For generations of travelers, the success of a hotel or resort was defined by word-of-mouth, often prompted by aspirational magazine and newspaper travel articles adorned with luminous photography. In the past decade, however, the widespread social media adoption among consumers of all ages has completely reshaped the playing field.
The biggest takeaway for managers and their marketing teams is this: If one image is worth a thousand words, still images and videos posted on platforms like Instagram and TikTok can add up to thousands of dollars. Although long-form editorial in print and online forms remain relevant, there is no question that the perception of social media’s influence has shifted dramatically, from experimental to absolutely essential.
“We’re finally past the peak popularity of the curated ‘Instagrammable moment,’” said David Shove-Brown, partner at hospitality-focused interior design firm //3877 in Washington, DC. He cited Hilton Arlington National Landing in Arlington, VA and Hotel Tonnelle in New Orleans as places where Instagram moments were and are built into the space. “My teenager will put together an entire itinerary of where to stay, what to eat and what to see solely based on what comes across her feed, including photos, videos and long-form content. We encourage our project partners to look at social media as a means of free advertising, with the ability to showcase a property through the most authentic lens there is: the traveler.”
Interior designer Kari Bennett, founder of EDGEiD in Salt Lake City, believes the element of surprise is part of what gets social media users’ attention. “It’s the most unexpected spaces—like a beautifully designed public restroom—that go viral because they create a surprising ‘wow’ moment,” she said. “The goal is not to have just one standout area, but to layer intentional, visually engaging moments throughout the entire property. This approach creates a cohesive, immersive environment that guests want to photograph, share and talk about—amplifying both your brand presence and your campaign reach.”
Bennett also insisted that good design choices and consistency of exposure (posting) act as visual storytelling tools, setting the tone for the guest experience from the very first impression. How those tools are used vary by management, marketing people and designers interviewed but all will agree that when everything is lined up thoughtfully, a hotel is meeting guests where they are...or want to be.
“We weren’t just launching a campaign—we were launching a conversation,” said Alexis Levy, senior manager, Social Media, Remington Hospitality on their New Orleans property, Le Pavillion. “The ability to bring our theme to life digitally allows us to highlight what makes the hotel truly unique, from historically inaccurate storytelling to beloved traditions like our nightly peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which have become a signature moment for guests.”
Selling the “Moment”
Interior designers, tech-savvy managers and in-house social media coordinators have different ideas on what makes a good first impression. However, they’ll agree that a successful one in still photo or video form can freeze a moment in time that will in turn inspire an intended audience to start and keep conversations going.
“You have to make the property and hotel experience visually appealing enough that people feel inspired to capture and share it online,” said Ishita Lalan, founder of Ishita Interiors. “It’s about creating something valuable first—and letting the visibility come as a result. People want to share not just what they did, but what they felt. You have to give guests a design moment that they can actually capture themselves enjoying it. When you create real value, the views follow. If you build something people naturally want to share, the social buzz happens on its own. Instead of thinking about how to get attention, focus on why someone would want to engage with the space in the first place.”
Miriam Torres, principal at Parker Torres Design, believes that regardless of what or how something is being photographed, honesty is the best policy. “Marketing should authentically represent the property itself, and the same is true of the design,” she affirmed. “What elements we select for a client, from the art to the flooring, should play into that immersive in-person experience that lets guests feel the property’s unique sense of place. Well-designed (spaces) photograph better, allowing the guest experience to translate through social media.”
As most of Parker Torres’ hospitality clients, such as Fairmont Kea Lani in Hawaii and The Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., have a more sophisticated guest profile, she said her team avoids gimmicks as they can come across as too pedestrian for the luxury brand clients in her portfolio. Gimmicks often don’t age well, especially as luxury traveler demographics are shifting, and many high-net-worth travelers are planning more multi-generational vacations. This compels Parker Torres and her team to find social media moments that will excite younger travelers, such as spaces with an interactive experience.
Bridget Russo, senior vice president of marketing at Outbound, insisted that events at Outbound properties are not specifically designed for Instagram, but to spotlight details that make them sharable moments. For the “Outbound Music Series,” musician Andrew Bird was invited to perform outside at The Virginian Lodge and Outbound Mammoth, with an outdoor backdrop very different from his other tour dates. The multi-day Camp Nice, co-hosted by “TheGoodLife!” at Outbound Stowe, centered around nature, community and creativity. The immersive retreat featured group hikes, fireside meals and hands-on workshops.
“Every part of the experience is crafted to feel authentic and personal, which is why it translates so well across social platforms,” she said. “Whether it’s a courtyard concert at Outbound Mammoth, a tented dinner under the stars in Stowe or someone sipping morning coffee in a robe by the fire pits at The Virginian, these are real moments our guests are already experiencing. It’s not about a curated narrative, but about sharing what’s actually happening and inviting people into that experience. Feedback from past posts helps us make smarter decisions about programming, design, how we tell our story, and staying in tune with what genuinely resonates with our guests.”
Surf & Sand Laguna Beach, which recently underwent an extensive remodel, is a prime example of achieving perfect synergy between good design and social media—to the tune of over 60.6k followers. Erin Malone, the senior director of social media at J/PR, its public relations firm of record, affirmed Instagram has been an “indispensable tool for awareness” in driving guest decisions and inspiration.
“With the recent resort transformation, it was critical in showcasing visually how the resort had been enhanced,” she explained. “Using social media as a search engine often bridges the gap directly, from inspiration to action. Users see a captivating video of Surf & Sand, then immediately click through a link in bio to check availability or make a booking, all within the same platform ecosystem.
Malone stressed that Surf & Sand Laguna Beach, one of Orange County, CA’s marquee prestige properties, is no stranger to going “viral,” showing a list of recent Instagram posts and reels (videos) with anywhere from 12k-100k. The numbers are quantifiable proof that a successful viral post isn’t just a one-off win but a, “real-world A/B test that provides invaluable data.” And just as it is an ongoing effort to keep a property’s physical attributes up to date, so is seeing what moments they inspire that capture guests’ imaginations.
“Our team’s strategy for Surf & Sand is rooted in quick learnings and data-driven creativity,” she continued. “Each month, we dissect what made the content resonate, report on actionable insights and strategically weave those learnings into our ongoing content calendar, ensuring our future campaigns are even more impactful and aligned with what the audience truly loves about the property. When a post goes viral, we analyze why it resonated on that platform. Was it the length? The music? The visual style? The interactive element to share or save this post? If short-form, authentic videos perform best, we prioritize producing more of those, potentially even experimenting with different styles (e.g., day-in-the-life, POV, quick transitions).”
Although DyeLot Interiors in Vancouver, Canada is known for its branding-minded approach to interior design, Senior Principal Jackson Theilenius advises clients to focus on creating moments rather than chasing trends. The team starts every project by thinking about how the space feels, and then how it photographs. When interior design feels intentional and authentic to the property’s location and audience, it draws attention without needing to shout.
“Good visual storytelling starts with design, from wallpaper or custom pattern that can become a signature image to a strong color palette to unique furniture or lighting,” he said. “These elements can anchor a guest’s memory of the space as well as a photo. Some of the most successful design moments we’ve created are the ones guests discover on their own, (such as) a corner perfectly framing a view, a custom material detail that catches the light, or a design element that connects back to a local story.”
Using themes such as “History on Its Head” allows Le Pavillon’s marketing teams to use social media to deepen the connection between the New Orleans hotel and its loyal and prospective guests. “Social media, particularly Instagram and TikTok, offer the perfect stage to bring this story to life,” said Cassy Scrima, manager, marketing & digital, Remington Hospitality. “We were able to take historic figures and turn them into characters by showing the juxtaposition of what they may have been seen doing during their era, and what they might do in current times—think Napoleon sliding down a banister, or The Belle of New Orleans snapping selfies, twirling her hair and blowing big pink bubbles!”
“Designing with Instagrammable moments in mind is not just about beauty, but also visual storytelling,” agreed Terrah Piggee, InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk’s director of marketing. “The most shareable spaces offer layered moments that invite guests to stop, snap and share. Whether it’s a rich wallpaper, an unexpected color pop, or a piece of custom signage, each element should serve a purpose and contribute to a cohesive narrative. Subtle sophistication always wins. Guests gravitate toward spaces that feel curated, not manufactured.”
The ultimate goal is to get social media users to think, “I want to want to be there” and “That’s the place I want to go.”
The Rules of “Engagement”
While social media creators (a.k.a. influencers) in the travel space are invited to a property because their followers have similar interests and aspirations, guests can be just as likely to connect with people within and beyond their social circle to get word out.
“Social media has evolved past capturing a trip in one photo in front of a sculpture or green wall,” said Shove-Brown, who encourages his hospitality clients to have varied spaces drawing in different guests ... and different social media audiences by extension. Some should prompt the quiet, shy person to think, “Hey, they have peaceful moments in the lobby to decompress!” or the social butterfly to notice that, “there are so many opportunities to meet new people in the common spaces!”
“It’s now about the experience as a whole,” he continued. “Anything be captured on camera by anyone, the good, the bad and the ugly, so we advise hotel clients to focus on creating an authentic, immersive experience throughout the entire property.”
Jaime Bettencourt, senior vice president of Experience Design/Strategy Consulting team at Mood Media (specializing in immersive audiovisual content and technology), said that to accomplish the perfect “vibe” for its hospitality clients and brands, she advises going timeless rather than trendy when translating travel experiences “from physical to digital” in ways that will be relatable for multiple generations of travelers.
“We go into the design (process) thinking about that as our top priority,” Bettencourt said on its intentional digital strategy, steering clear of “hot” trends that don’t align with a property’s brand or guest experience. Flashy digital screens, ambient lighting or viral-ready features may be trending on Instagram or TikTok, but if they feel out of place or disconnected from the property, it can be off-putting for the guests.
“When thinking about social media, we’re looking at who is engaging with the brand and what they are interested in,” she said. “We ask our staff what people are mentioning in the lobby, at the restaurant and in discussions about popular amenities or perks such as a check-in glass of local wine. Whatever is happening on property, that’s what will draw people online. Guests and social media audience are highly responsive to content that is personal and immersive. Reels and UGC-content that showcase the full resort experience elicit a stronger emotional connection to our resort, versus a generic static post.”
Feedback from social media posts measured through engagement shapes creative direction, according to Bettencourt, who encourages her team to continue creating social storytelling moments that embody the lifestyle guests are seeking. She also applies “newsjacking,” a strategy borrowed from the PR world, where hotel content is combined with popular viral topics. She edits in related keywords as text in prominent and visible places, like as an overlay on videos or photos, as captions and in narration in the posts.
“Right now, there’s a lot of focus on wellness, and it plays into how space is designed in so many different ways,” she continued. “I would say that’s top of mind for aesthetics, campaigns and how they support the wellness trend overall. A lot of aesthetics in that realm, with a very warm and inviting neutral palette, translate really well on social. One particular reel that performed well recently highlighted a couples’ spa day, resulting in hearty engagement that translated into direct spa bookings—a physical proof point that social strategy should be anchored in the feeling that posts provoke.”
Jasmine Garcia, social media and content manager at Travel Costa Mesa, not only guides its hotel partners to not just sell the property but the destination to travelers to get optimum social media engagement.
“We focus on what people can do, what they can eat and what experiences are available,” she said. “With this tactic, you don’t have to make physical changes to the hotel property. You can show it as a piece of the larger experience and vacation. For our ‘We’ve Got Good Taste’ campaign, we ran both agency-created content and user-generated content (UGC) from guests. The UGC content performed significantly better than highly stylized agency content. Authentic, unexpected and creative content outperforms anything that feels too staged or unattainable.”
In a similar fashion, Left Lane, a New York-based hotel and real estate company focused on the acquisition and transformation of properties in high-growth secondary markets, steers clients away from social media for its own sake. In order to create “experiences worth talking about,” Brand Manager Vanessa Tilley explained that a brand team works alongside a hotel’s departments and leaders to create both evergreen and seasonal programming to keep current and prospective guests interested.
At Bar Bibi inside the Hotel Bardo in Savannah, Tilley described how its team engineered a “Polaroid moment” that put patrons in the center of the action. “Besides the fun and playful menus, (staff) members will offer to take Polaroid photo of guests and give it to them right away,” she said, adding that a little brand guide is created for hotel clients that provides clear guidelines to help a property’s branding marketing team follow the prescribed vision to ensure consistency moving forward.
“Having all these layered elements is what builds on a moment worth sharing,” she said. “It gets translated on social media when guests take and post photos of their meals and beautiful cocktails with the little Polaroids they received. Instead of trying to beat an algorithm, we create moments (often based on) what comes from guests spreading the word about us.”
Connecting a property’s architects, interior designers and brand designers for new properties and remodels ensures intentional cohesion and connection to give social media users an accurate sense of what prospective guests can expect, according to Dan Fernandez, Concord Hospitality's VP of Digital.
“I view social media as kind of a digital pull through of communicating those specific elements,” Fernandez said. “When they are done really well, it is easier to pull those through to the (social media user). A common design mistake is trying to force an Instagram- or a TikTok-ready look. Think of the faux plant background, or neon lighting fixture with a kitschy saying. You need to create a singular space guests will like, but if it is designed with Instagram-ability in mind, the outcome may miss the mark within the overarching space.”
Picture yourself here: Concord Hospitality’s Dan Fernandez believes good social media is all about creating and projecting images that are true to a hotel’s real-life identity. Models hired for the shoots should have appearances that represent the guests who would be drawn to the property.
“Social” Security: The benefits of “professional” influencers and outside firms
Guest word-of-mouth is not going away anytime soon. Yet questions remain: How can a hotel’s management be ensured social media efforts are reaching their intended audiences? Is there a benefit of hiring a specialized outside agency? Is it worth the effort to actively court influencers for press junkets in addition to or instead of travel writers from traditional media? There are no hard-and-fast rules, as each hotel and property group has a different outlook on how and where to get social media support and how many people or places should be involved.
Fernandez noted that most of Concord Hospitality’s hotels have a “social media champion” on property. “I think the best, most innovative ideas are going to come out of that individual,” he said. “However, it’s hard for just one person on property to do that, and that’s where having an agency come in to support those efforts and maybe do a lot of the tactical work of actually building out the social media calendar, posts and coming on site for creative photo shoots. So, I think there needs to be a bit of a mix of both. The on-property social media champion (will be) the individual driving things.”
“An in-house [social media person] gives you more control over day-to-day storytelling, while an outside team can offer strategy and production quality,” observed interior designer Lalan. “The most important thing is that whoever runs your social media channels understands the spirit of the place. That comes from tight collaboration with your design and operations teams. Regardless of if you have one, the other, or both, everybody should aim for consistency, not volume. A few posts per week is plenty if the content is thoughtful and reflects the property’s identity.”
As the roadmap to effective social media campaigns continue to get increasingly complicated, Outbound Hotels’ Russo acknowledges that achieving good brand storytelling results is often a collaborative process. For this reason, their in-house marketing team and third-party PR team, Rachel Harrison Communications, have come together as brand storytellers. Even if there is an experienced social media specialist in-house, a firm like RHC provides an extra edge in translating on-property energy into online conversation.
“Our local teams have their finger on the pulse of their own communities,” Russo said. “They’re the first to spot what guests are loving, whether it’s a new musician in Jackson Hole or a Vermont distillery pouring at a pop-up. Our agency partners bring strategy and structure, but the soul of the content comes from that blend of perspectives that reflects what makes each Outbound location feel alive and different, while still staying true to the core brand.”
Regardless of if a hotel has one, the other, or both, Nick Solomon, general manager at The Scottsdale Resort & Spa, said getting a social media campaign fully up to speed will involve a learning curve, especially when grasping a full understanding of what it takes to make a property “Instagrammable” and adjusting social strategy.
“With ever-evolving algorithms and trends, we stay nimble in our strategy to ensure we are planning ahead, tracking performance and adapting to encompass the wants and needs of our audience,” Solomon said. “We find that understanding which content performs best is key to understanding social growth, which is why we consistently prioritize reels over static posts. However, we have also seen that storytelling-centric carousel (multiple photos a user can click through) posts have been performing exceptionally well on our feed.”
Solomon said that the management opted to partner with a digital and social media agency starting at the beginning of The Scottsdale Resort’s renovation. This long-term partnership guided the overall strategy, developing campaigns from the ground up to ensure that visuals, tonality, partnership and community engagement strategies spoke to anybody interested in its new-and-improved resort experience. He cited a recent ‘Staycation Diaries’ series as an example that prioritizes the guest POV in an authentic, engaging way while also highlighting key messaging points for the improved resort.
Tilley, on the other hand, recommends having a focused and dedicated brand coordinator or branding partner who can take on the management of photo shoots, bringing influencers in, and working alongside the property marketing or brand manager to get things done. “I feel like that performs way better than relying on external social media agency,” she said. “If you look most of the social media agencies that do hospitality, all the accounts will end up with a very similar tone of voice, very similar content. And the last thing you want to do is to have your accounts looking like everyone else’s.”
“The Scottsdale Resort’s on-site management, marketing, social media and PR teams work closely to maintain a consistent presence across social, digital and earned media while remaining flexible and responsive to what resonates most with our audience,” Solomon explained. “If you want long-term, dedicated strategy, creative direction and growth across channels, working with a social media agency is an ideal partner to help execute these goals. A thoughtful social media strategy isn’t just internal, it’s an external investment that opens your property up to new and qualified guests while also connecting with longtime property enthusiasts. The feedback from early guests who appreciated the property’s aesthetic validated our approach, reaffirming that our digital relaunch was a success both online and in tangible guest bookings.”
Consultant Karen Aronian recommends having an on-site social media coordinator who also has a book of outside providers they regularly work with. “It’s very important to bring in people who are not with your brand, so you can get a sense of how the [posts] will hit. The in-house person should have learned something from [other professionals] who do the rounds and have a variety of clients. You want to bring in creators (influencers), and if you aren’t, you’re missing opportunity,” Aronian said.
Nicole Roselio, VP of marketing & design for Obie Companies (including Obie Hospitality) in Eurgene, OR, said her team has worked with outside providers and had in-house social media experts depending on the property. “In either scenario, the onboarding of the coordinator is key, as is making sure he or she understands your brand and how you want that reflected on social media,” she said. “However, it’s most helpful for [the coordinator] to have easy access to the hotel to capture content ‘on the fly’ that’s more relatable than just a curated feed from professional photos. It’s important to ensure authenticity in your social storytelling, and that’s incredibly difficult to achieve without capturing real moments in real life. If your outside provider [or even your in-house coordinator] isn’t local or able to capture content often, it’s nearly impossible to do that.”
If bringing influencers on property is part of the plan, Roselio advises working with those whose followers are likely to be prospective guests. “Things they appreciate are often things we don’t even think to feature or profile,” she said, regarding the different lens they see potential “moments” through. “It’s a fantastic way to get new content and open your eyes to storytelling opportunities. Brands often try too hard to prescribe what hosted or paid influencers can promote, but giving them more latitude to explore and experience the property in my experience gets the right attention.”
Although well-chosen influencers in sync with guest interests are still part of the recipe for social media success, the balance comes from thoughtfully executed design and guest engagement showing it in real time in bringing the hotel to the guest and ultimately bringing the guest to the hotel.
“When I think of social media, I think of ‘No Vacancy,’ Aiden @ San Antonio’s basement speakeasy, which is a love letter to the 1920s prohibition era,” said Amy Hulbert, vice president of boutique and upscale brands for BWH Hotels, on images prompting guests to imagine themselves at the venue. “With its moody lighting, vintage accents, custom wallpaper and an unforgettable bright red grand piano, it’s become a favorite for live music nights and social media buzz.”
Making Your Marketing
Here are some common-sense tips from the pros about creating still and moving images that “sell” your hotel’s “lifestyle” to receptive social media followers:
- “Have a plan, and understand that different platforms require different approaches and voices. Having a presence across social media mediums presents a great opportunity to refine your brand voice and character, engaging with these different audiences in a way that feels tailored to them.”—David Shove-Brown
- “It doesn’t always take a huge renovation. Sometimes, small adjustments can make a big difference if they’re thoughtfully executed. And focusing on consistency in posting over volume.” —Jackson Thilenius
- Highlight what’s unique about your property. Avoid copying what’s already trending elsewhere.
- Reflect the local context. Use regional materials, colors, and stories that connect guests to the place.
This article was originally published in the September edition of Hotel Management magazine. Subscribe here.