and behind-the-scenes moments on social media can humanize your brand, build trust, and foster transparency. 

By sharing genuine moments—like daily tasks, celebrations, or guest interactions—you not only engage your audience but also strengthen their relationship with your hotel. This approach encourages deeper connections and turns your team into content creators.

Turning Your Guests into a Connected Community

Creating a sense of community among your guests can elevate your hotel’s reputation and build long-term loyalty. Your hotel can become more than just a place to stay—it can be a hub of connection and shared experiences. 

Use your hotel’s social spaces, activities, and digital platforms to bring guests together, creating memorable moments that extend beyond their stay. Building a connected community helps your brand stand out in a competitive market.

Actionable Tips

For Reviving Old Content:

• Analyze top-performing content using metrics like shares, comments, and engagement time.
• Identify recurring themes and formats that resonate with your audience.
• Repurpose successful content into fresh formats (e.g., infographics, short videos, webinars).
• Update the style and messaging to align with current audience preferences and trends.

For Leveraging Your Team:

• Motivate team members to share genuine workday moments (e.g., behind-the-scenes clips, celebrations, guest interactions).
• Highlight these moments on social media with relatable captions or employee spotlights to humanize your brand.
• Build trust and foster stronger connections through authentic storytelling.

For Creating Community:

• Organize mixers, workshops, or game nights in communal spaces to encourage guest interaction.
• Create private social media groups or forums for guests to stay connected even after their stay.
• Host group tours or workshops that promote collaboration among guests.
• Share guest photos and testimonials on social media to highlight their experiences.
• Celebrate special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries to make guests feel valued.

Key Takeaways:

• Refresh messaging to match current trends and audience preferences.
• Use relatable storytelling to humanize your brand and build trust.
• Use social media to showcase guest experiences and build loyalty.

Conclusion

In the hospitality industry, building customer loyalty goes beyond great service—it’s about fostering transparency, trust, and truth. These values form the foundation for lasting relationships, enhanced engagement, and a competitive edge. 

By embracing trends, prioritizing customer-first strategies, leveraging Employee-Generated Content (EGC), and personalizing experiences, businesses can strengthen connections. Creating a sense of community among guests and employees turns your hotel into a hub of shared experiences, ensuring long-term loyalty and success

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